Compared to say, a new RR: massage seats, carpet, much higher quality/exotic materials, dramatically more comfortable/adjustable seats, thicker glass and noise deadening, soft close doors, power tailgate, better sound system, more autonomous driving, more safety features, better fit and finish, trimless windows, speakers in the seats, active noise cancelling through the audio system, electrochromic sunroof, tailgate seating in the rear...

I could keep going but now I'm feeling bad about slumming it in my ****box Defender. I strongly recommend not watching any of the new RR overview videos.

 

Don’t RRs start at twice the price of Defenders? That has to factor in

 

In my mind, the Disco is tired, dull, and soulless. At this point, the Yota is just as boring with better resale, less headaches, cheap as hell maintenance, better infotainment and audio, more autonomous driving and a lower price. If I'm going to be bored to tears by my vehicle, I'd rather pay less.

I suspect with the pitiful sales of Discos at 5000 units worldwide last year, I'm not the only one.

 

Yes but those are luxury features. We drive a truck with plastic floors. It's not luxury but that's kinda the point of the Defender. It's not supposed to be.

 

I don’t agree with your opinion on the Disco… but you have a point. You don’t seem to factor in the off-road capability as much of a bonus for the Disco, but neither do most buyers I guess? Those that do probably go Defender more often than not which like I said may doom the Disco. And if you don’t need an off-roader there are better choices and there are cheaper choices and even maybe better cheaper choices.

I guess what I love about it is how under the radar it is on the outside, it’s nice enough inside, and great off road. If the Disco 5 was as reliable as the GX I think they’d be everywhere.

 

i know i am in the Defender forum but will reply anyway. I cross shopped both the defender and Disco closely. The defender looks better on the outside without a doubt.
The Discovery is nicer inside though...i dont want plastic floors and i use mine offroad. The Disco is bigger inside than the defender (cross shopped before the 130 though) and i would rather have the hatch opening above my head than to the side...the disco also gets substantially better mileage...not a huge deal no but a factor. comparing it to a highlander is ridiculous

 

I can agree with that.

I'm holding on to my dream that the better off-roader you mention could have been a mod-ready removable top Bronco/Jeep beater with a Defender badge and what I drive should be a Discovery.

Those would be great sellers without cannibalizing other JLR products. Even after the market softened, low mile '22 used Broncos are still getting a 30% premium over sticker.

I guess it's too late to turn the meatball back into a cow.

 

I think you are actually making my point. The Defender stands on its own. It's unique and it's not trying to be every other lux box.

The Disco is an also-ran with a sh*tty reputation in a sea of more appealing products. It has more off-road capabilities than a lot of other SUV's but nobody cares. It has some luxury features but nobody cares. It's a lost styleless void.

I'm willing to accept that these are only my opinions and I could be wrong but then I have a question. With 8 billion people in the world, how is it that they can only sell 13 of these a day in a year when people begged to buy everything that moved at clown-world stupid prices?

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I find my Defender to be quite luxurious in the X-trim with Windsor leather interior. I'm coming over from a fully loaded '18 Volvo XC60 R-Design with air suspension, digital dash, HUD, 360 camera, active LED lights, B&W sound system, paddle shifters, autopilot assist. The latter of the list is the only thing I'm noticeably missing with my new Defender.

Although I realize there's a pretty serious MSRP gap in my comparison between these two, but...

Here's what I gained:
-better parking sensors (love the shrinking perimeter bubble for garage parking)
- 3D surround camera
- better HUD
- more responsive infotainment
- better use of physical buttons
- cargo capacity w/ folded flat seats (Volvo was lacking here in the 60 series),
- offroad capability + adverse weather capability through terrain response modes
- customization on the dash clusters
- cooled seats (Volvo was only heated)
- smarter storage compartments everywhere
- wireless CarPlay
- towing capability
- the subjective: it's much cooler and unique than your average soccer mom mobile

CONCLUSION: In the end, I do find the Defender to be luxurious. I almost respect it's luxurious qualities more than other "luxury" SUVS, because it does them secondarily to it's other more serious utilitarian capabilities.

 

absolutely, that offset license plate alone......
defender has character, poor boy's G-wagen. Lots of them in the city, nobody takes them off-road I bet.