They warned me that it was big, but I wouldn’t listen, said Liana Reiners, of her review of the Land Rover Defender double cab. 

“How big can it be?’ I asked myself, quietly resentful that they were patronising me. All I could think about was that the Land Rover Defender would be my first road test vehicle for the New Year and how I was looking forward to driving something other than my personal set of wheels.

The Land Rover Defender is a BIG double cab

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Besides, I’d driven double cabs and Land Rover Defenders before and I had always been able to cope ….

I should have known there was trouble brewing when the vehicle was delivered and parked virtually off the property because “there was no room in the parking area”. “There’s always room in the parking area,” I thought to myself as I took the key.

But when I saw it I suddenly understood everyone’s concern. Before me was the biggest double cab I had ever seen: Land Rover’s Defender 130 double cab. A full 1 790 mm wide and 5 170 mm long. And suddenly I began to doubt my own driving abilities as I contemplated braving peak hour traffic in this behemoth. At least I knew my two boys would be excited.

Getting in is no stylish affair

Good thing I wasn’t wearing a dress because getting in was no stylish affair. I’m not the tallest of people and for me this basically involved putting my left foot on the doorsill, grabbing hold of the steering wheel and heaving myself up. But once I was up and safely seated I regained some confidence and turned the key in the ignition.

Land Rover Defender has a unique diesel engine

This brought to life the Landie’s 2 402 cc diesel engine, which produces 90 kW and 360 Nm of torque. There was a distinctive sound from under the bonnet and I remembered that this engine had a unique tune that was developed to allow it to tolerate the variable quality, high-sulphur fuels to be found across developing markets.

And then I set off. Turns out I had no reason to be worried.

Actually quite fun to drive

Granted this is no nippy city vehicle and it will certainly not set up any speed records (not even if you throw it down a mineshaft) but it’s actually quite fun to drive. Its all-new, six-speed transmission – which was specially developed for heavy-duty applications – is light, strong and provides smooth on-road performance, slick gear changes and improved fuel consumption. The positioning of the gearshift has also been changed to offer greater comfort and ease of use.

Land Rover Defender is for serious adventurers

Granted, it’s nowhere near as comfortable or well appointed as your average high-end passenger car, but you have to bear in mind what its intended use is. This wasn’t designed to be a mom’s taxi or an everyday runabout. This is a vehicle for serious adventures who answer to the call of the wild and who realise that travelling off Africa’s beaten tracks is serious business and you need a serious vehicle to succeed.

You can see all the way to tomorrow

Alas, I’m not one of them but that doesn’t mean that I can’t appreciate all the Landie has to offer. It’s certainly spacious inside and I found the driver’s seat quite comfortable. A big bonus, of course, is the elevated position which means that you can see all the way to tomorrow.

No one will challenge you in a Land Rover Defender

I particularly enjoyed the fact that nobody dared to challenge me for space on the road. No taxis pushed in front of me, no BMW drivers tried to intimidate me and no pedestrians tried to sneak across the road. I felt like a queen. Impressed the guys on the road

And another thing I discovered is that there’s a great camaraderie amongst Defender drivers. I can honestly say that if I wasn’t married, I could have picked up stacks of guys. I was waved at, honked at, smiled at and stared at, all by fellow Defender drivers.

The Defender has a 75 litre fuel tank

What else can I say about the Landie? Oh, it has air-conditioning and front electric windows as standard and the 75-litre fuel tank is worth a mention too. A radio is available as option. What else is standard? A cargo cover, tow bar, vinyl seats, rubber floor mats, 16-inch steel wheels, a full size spare wheel and an alarm/immobiliser. All included in the price of R343 656. 

Load your groceries and still have space for more

 I decided to use the Defender it to do my monthly grocery shopping and when I had loaded my parcels in the back, there was still enough room to accommodate at least four other families’ acquisitions. It’s BIG. 

True to the legendary Land Rover reputation

What’s the verdict then? I was almost sad to see the Big Boy go. I had come face to face with the beast and I had tamed it. Granted, I never took it anywhere near a dirt road and I’m sure that if I had, I would have waxed lyrical about its off-road abilities and capabilities. All I can say is that I can see where the Defender’s legendary reputation comes from and I can appreciate it for what it is. 

My choice for an adventure into the unknown

If I ever decided to travel into the great unknown, I know which vehicle I’d choose. So girls, I’m afraid size does count. Well, at least for me it does.