IT’S festive season, why not own the latest Land Rover Defender 110 P400e PHEV?
Money might be hard to mention, but with a good saving account and a tenderpreneurs hogging headlines, be good or bad, one can have that nameplate in your garage.
Discount the fact that loadshedding is going to be us for as long as we live, the2,0-litre 4-cilinder engine, 105 kW electric motor, has it all.
Boasting power: 297 kW, torque: 640 N.m and eight-speed automatic transmission, I had a privilege to test drive it, as I and my colleague, made it to Bokone Bophirima province for the annual Mahika Mahikeng recently. uGogo Karyn White did give a good performance- age defying indeed. And yes, she did ask for a drive in ‘my PHEV’.
Yes, a head-turner that prompted senior officials at Gvt in that province, scratch their heads in disbelief, nogal.
Introduced locally in 2021, with the single standout feature over the rest of the line-up being the hybrid drivetrain which promises a claimed 43 km of pure electric driving range.
Its hybrid powertrain is one of its stop selling point, and it came in handy as we negotiated our way through rain, potholes and of course, offroad as we took it to Ganalaagte, my village, which is only an hour-drive from Mahikeng, the capital city of the province. Oohs and aahs reverberated all over, including my Son, who insisted sitting on passenger seat.
Well, the less said about ‘capital city’ the better- your guess is just flippin’ good as mine.
Back to the PHEV- it is of good use if you own a wall-box installed at home for charging purposes.
For a daily commute driver, it offers pure electric driving range, and the PHEV can also significantly reduce the relatively high fuel consumption that one would expect from a vehicle as heavy as a Land Rover Defender. Surprisingly…
It boast larger and upgraded Pivi Pro infotainment touchscreen system, offers a pleasant experience, like we did, such as sitting, as a driver, in an elevated position which makes visibility particularly commendable, both at the front and rear of the vehicle which is ideal for maneuvering the large SUV.
It comes with optional 22-inch alloy wheels, that made our ride way too perfect.
Thanks to the 105 kW electric motor, power delivery felt rather brisk, even with its 3,2-tonne heft. Land Rover claims it will accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 5,6 seconds, and I did experience that towards Lichtenburg.
Overtaking seemed seamless on various occasions.
Also commendable are the impressively low Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) levels. Cruising at the national speed limit is pleasant and relaxing, with hardly any wind or tyre noise penetrating the cabin.
As mentioned in my opening stanza, with festive season upon us, families would enjoy the long haul and luxury associated with PHEV –that translates why it does not come cheap.
Retailing price R2 135 900
- Fuel consumption: 2,8 L/ 100km (Claimed)
- 0-100km/h: 5,6 seconds
- Top speed: 209 km/h
The Defender, as a nameplate, has always been synonymous with its immense off-roading capabilities. The P400e can perform off-roading duties in low range in its pure electric driving mode – excellently.
It is ‘thirteenth cheque’ time folks- you can own one as your present for hardwork, or kanjani?
Verdict
Performance 1-10 (9)
Electricity/Fuel 1-10 (8)
Top image SLM (‘Dust eater’ is the Land Rover Defender 110 P400e PHEV).
