Land Rover Defender 90 priced for Australia, coming early 2021

Land Rover has revealed detailed pricing and specification for the short wheelbase Defender 90 ahead of its arrival in February 2021. 90 pricing will start from $71,500.

The 90 will share the same range of ‘Ingenium’ petrol and diesel engines found in the larger Defender 110 – though the brand has revised the line-up for 2021.

A further feature of the running update is the inclusion of extra safety technology on top of 2020, meaning adaptive cruise, a rear collision monitor and blind-spot monitoring get added to the list of safety gear.

While all the creature comforts are there, the shorter wheelbase of the 90 Series means it will be better suited to urban environments and a weekend off-roader. The shorter wheelbase will benefit its rough-road ability but, naturally, hamper load carrying and high-speed stability. 

Further exterior customisation has been added, as in the Defender 110, with the choice of a $7,500 X-Dynamic pack on S, SE and HSE models which finishes the exterior trim in satin black.

Land Rover has touring covered, and Vehicle Line Director of Defer Nick Collins re-iterated that with these changes: “Defender customers have more choice than ever with a full selection of exterior and interior colours and trims, including the distinctive new X-Dynamic Pack and choice of 90 and 110 body designs.”

There is an almost bewildering array of models coming to Australia next year, but the 90 range begins with the $71,500 petrol-powered P300. That car gets outputs of 221kW/400Nm and all the active safety equipment.

In our eyes, the base car looks the most purposeful with its workman-like 19-inch alloy wheels and bare-bones aesthetic. But not everyone will buy the new, more refined Defender for off-road raids.

Land Rover also offers the base grade with the new six-cylinder 147kW/500Nm six-cylinder turbodiesel for $78,590 which might be the pick of the range.

Moving up to the P300 S which starts at $80,390 and adds electrically adjustable front seats, heated mirrors, leather-appointed shifter and more traditional five double-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels. That spec is also available with the 183kW/570Nm D500 powertrain for $87,490.

For the mid-spec Defender SE, Land Rover is asking $95,290 when equipped with the lovely 294kW P400 petrol ‘six, or $89,390 with the 220kW/650Nm diesel six-cylinder engine.

On top of the S, the SE gets larger 20-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights and more powerful LED headlights, leather-appointed seats, a premium Meridian Soundsystem and a camera-based rear-view mirror.

The range-topping HSE is available exclusively with the P400 petrol ‘six and is the Defender you want if most of its time will be spent on the black-top. This grade gets a standard sunroof, premium Windsor leather-appointed heated and cooled seats, and big, 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels.

As with the 110 Land Rover is offering an introductory First Edition Defender 90 which sees very similar spec to the mid-range SE but with contrasting black roof, black exterior styling, 20-inch alloys and that all-important badging for $104,990 for the D250, or $106,190 for the petrol.

The Defender X is the fully-loaded off-road-focused Defender and gets orange brake callipers, the more powerful Terrain Control 2 system in tandem with a panoramic sunroof. Now available in P400 for $134,690, or $132,490 for the diesel.

There is a myriad of add-on packs available for the 90 including the urban pack and adventure pack mirrored from the 110 options list. The Defender 90 will be on sale in Australia by February 2021.

2021 Land Rover Defender 90 pricing

All prices are before on-road costs
Defender 90 SE P400 – $95,290
Defender 90 SE D300 – $89,390
Defender 90 HSE P400 – $105,190
Defender 90 First Edition D250 – $104,990
Defender 90 First Edition P400 – $106,190
Defender 90 X D300 – $132,590
Defender 90 X P400 – $134,690