Land Rover dives into the eight-passenger SUV market with the new 2023 Land Rover Defender 130. It’s the longest in the Defender range, growing 13.4 inches over the Defender 110. The Land Rover Defender 90 is basically the same SUV, but it comes with just two doors. The Range Rover Sport, Discovery and Discovery Sport and Defender can seat up to seven people, making the 130 Rover the only eight-seater SUV that isn’t a Range Rover. And, unlike the old-school Defender which simply had tiny jump seats in the cargo area, the new 130 has proper seating, with proper seat belts. The new Defender 130 starts at $68,000.

New Defender is longer, but retains off-road capability

The new 130 adds significant length to the rear of the Defender and brings the length up to 211 inches. That’s an inch longer than the full-size 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe. The new Defender 130 has a discreet but noticeable boat tail rear. This rear end tilts to preserve the Defender’s rear departure angle for off-road capability. Speaking of off-roading, the Defender’s air suspension and low-speed transfer case for four-wheel drive should help you get through most of the tough stuff.

Land Rovers are capable off-roaders, but the new Defender 130 is more passenger-friendly. First Edition models get heated second and third rows, four-zone climate control, a panoramic roof, multiple USB-C charging ports and more. The second and third rows also have ISOFIX7 child seat attachments for carrying multiple little ones.

What are the engines of the new Defender 130?

The new Defender has two engine options, the P300 and the P400. The P300 is a 296-horsepower, 3-liter turbocharged inline-six. The P400 takes that same engine and adds a mild-hybrid powertrain that’s built into a starter/generator that produces 395 pipes. Land Rover says the P400 should hit 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. It can tow up to 8,200 pounds.

The new Defender 130 will take on full-size SUVs like the Tahoe

The new Defender 130 can seat up to eight people and with both rear seats folded down, it can hold up to 88.9 cubic feet of stuff. For comparison, that’s about eight cubic feet longer than a full-size Chevrolet Tahoe. With the seats in place, it will hold 13.7 feet of stuff on the way back. That’s about 12 less than a Tahoe with the seats up. The backseat, however, is narrow and probably best for seven, and eight in a pinch.

New First Edition Defender 130 colors will include Sedona Red, Fuji White and Carpathian Grey. You can add an Extended Bright Pack and Bright Pack to any Defender. The Bright Pack adds bumper inserts, a special grille and badging. The Extended version adds silver fender extensions.

Land Rover likes to drive the Union Jack

The The queen receives one. Land Rover is proud of its British heritage, although the brand’s SUVs have been powered by an American-designed V8 for decades. Land Rover presents the Queen of England and the British Red Cross with a specially commissioned new Defender 130. The company says it will work with the Red Cross to fit a Defender 130 to the service. How many royals can fit in an eight-seater Land Rover?

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