Land Rover Defender 90 (90-06) - Review

A roomy workhorse when used as a two seater, the Defender can double up as a part-time van. Boot capacity with the rear seats folded away is 1510 litres, which rivals some large estates, and there is a decent storage box between the front seats.

Airbags, three-point rear seatbelts and stability control are all items the Defender does without. The part-time rear seats are fitted with lap belts, and the Defender comes with ABS and remote central locking on County models upwards (an option combined with electric front windows on the entry level car). Most customers would expect more than this for the price.

Not only is the Defender relatively expensive to buy new options to try to create a more car-like driving environment can also be expensive. Add to that 28mpg on the combined cycle for the short-wheelbase Defender and it doesn't appear cheap to run. However, insurance groups are modest (group nine for the Defender 90) and residual values surprisingly strong.

Some Defenders are affected with problems, whether mechanical or electrical, but a high proportion of all the Defenders built are still on the roads and are relied upon to keep going in some of the harshest conditions in the world.