How much can a Defender 130 tow?

The Defender 130 has finally been unveiled and looks to be the go-anywhere vehicle of choice for those who need the practicality of eight seats

Land Rover has unveiled the Defender 130 and confirmed it will arrive on Australian shores within the first quarter of 2023 – between January and March.

Joining the current line-up of the two-door Defender 90 and four-door 110 variants, the 130 sits on the same 3022mm wheelbase as the latter but extends the bodywork a further 340mm to add a third row of seats.

Available exclusively in mid-spec ‘SE’ guise, pricing for the Defender 130 starts at $124,150 (before on-road costs) for the diesel-equipped D300 and $131,650 for the P400 petrol.

Both options make use of a 3.0-litre straight-six turbocharged engine mated to a mild-hybrid system, with the diesel producing 221kW/650Nm and the petrol 294kW/550Nm. A ZF-sourced eight-speed transmission and four-wheel-drive system are fitted as standard to both.  

More seats, more space

Land Rover will offer the Defender 130 in a choice of five- or eight-seats; with the former offering a van-like 2516-litres of storage space when the rear seats are folded flat, while the three-row has slightly less at 2291-litres.

When all three rows are in place, the Defender 130 still offers 389-litres of space, which is 87 more than the eight-seat Hyundai Palisade. 

The availability of eight seats will give the Defender a unique edge over rivals such as the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series, Lexus LX, Mercedes-Benz GLE and BMW X7 which only offer up to seven seats. 

Air suspension fitted as standard

Land Rover has fitted every Defender 130 with air suspension matched with its Terrain Response system, to offer additional capability off-road.

The system can raise the front of the car by 71.5mm at the front and 73.5mm at the rear, giving the Defender 130 a wading depth of 900mm  

Buyers looking to tow with their Defender 130 should note that the extended body has reduced the towing capacity from 3500kg on the 90 and 110 models to 3000kg.

Orders for the Defender 130 will open on August 1, with the first lot of deliveries expected to land in Australia between January and March next year.

Local launch timing and specifications have yet to be announce; stay tuned to CarExpert on June 1 for more details.

The extra length in the 130 is all in the overhang, as the eight-seat Defender rides an identical 3022mm wheelbase to the

It’s 340mm longer overall at 5358mm long. That makes it up to 378mm longer than a

Land Rover says there’s comfortable seating for three adults in the third row. The 110 offers a third row of seating, but there are only two seats and they’re best suited for children.

Third-row occupants also enjoy air vents, padded armrests, storage, USB-C outlets and available heated seats, as well as a sunroof above them.

Occupants in the first two rows have a panoramic sunroof above them, while rows two and three enjoy a small “stadium rise” to improve their visibility.

ISOFIX child seat anchor points are situated on the front passenger seat and the outboard seats of the second and third rows.

Four-zone climate control is exclusive to the Defender 130. There’s 389L of boot space with all three rows in place, up 100L over the 110.

Land Rover will offer the Defender 130, at least in some markets, with a choice of five or eight seats. Luggage capacity differs between the two: eight-seat models have 1232L with the third row folded, while five-seat models have 1329L with all seats up.

This expands to 2291L and 2516L, respectively.

Moving to the front of the cabin, the Defender 130 uses the 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system found on Defender 90 and 110 models.

There’s a new Natural Light Oak engineered wood veneer finish, while Land Rover is debuting its new Cabin Air Purification Plus with the 130.

This features nanoe X allergen reduction and pathogen removal technology, and you can use your smartphone to activate the Purge function prior to entering the car.

A range of Ingenium 48V mild-hybrid inline-six turbocharged petrol and diesel engines will be available, depending on the market.

There are 221kW/470Nm and 294kW/550Nm P300 and P400 petrol engines, plus 184kW/600Nm and 221kW/650Nm D250 and D300 diesels.

0-100km/h times are 8.0 seconds and 6.6 seconds, respectively, for the petrol engines, while the diesels do the dash in 8.9 and 7.5 seconds.

As with the 90 and 110, an eight-speed ZF-sourced automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard.

Standard air suspension allows for an extra 71.5mm of lift at the front and 73.5mm at the rear, and the 130 can ford up to 900mm of water.

Towing capacity is up to 3000kg.

The 1491mm-long overhang has affected the Defender 130’s departure angle. This is 28.5 degrees in the air suspension’s off-road height, compared with 40 degrees in a similarly configured 110.

Approach and rampover angles remain at 37.5 degrees and 27.8 degrees.

In addition to the longer rear overhang, the 130 can be distinguished by a unique Sedona Red exterior colour and an Extended Bright Pack that features Ceres Silver Satin-finished lower body cladding and Noble Chrome skid plates.

With the new

The Defender has proven popular in Australia. Land Rover has sold 533 to the end of April, while it’s sold only 69 examples of its Discovery.

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