Tug of war: Land Rover Defender vs Jeep Wrangler vs Mercedes G350d
February 05, 2021 by Ryan Hirons
In the carwow tug of war test, the new Land Rover Defender has already proven itself as a winner — previously squaring up against its ancestor in the old-school car.
On that occasion, it took victory by a landslide. Twice. So, it would only be right to square up the current heavyweight titleholder against something a bit more modern…
The Defender competing here looks good on paper. Powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine good for 240hp and 430Nm, there’s plenty of power onside and its 2.4-tonne weight should play nicely into its hands.
Bring the fight to the British icon is a rowdy kid from across the pond. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon doesn’t quite have the sheer numbers on its side — its 2.0-litre petrol engine does offer more power at 270hp, but crucially for this kind of thing, it’s down on torque at 400Nm.
It weighs a bit less, too, at 2 tonnes. Ideal for off-roading, but not quite so in a tug of war combat.
There are a few party tricks up its sleeve, though. In Rubicon spec, the Jeep Wrangler fitted with knobbly tyres that help stick it into the mud — unlike the Land Rover Defender’s road-friendly rubber — and the addition of lockable differentials front and rear allows for better control of how the power is sent to the wheels. In contrast, the Defender only has one in the centre.
Just to throw an extra bit of spice into the mix, a Mercedes G350d has come along to play, too. This 2.5-tonne behemoth has 286hp and 600Nm of torque at its disposal, plus three differentials.
Which of these off-roaders comes out on top, then? Well, you’ll have to watch to find out…
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