land rover defender alternatives

Nosotros miss the Land Rover Defender. After 67 years, the last Defender as we know information technology rolled off the Solihull product line in January 2017. Seventeen months later, in that location's no sign of a replacement on the horizon.

As State Rover continues to move upmarket with vehicles such as the new Range Rover Velar, there's a gap in the market for a utilitarian, dorsum-to-nuts off-roader with an affordable price tag. Fortunately, there are a few options…

Suzuki Jimny

The Suzuki Jimny has been on sale largely unchanged since 1998. While information technology won't win whatever awards for refinement or the technology on offer, it remains a hugely likeable piddling 4x4. And, at less than three.7 metres long and 1.6 metres wide, the emphasis is on the 'little'. The Jimny's diddy dimensions brand it a boon off route – it'll get places the Defender tin can't, hopping over obstacles and skating over mud without getting bogged down.

Prices starting time at £12,999, and the entry-level SZ3 is the one we'd buy: with steel wheels, a CD thespian and a selectable four-wheel-drive organisation. If you lot'd prefer a flake of bling, buy the £14,784 SZ4 with its synthetic leather seats, alloy wheels and tinted rear windows.

Like the Defender, the Jimny is objectively a chip rubbish. Only we love it. A new model is due adjacent year, and there'south a danger it won't be as characterful as its predecessor. Grab a Jimny while it's all the same brilliantly rubbish.

Dacia Duster

If you're non familiar with Dacia, it'southward French firm Renault's budget brand. It sells the incredible £five,995 Dacia Sandero (James May's favourite, and Britain'south cheapest new automobile), while the Duster SUV starts at £9,495. That's for a front-wheel-drive petrol model, while 4-wheel bulldoze is a £two,000 option.

Like the Jimny, the Dacia Duster is hardly the last word in refinement, and nosotros're yet to be convinced that information technology'll exist quite equally impenetrable every bit the Suzuki. Y'all do get slightly more actual motorcar for your money than at a Suzuki dealer, however, and that translates into more space. There'due south five doors, for a starting time, and your kids won't complain almost sitting in the rear.

Dacia is taking an updated Squeegee to next month's Frankfurt Motor Prove. While the exterior has only received small tweaks, the business firm's promising a much more upmarket interior. Nosotros're hoping to see the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well.

Toyota Hilux

Not then long ago, every farmer drove a Landy. But and then Japanese choice-ups came onto the scene, with their attractive price tags, legendary reliability and impressive carrying capabilities. In truth, nosotros could have picked any number of option-ups to include here: Mitsubishi's L200, the Nissan Navara or even the more upmarket Volkswagen Amarok.

We chose the Toyota Hilux, though, because nosotros think Defender fans will appreciate its bulletproof mechanicals and iconic paradigm. Clarkson famously failed to kill one in an episode of Tiptop Gear. Prices start at a shade under £twenty,000 (plus VAT) and, if you lot take care of it, its balance values ought to exist pretty stiff, likewise.

Mercedes-Benz One thousand-Form

The Mercedes Yard-Class, also known as the One thousand-Wagen, bears more a passing resemblance to the Land Rover Defender. Like the Defender, the G-Course started out as a military vehicle but has since become a fashion argument, despite little change over its near-forty-year existence.

It'due south rarer than the Defender, especially here in the UK, but that's no surprise, considering its £92,000-plus kickoff cost. That's for the lowly diesel G350d, while an AMG variant would cost in excess of £135,000. Yous never know, watching Defender values rising, that could prove to be an investment…

Jeep Wrangler

When the get-go Land Rover was launched at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Evidence, it was actually inspired past an old Willys Jeep used on the farm of Rover's chief designer, Maurice Wilks. Ever since, Country Rover and Jeep have both had their loyal fans, despite them both having a similar outlook on how to build a 4x4.

Today, Jeep and State Rover are two very different brands, just the Jeep Wrangler remains similar to the Land Rover Defender. It'south not quite as roughty-toughty as the Land Rover, but it's almost every bit capable off-route. It'southward rare, too, and a loyal following helps with resale prices. If yous appreciate modified vehicles, there's no shortage of aftermarket tuners specialising in the Wrangler, but we'd keep things standard.