Land Rover Defender Hard Top van revie
Our opinion on the Land Rover Defender Hard Top
The Land Rover Defender Hard Top is an excellent vehicle in its own right, being fantastic to drive and luxurious in ways most commercial vehicles could never match. But its price is way beyond what a normal business would be willing to pay, especially since a van or pickup would be significantly more practical and economical to buy and run. It’s a niche product, but a fantastic option for the people it does work for.
About the Land Rover Defender Hard Top
The Land Rover Defender Hard Top is a commercial version of the popular SUV designed for businesses needing a vehicle that can head off road and also serve as an upmarket billboard for their services.
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The Defender Hard Top comes in 90 and 110 short and long wheelbase guises – just like the Defender SUV – but there’s no extra long 130 variant and rest of the range isnt quite as broad. On both wheelbase versions, you can only get the D250 diesel engine in entry-level S and mid-spec X-Dynamic SE trims but a more powerful D350 engine is available on the top-spec X-Dynamic HSE version. That means a similarly broad range of options can be offered, with a wide choice of wheels, exterior, interior and seating upgrades available.
One area where the Defender Hard Top stands out is in the cabin. Its only direct rival is Land Rovers own Discovery Commercial, which offers more space and slightly different kit, but the same off-road ability. These models offer heavier payloads, but while ride comfort has improved, they cant match the Defender for luxury. Still, models such as the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max are worth considering thanks to their long kit lists and competitive pricing.
MPG and running costs
The high purchase price means you’ll need a strong business case for the upmarket Defender Hard Top
While Land Rover has its roots in the utilitarian, the brands current image is that of a premium SUV manufacturer. The Defender Hard Top fits the latter brief, so while its a commercial vehicle, it comes with a premium price tag that puts it above even premium pick-up trucks and other rival commercial 4x4s.
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But you get what you pay for, and the Defender Hard Top is an upmarket commercial vehicle that will suit businesses wishing to convey a premium image. Even the entry-level Defender 90 has that upmarket appearance, so you dont have to splash out on a 110 unless you need the extra space.
The high costs dont stop once youve bought a Defender Hard Top. The whole range is powered by Land Rovers Ingenium six-cylinder diesel, and although they have fuel-saving mild-hybrid tech included, theyre thirsty.
Whether you choose the D250 or D350 engine, official combined WLTP fuel economy is pretty much the same, at 33.6 and 33.1mpg respectively. While the door has the spare wheel hanging off it, its actually easy to open on its gas strut, although you need to plan on where you park to ensure you have enough space behind the van to swing it open.
The cargo area in the Defender 90 Hard Top measures 1,326mm wide 1,124mm between the wheelarches, 1,037mm long and 947mm high, and theres a cargo volume of 1.12 cubic metres on offer. However, the cargo height is slightly lower, at 937mm.
Cargo length and width is a little behind that of a pick-up truck such as the Ford Ranger, and payloads are lower for the Defender Hard Top, too. All versions can haul a 3.5-tonne trailer, which matches the best pick-ups around. Of course, if you are towing, then itll be tricky to open the rear door while your trailer is hitched up, so the Defender 110, with its side doors, is a better option if you still need to access the cargo space.
Reliability, safety and security
Land Rover’s reputation for reliability isn’t great but there’s no reason to think the Defender Hard Top won’t get you where you need to be every day
Pros
Cons
Safety kit is good
Five-star Euro NCAP safety rating
Comes with breakdown cover
Poor brand reputation
Bare minimum warranty
All Defender Hard Tops come with the same three-year unlimited mileage warranty as the rest of Land Rovers range, and theres roadside assistance cover for the same period. While other commercial vehicles can be had with four-wheel drive, nothing offers the mix of ability and comfort that a Land Rover does.
Air suspension is available as an option £1,615 and it brings even more comfort over rough roads and even improves the Defender’s off-road ability as well. Off-road packs are available too that add even more features for those heading out into the wilderness.
Town driving, visibility and parking
Light steering means the Defender is easy to manoeuvre, while front and rear parking sensors and big wing mirrors help you position this large vehicle. One useful option is Land Rovers Clearsight Rear View Mirror. When active, it swaps the standard mirror view for an image relayed from a roof-mounted camera. There are lots of high-quality plastics, metal trim and leather on higher spec models, while the standard kit list is extensive. A better option is to fold this seat down, where it doubles as a table with cup holders and a bank of charging sockets at the base of the seat.
You get a good view of the road ahead from behind the wheel, while extra sensors allow you to position this large 4×4 relatively easily. Light controls help here as well.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
All models come with a 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display and ‘Pivi Pro’ Land Rover’s infotainment display on the dash, a Meridian stereo system, DAB radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. You’ll, of course, get used to using it over time, but finding lesser-used functions is sometimes not as easy as it could be.
Buying and owning
It’s not all that easy to justify a Defender Hard Top, simply because the with purchase price is nearly £60,000 – even for the base model – is almost double what you might pay for a pick-up with similar off-road ability, almost as much kit and more carrying capacity. Only the Land Rover can offer this level of luxury in a commercial vehicle, though, and for certain businesses that value image highly it certainly could make sense.
Alternatives
Most of the normal pick-up options such as the Toyota Hilux or Isuzu D-Max are much cheaper than the Defender, but are chosen because of their rugged dependability on and off-road. They are also more practical than the Land Rover in many ways, but they can’t match its luxurious image and interior. The Land Rover Discovery Commercial is pretty much the only other option in that sense.
Van dimensions
Body styleHeightWidth LengthDefender 901,974mm2,008mm4,323mmDefender 1101,972mm2,008mm4,758mm
Load area dimensions
Body styleHeightWidthLengthVolumeDefender 90947mm1,326mm1,037mm1.12m3Defender 110937mm1,423mm1,472mm1.7m3
Frequently Asked Questions
As a van it’s not great, and it’s incredibly expensive.
