The Land Rover Defender has just been awarded a five-star safety rating in the latest round of the Euro NCAP crash test.

• The safety rating is applicable to the larger Defender 110.
• It scored 85 percent in both, Adult and Child occupant protection tests.
• In India, the Defender 110 is priced from Rs 79.94 lakh to Rs 89.63 lakh (ex-showroom).

2020 Land Rover Defender Euro NCAP safety rating explained

The Land Rover Defender version tested by the Euro NCAP is the larger, five-door 110 model in a right-hand drive (RHD) layout. Hence, the safety rating is applicable to the engine options and trims of the Defender 110. As the Land Rover Defender 110 in India is brought via the CBU route, the safety ratings will apply to the model available here as well.

Coming to the safety scores, the Defender 110 received a solid 85 percent rating in the Adult occupant protection test (scoring 32.5 of 38 points). In this test, the Defender scored well in the lateral impact (scoring 15 of 16 points), rear impact (scoring 3.8 of 4 points) and rescue and extrication categories (scoring 2 of 2 points). It was the frontal impact category that the Defender 110 lost points, in scoring 11.7 of 16 points.

In the Child occupant test, the Defender scored 85 percent yet again (scoring 41.7 of 49 points). In the Crash Test Performance based on 6- and 10-year-old children category, the Defender received a perfect score (24 of 24 points). It scored well in the child restraints (CRS) installation check as well, securing 10.7 out of 12 points. The only area the SUV lost out on was the safety features category (scoring 7 of 13 points), as it doesn’t have integrated child restraints and doesn’t have child-seat mounting points in the middle seat of the second row or in the third row.

The Defender scored 71 percent (38.4 of 48 points) in the vulnerable road users test, with the only major area of concern being the front edge of the bonnet, which provided poor protection to pedestrians. Lastly, it scored 79 percent (12.7 of 16 points) in the safety assist system category.

2020 Land Rover Defender safety features

There are a number of safety features that are available with the Land Rover Defender, including six airbags, up to three ISOFIX mounting points, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot assist, 3D surround camera, adaptive cruise control, driver condition monitor, lane keep assist, rear collision monitor, rear traffic monitor, and wade sensing, to name a few.

2020 Land Rover Defender engine and gearbox

In India, the Land Rover Defender 110 is currently available with only a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine, making 300hp and 400Nm of torque. An 8-speed automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive and air suspension is standard on the 110.

In international markets, the new Defender can also be had with a four-cylinder diesel, as well as six-cylinder petrol and diesel engine options. The British carmaker has recently also introduced the Defender P400e plug-in hybrid to the range. In India, Land Rover will add the six-cylinder petrol and diesel engine options for the Defender’s line-up sometime next year, with the PHEV slated to come a little further down the road. 

2020 Land Rover Defender price

The Land Rover Defender 110 has been launched in India with prices starting at Rs 79.94 lakh for the ‘Base’ trim, while the top-spec First Edition is priced at Rs 89.63 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India).

Land Rover will only start deliveries of the smaller, three-door Defender 90 in 2021, as this particular body style has been delayed globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bookings are open for the Defender 90, with its price ranging from Rs 73.98 lakh to Rs 84.63 lakh. 

Read our new Land Rover Defender India review in the latest Autocar India December 2020 issue on stands now..