- BSE Disco
- Member Since: 12 Mar 2019
- Location: Suffolk
- Posts: 38
New Defender compared to Discovery 5
I got offered an extended test-drive in a new Defender and it would have been rude to refuse, so I thought I'd share some thoughts, particularly how it compares to a D5. Overall I have to say I agree with the overwhelmingly positive reviews of the car, I think Land Rover have done a bang-up job with it and they deserve to sell a ton of them.
So how does it compare? The driving experience is very similar, which is hardly surprising since so much is the same or very similar to the Disco. The D240 has to work harder than the Sd6 under acceleration and you can hear it while it's at it, but when you're cruising it's very smooth indeed and overall more than good enough. The ride and handling likewise very comparable, maybe a little bit less body roll, which is good.
What pleasantly surprised me though was the overall feel of the car is quite different, it did feel "Defendery" rather than a differently-shaped Disco. OK so it's a million years from the old one, and had to be for everyone but the utter purists (they can buy an Ineos Grenadier soon!). I was in a top-spec First Edition car so it had all the toys, and it's all high quality. But it had a much more utilitarian feel, which I really liked. So there's much more of a choice between the 2 models than I was expecting to find.
Things where the Defender is better:
- Overall design is just right (in my opinion) which even Gerry McGovern isn't saying about the Disco now.
- 2nd row leg room is better and the bench is much higher, so much more comfortable all round.
- Infotainment and tech, although most of that will come to the Disco at facelift time I guess..
- You don't have to have 7 seats, which creates a usefully big storage area under the boot floor.
- I'm sure it's better off-road, and you can get factory-fit all-terrain and mud-terrain tyres. Not that the short green-lane I tried tested that.
- Overall practicality. 3 pin plug in the boot, lots of cubbies, pockets and straps, and while I wouldn't quite hose it out, with rubber mats fitted you could be pretty liberal with a bucket and sponge.
The Disco is better at:
- Bigger boot. Not hugely bigger, but the difference in front-to-back depth is noticeable.
- The tailgate and inner-tailgate combo are better for days spent living out of the boot and keeping the rain off - and yes we do use our car like that quite often. And the Defender's side-hinged 'gate would probably be a pain sometimes.
- You can have a 6 cylinder diesel, and the overtaking performance and towing ability that goes with it. Although I think the Defender will get one of those too at some point.
- It is more plush and I missed the captain's chair front armrests.
- There's not many cars that a Disco is shorter than, but a 110 Defender is one of them!
All just my opinion from a few hours driving of course, but the Defender will go to the top of my shortlist come replacement time.
Oh and one other thing, I wanted to see if the "Defender wave" still works but I didn't pass a single other one to try it out on!
- joness7
- Member Since: 16 Aug 2018
- Location: London
- Posts: 47
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Thanks - nice review. Not driven one yet, but will have to quite soon.
2019 D5 SdV6 SE Anniversary black/black
- TechnoTurkey
- Member Since: 14 Dec 2018
- Location: Midlands
- Posts: 58
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Thanks for sharing, I have an extended test drive of one booked for the end of the month. My heart wants to get one as my next car but my head says the Disco is better for my combination of family/dragging a caravan and motorway business miles.
- DieselRanger
- Member Since: 12 Oct 2017
- Location: God's Country, Colorado
- Posts: 766
I've driven one on the road, was tossed the keys by my excellent dealer sales manager the last time I was over there.
I test drove the SE P400 and it was nice. the SE was equipped almost exactly as I would spec one, except now you can order a white roof with Gondwana Stone.
I thought it handled more Defendery than the Discovery handles...Discovery-y. Made the Disco feel like a RRS, but it still drove "smaller" than the Disco. I think by contrast a RRS would feel like a Cayenne compared to the Defender. Suspension is soft and a bit wallowy, befitting its offroad focus. Brakes were super grabby, not sure if that was a feature of the 48V system doing some regen for the electric supercharger?
The P400 power is impressive. 95mph (oops!) felt like 50.
The boot is noticeably smaller - narrower than the D5 and not quite as tall, but plenty big for packing gear. I didn't get the 7 seats on my D5, didn't want the weight and space penalty to get the locking rear diff. The Defender lets you spec the rear locker in the SE trim so that's a win...but I haven't missed it really on my D5.
Infotainment was superb compared to ICTP, but I now use Android Auto exclusively in my D5 so probably wouldn't notice.
- Darling
- Member Since: 16 Nov 2019
- Location: Middlesex
- Posts: 39
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I had a 3hr drive in a 240 today.
They ride is firmer the my D5 HSE LUX ( non Dynamic suspension ),. Brakes very grabby, that sits the car I drove had only 600 miles on it, a lot slower then the 3ltr fuel wise comparable to the 3ltr on normal local drives.
Spec wise its not close to my Lux but without seeing the Defender X i cant comment on that trim level on paper it will match the D5 but at an entry price for the X bending £79.000 without extras I’d expect it to be better in every way they the D5 and i dont think it will be.
I guess if i was to buy one then it would be the very, very basic speck with steel wheels and steel suspension, or go the other way and buy the SVR when it arrives.
Given the choice to buy one now or buy another D5 I’d buy the D5 and spec it how i wanted it.
D.
- BigCol66
- Member Since: 06 Jul 2020
- Location: Mid Wales
- Posts: 292
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I have an extended test drive booked for this Sunday. Thought I would try a Defender before committing to another Disco.
- BigCol66
- Member Since: 06 Jul 2020
- Location: Mid Wales
- Posts: 292
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Well we went yesterday to try the new Defender and we were very impressed. It was the D240 SE and drove very nice . Engine was quiet and smoother than I expected. Looks to be a very durable vehicle. Only thing putting me off is the price. Nearly £60k with a few extras. I would think I would get a D5 HSE 3.0 easily for that much.
- Equilibrium
- Member Since: 26 Feb 2019
- Location: Bristol
- Posts: 754
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For £60k, you should be getting in to HSE Lux territory I think Col. depending on options.
Drives: 2020 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Eiger Grey/Glacier
Departed: 2019 MY20 HSE Luxury SDV6 in Carpathian Grey/Glacier, 440i, 320d, Toyotas, Mondeo, Citroen BX amongst others
- Smilesapart
- Member Since: 07 Sep 2020
- Location: Ipswich
- Posts: 9
Hi everyone. New to this site today.
We were incredibly impressed with the Defender. So much so that we ordered a D240 S 110. However 2 months into our wait for it to be built we had a Change of heart having driven a SD6 Disco 5. We decided to get a 2019 Disco 5 instead (which I pick up on Friday) and then when my partner retires in 2.5 years we will part ex our Freelander 2 for a 2 year old Defender 90.
That way we figured we prefer the 90’s looks and if we bought the Disco then we could get a 90 without worrying about the lack of space for big journeys. Also by getting both vehicles a couple of years old we miss the first 2 (worst) years of depreciation and save tens of thousands of pounds between the 2 vehicles.
So I’m really looking forward to collecting the D5 and hope and pray for many years of trouble free motoring. We’re not new to Land Rovers quirks having had 2 Puma Defender 110’s, and 3 Dicovery 2’s as well as our current Freelander 2 (which is brilliant by the way)
- BigCol66
- Member Since: 06 Jul 2020
- Location: Mid Wales
- Posts: 292
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You have done exactly the same as me.I ordered a new Defender having been impressed with the test drive, but I had a change of mind because I thought a year old Disco 5 was better value. So I should be picking mine up next week it's a Indus silver with black pack HSE Lux SDv6 . What spec are you getting?
- Smilesapart
- Member Since: 07 Sep 2020
- Location: Ipswich
- Posts: 9
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Oh no!! I really wanted one with the black Pack but couldn’t find one in the budget I’d set myself. Not only that, they all had 21” or 22” wheels and while I think the Discovery looks at its very best with the big wheels, I wanted the ride to be as nice as possible. So I decided to go for one with 20” 5 spoke split rims. They were in sparkle silver but I’m having them re-sprayed by the dealership in graphite grey.
I’ll be interested to see pictures of yours when you get it. I think I might eventually add the black bits from the Dynamic Black pack later on when I’ve got a bit more money. Maybe just the grill, bumper vents and rear black panel around the number plate.
- Smilesapart
- Member Since: 07 Sep 2020
- Location: Ipswich
- Posts: 9
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Mine has the in control touch pro (no idea what that means) and the 360 degree parking aid and heated steering wheel.
The only thing it doesn’t have that I really wanted is the temperature control for people (or in our case our dog) on the second row.
- BSE Disco
- Member Since: 12 Mar 2019
- Location: Suffolk
- Posts: 38
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One disadvantage ticked off the list: 6 cylinder diesels now available. In fact only 6 cylinder diesels, no more 4 pot option. I feel sorry for the early adopters! And less than a month after the LR dealer told me no 6 cylinder engines would be forthcoming. I didn’t believe him but they surely know, so are actively misleading potential customers?
- John C
- Member Since: 06 Oct 2018
- Location: East Yorkshire
- Posts: 91
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6.6secs 0-60 on that 110 SE... Wow!
2024 Defender 130 Outbound Dynamic HSE, Carpathian Grey
2020 SDV6 D5 HSE, Carpathian Grey, 2005 TDV6 D3, Cairns Blue 290K miler.
