2024 Land Rover Defender 130 Outbound Review

This week I am taking a look at the 2024 Land Rover Defender 130, with a twist:  This is the new Outbound edition.

New for 2024, the Outbound is a stretched version of the 110.  They added over 13-inches to the overall length and blocked out the rear side windows to match the color.

The unusual thing about the Outbound is that even with all this length, there is no 3^rd row seat.  Instead, Land Rover opted for a cavernous cargo area.

Exterior

Outside the Defender is square and boxy like the original, but with beautiful 20” wheels, some really beefy 255/60-series all-terrain tires, and a bulging hood with decorative grills. 

 

 

 

 

There are plates on the rear side windows, and you choose some of the optional side accessory packs. This one has a deployable roof ladder on the passenger side for easy access to the roof rack, and on the driver’s side, it has a lockable gear carrier.

Powertrain

The Defender 130 Outbound has the 3.0-liter Supercharged six cylinder which also has a 48-volt mild hybrid system, not for fuel economy, but more for getting this almost over 5,600-pound SUV moving.  You get 395-horses and 406-pound feet of torque.  It is mated to an 8-speed automatic that you can shift from the gear shifter, but no paddles.  As always, Rovers only come all-wheel drive, and they have one of the best systems on the road.

Interior

Moving to the interior, it is very cleanly laid out, but not the luxury interior I’ve come to know as a long-time Range Rover owner myself.  The screws that hold the door panels and the center console are exposed, and I have to say, it is cool to look at and very rugged.

 

 

Everything inside looks nice and is soft to the touch.   Center dash is an 11.4” touchscreen that operates the 400-watt Meridian sound system, navigation, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Wi-Fi.  If you’ve owned a Rover in the past, you know the infotainment screen was slow to change, but that has been resolved, it is actually quite fast now.

There is a page of apps with some pretty cool stuff including the dimensions of the Defender, wade sensing, air quality, and a trailer towing app, among other things.

The gearshift handle is just below the screen and to the right are all the air conditioning controls, the heated and cooled seats, height control, and the button to turn off the start/stop.

There are a couple of cup holders, a wireless charger, a USB and USB-C port, and a power port.  There is a large area under the console for storage and it has a wonderful refrigerator in the center console storage area that is as cold as I’ve ever experienced.

The gauge cluster is 12.3” and is configurable from the steering wheel.  You can change many of vehicle settings there, and it is colorful and easy to read.

The second-row leg and head room are adequate without the 3^rd row seat, but passengers get A/C temperature controls, USBs, a power port, and a fold down armrest.

Utility  

As I mentioned earlier, there is no 3^rd row seat, but there is all kinds of storage room.  In fact, if you fold the center row down, there is over 76-cubic feet of storage.

 

You open the rear tailgate to the side, and it has a matching wheel and tire mounted to it. All the wheels, including the spare, have wheel locks.  You can lower the Defender from the cargo area for the ease of loading.

Standard Equipment   

My tester is well equipped with leather seating and a heated power adjusting steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, panoramic moon roof, power seats on both sides, keyless entry system, and headlight washers.

Safety

On the safety front, you get emergency braking, a terrific 360-degree surround view camera, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, traffic sign recognition, and rear cross traffic alert.

Options

My review vehicle has over $15,000 in options.  Most notable are Satin Protective Film, otherwise known aa Matte Finish for $5,155, Carpathian Grey paint for $600, the Off-Road pack for $1250, the Premium Interior Upgrade for $1400, a rearview mirror camera for wide angle views, and Trailer Towing Package 2 for $1850.

Ride and Drive

The Defender drives fantastic, acceleration is great, and it feels solid and heavy, which it is. The ride quality is great thanks to the terrific air suspension system that Rovers are known for.

Fuel Economy, MSRP and Towing

Fuel economy is rated at 16 in town, 18 on the highway, and overall, 17.  MSRP as this one is equipped is $101,093. Towing capacity is fantastic at 8,200 pounds.

Verdict 

This is an SUV that will go anywhere you want it to go, especially with the amazing 4-wheel drive system, adjustable ride height, and the tire and wheel setup.  If there is any downside to this SUV, it is that these tires cause a little more noise than I like, but that’s the price of admission for such amazing off-road capability.  Personally, I could do without the ladder and the gear carrier on the sides, I think it takes away from the great looks, and with all the cargo area behind the 2^nd row seat, I’m not sure these options are needed.