I was lucky enough to grow up on Exmoor, so I have always been used to Land Rovers being workhorses – tatty, dirty, not especially comfortable, but rugged enough to go anywhere. Often with a couple of sheep in the back.

The Series I, II and later Defenders were the automatic choice for decades for Exmoor’s farmers, and rightly so. But in the 90s, an influx of Japanese alternatives started edging their way in.

I even recall a comedy song performed at a local village concert from which the title of this piece comes. It referenced the new colours available for people wanting 4x4s – ‘They come in red, blue and yellow / no more khaki or green / so in inclement weather, you’ll always be seen…’.

Okay, no more singing, I promise.

Wind the clock on from that song, and 2016 saw the sad demise of the continued production of the original Defender, after a staggering 67 years; the icon was no more.

Newer touches of technology

Until the replacement was announced and showcased late in 2019. With nods to the design of the original, newer touches of technology and a great new look, the new Defender was something I wanted to get behind the wheel of for some time. Covid put a bit of a stop to that for some time, although I did get the Lego kit for Christmas that year.

Finally, in 2021, I got behind the wheel – and it was the preferred short wheelbase version too! The question was, after so much waiting, would I be disappointed?

First jaunt, somewhat unusually, was a trip down the M5 for a work-related meeting – a trip I didn’t expect to be very comfortable in something designed for the fields. I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, to find that the new Defender performs very well as a car – nice to drive, easy to manoeuvre and with good visibility.

Rear seat access was not fantastic, given that it’s a three door, but if family practicality is a necessity, then the long-wheelbase 5-door model would probably be wiser.

In fact, for practicality, the long-wheelbase would definitely be needed, as the Defender 90’s boot space is not massive. While good on width and height, the depth of the boot means transporting sheep wouldn’t really be an option.

But the rest of the Defender? Simply stunning. It handled any terrain I threw it at, granted nothing too challenging, but I never felt that it wouldn’t manage even more.

It worked as a car, with the previously mentioned caveat on rear seat access, but I still loved it. The short wheelbase for me has the right aesthetic for a Land Rover – something I felt strongly about of the old version too.

Good looking and notably different from the original

One particular technology addition I liked was the option for the rear view mirror to be a camera, displaying on the mirror at the flick of a switch. This deals with any rear view issues due to tall rear passengers or use of the third front seat.

Technologically brilliant, good looking and while recognisable, notably different from the original. I was lucky enough to park next to a friend’s original Defender for a comparison – I like them both for very different reasons, but would probably opt for the newer version… which would you choose?