Land Rover Defender is Top Gear’s Car of the Year

Article Media More

Judges of the prestigious prize praised the new Defender for being one of the toughest vehicles on the road today, and a brilliant successor to the original iconic Land Rover, as a car for the 21st century that performs brilliantly everywhere.

We've now driven one across the Namibian desert - and in properly harsh environments, like the M25 - in both 110 and 90 forms, with every engine under the bonnet and it just performs brilliantly everywhere. There's an argument that because it costs a bit more it won't be used properly by the farming and rural community, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be... It's the toughest, most capable off-roader we've ever tested, but one that's a refined, well-equipped family car around town.

Editor, Top Gear Magazine

Right from the start of creating this vehicle with the blank sheet of paper, we were obsessed about respecting its heritage and keeping its true authenticity, as well as ensuring it is completely fitting for today’s ever-evolving world. Additionally, we have ensured that the New Defender is completely connected, with our new Electrical Vehicle Architecture (EVA2), Pivi Pro infotainment system and Software Over the Air (SOTA) updates to continually enhance the Defender operating system. We are especially proud of this recognition from Top Gear, which is a testament to the dedication of our JLR Family who have created a vehicle that we believe is truly worthy of the Defender name.

Hang Tough

To celebrate the achievement, Land Rover teamed up with Top Gear magazine to prove the new Defender worthy of the 'Unstoppable Force' title.