2008 Land Rover Defender SVX First Steer
December 14, 2008 by Anthony Crawford
If you happen to be part of a family tribe of six or more, heading out for Sunday Yum cha – that won’t be a problem, the SVX is kitted up as a seven-seat wagon and the third row are individual pilot chairs with heaps of leg and headroom for all.
While the console can’t accept an in-dash Satellite Navigation system, due to their being no free space whatsoever, the SVX does come with a very competent and simple to use touch screen portable Garmin GPS, which is mounted on top of the fascia and powered by a 12-Volt plug.
Music wise, there’s a Clarion High Ice audio system with upgraded speakers, sub-woofer and amplifier, which I found to have limited tonal accuracy with a narrow frequency range at both ends and fairly average on the whole.
While there’s a proper iPod connector, for some strange reason, you still need to tune the radio to a certain frequency, so best to use the auxiliary input.
I especially like the machined aluminium gearshift and diff-lock knobs, they look brilliant, and the oversize shifter is easy to grip as you muscle your way through the six forward gear ratios.
Storage is not abundant either, as there are no front side door pockets, but there is a huge centre console box trimmed in soft touch leather with a pair of cool looking circular lights mounted close by in front of the bottle holders.
Someone at Gaydon has played with the air-conditioning system in the Defender, as it now works properly even on those scorcher days. The SVX also gets a sunroof, with this funny little wheel, which you wind to open or close.
Defenders aren’t hard to drive – you just have to get used to their many idiosyncrasies, like the heavy clutch, which is less heavy than the last example I drove.
The Defender is one of the coolest cars in the world, but not this one. It’s a cool car because it just isn’t trying at all, this one is trying very hard indeed and that is why I would stick to a stock Defender. Saying that, I’d much rather a Discovery which is comfortable, quiet, more powerful, better looking and only a tiny bit more expensive.
If only all those great explorers knew of the current reliability issues plaguing current LR’s and RR’s. I suspect they would be turning in their graves.
It no doubt is a very clever idea, but somehow it really makes you wonder they did it in the first place. People who wanted a comfortable, refined but yet still serious off-roader still would’ve gone to a different page in the Land Rover catalogue and selected either a Range Rover or Discovery (price points not withstanding, of course).
Defender buyers have always been just that; Defender buyers. Wasn’t it said somewhere that most of the Defender market have just been return customers?
I too would probably go for a stock Defender (were I in a market for such a thing) and if I ever felt the need to chav it up.. well. Who knows =p
Devil666, the Defender is the only Land Rover left that has reliability issues and those aren’t really there since Land Rover changed the engine over a few years ago. There are not any reliability issues on either Range Rovers, the Discovery 3 or the Freelander. And don’t try and site recalls to me because all cars have recalls, even Toyotas and Hondas. It’s time that stereotype was put to rest as it’s really quite dated.
Alex,
The reliability issues these days are the electrical systems in LR/RR. There are still huge problems with these vehicles. The JD Power review for 2008 lists Land Rover 3rd last, nothing to rave about.
Who cares whats wrong or right with it, its just bloody cool…
I love my landrover svx, as it is a perfect vehicle or north queensland and copes with all the daily problems of the wet season and more………traded in a bmw for the svx…….no regrets.
Am getting my svx 110 monday. Can’t wait!
I think the SVX is awesome (though I don’t like the front) but I a agree that if I were in the market for a gizmo-equipped LR I’d go for a different model.
Gotta hand it to LR though, this is a great marketing coup.