2020 Land Rover Defender Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

You might be looking at the name Land Rover Defender and wondering why it rings a bell. Well, here's why: One has not been made in the United States since the 1997 model year. The Defender was brought to the US in 1993 but was pulled after the '97 model year. Although it has been a staple of the British automobile market since the 80's, the Defender was not meeting its US sales goals. People wanted suburb-friendly vehicles, and the Defender just was not able to keep up.

Now, the 2020 Land Rover Defender is re-entering the US market, and with a whole new, cutting-edge design that American drivers will likely find attractive, given how the market demands have shifted to wanting midsize vehicles with strong off-roading capabilities. It is not just about suburban driving anymore.

The new Defender line-up gives you two- and four-door configuration options, an option for 7-passenger seating, and a ton of high-tech gadgetry that serves to emphasize this vehicle's luxury off-roading status. But watch out - options can get expensive, and this is not a "cheap" vehicle by any stretch of the imagination.

So, which 2020 Land Rover Defender should you get? Should you go for the two-door or go for that extra third row with four doors? You get a bunch of trim level options to choose from: the base, the S, SE, HSE, First Edition, and the X. The Defender 90 is the two-door version while the four-door is known as the Defender 110.

You have a lot of choices to make, so we will go through each trim level and let you know what the differences are between all of them. In the end of this comparison review, we will announce which trim level and configuration we think will appeal to the most buyers. So hang tight; we're about to go through the entire 2020 Land Rover Defender line-up!

Compare the 2020 Land Rover Defender vs S Trims. What is the difference?

The base Defender is powered by a 2.0L i4 turbocharged engine, which gets 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. This engine is also found in the S. Both trim levels come with an 8-speed automatic transmission. They have a maximum towing capacity of 8,201 pounds and the ability to have a third row of seats added on, giving you space for two more passengers.

There is also a pretty lengthy list of standard features. On the base Defender, you start off with a body-colored roof, LED lights for the front and rear, and keyless entry. The side mirrors are heated, power-folding, and electric with approach lights and an auto-dimming function. The wheels are 18-inches in size and done in Gloss White steel. All-season tires come equipped.

Inside, you get an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, carpeted floor mats, and 8-way power-adjustable front seats done in cloth fabric. The steering wheel and gear shift knob are wrapped in leather, and there is a 10-inch Pivi Pro infotainment display. Its at-a-glance layout lets you quickly see important information. Navigation comes built-in and allows you to see what the road ahead of you holds, including informing you of delays or faster available routes to your destination. The coolest feature is undoubtedly the 360-degree surround view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. Yes, you can literally see what is on the ground around your vehicle.

You also get a 180-watt, 6-speaker sound system and the Home Link universal garage door opener. Additional features include a 360-degree parking assistant, Wade Sensing, a speed limiter with the cruise control system, lane keep assist, emergency braking, an adaptive speed limiter and traffic sign recognition system, blind spot assist, and terrain response.

So, what more does the S trim level add? It, of course, has the same engine and transmission, but it does put more onto the vehicle in terms of creature comforts. You get automatic high beam assist on the LED front headlights, 19-inch 6-spoke Gloss Silver wheels, 40/20/40 split folding rear seats with an armrest and center console, and the Interactive Driver Display on the Pivi Pro. You also get 12-way power-adjustable front seats and gorgeous grained leather upholstery with robust woven textile. Other than those things, these two trim levels share everything else.

Compare the 2020 Land Rover Defender S vs SE Trims. What is the difference?

The SE is a whole different story when it comes to power. The SE gets equipped with the beefier 3.0-L turbo i6 engine, which is paired up with the same 8-speed automatic transmission that comes on the lower trim levels. This powertrain combo nets the Defender a solid 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque - a huge improvement over the S' smaller engine. It gets a t 129 miles per hour while the smaller engine gets 119. It also helps the Defender accelerate much more quickly. Whereas the 2.0-L can only get the Defender from 0 to 60 mph in 7.7 seconds, the 3.0-L shaves that down to a very respectable 5.8 seconds.

The SE also gets a few more creature comforts. It rides atop big 20-inch 5-spoke wheels and has premium LED headlights with signature daytime running lights (DRLs). Other features that get tacked on or swapped in include body-colored door handles, front fog lights, dark grey brake calipers, and the Clear Sight interior rear-view mirror. Also, there is an electrically adjustable steering column, 12-way electric memory on both front seats, 2-way manually-adjustable headrests, the 10-speaker 400-watt Meridian Sound System with a subwoofer, a rear traffic monitor, and a clear exit monitor.

Compare the 2020 Land Rover Defender SE vs HSE Trims. What is the difference?

With the HSE, you get some significant luxury upgrades that set this trim level apart from the SE. The HSE gives you a nifty siding panoramic sunroof, a memory function for the side mirrors up front, and a chic diamond turned finish on the 20-inch 5-split spoke Gloss Dark Grey wheels. There is also an upgrade to the upholstery with extended leather, and adaptive cruise control comes as standard equipment. To top that all off, the HSE comes with 14-way power-adjustable heated front seats done in Windsor leather, and 4-way manually-adjustable headrests get swapped in.

Compare the 2020 Land Rover Defender HSE vs First Edition. What is the difference?

The First Edition is a special release for the 2020 Land Rover Defender and helps mark the Defender's re-entry into the US market after a prolonged absence. It is done exclusively in the Pangea Green metallic paint color, and there is a white roof instead of the standard body-colored one. The 20-inch wheels are equipped with off-roading tires, and the 3D Surround Camera System comes standard.

Note that only 500 of these units will be released in the United States! This will make them a rare find, both on and off the road. You will have to be quick to get yours if you want something truly exclusive from Land Rover.

Compare the 2020 Land Rover Defender First Edition vs X Trim. What is the difference?

The X is in every way a line-topping trim level. It lets you know just how luxurious the 2020 Land Rover Defender can get. It is outfitted with a cool Narvik Gloss Black hood, a matching black contrast roof, and Starlight Satin Chrome trim accents on the exterior of the vehicle. You also get orange brake calipers, rear recovery eyes, and fancy Satin Dark Grey 20-inch 5-spoke wheels.

The cabin gets treated to some premium ambient lighting throughout. The upholstery gets upgraded to Windsor leather with steel-cut premium textile. In the cockpit, you can comfortably sit in 14-way power-adjustable front seats with memory. They have both heating and ventilation and come with the 4-way manually-adjustable headrests. The sound system gets upgraded to a 14-speaker 700-watt Meridian Surround Sound System, and the included subwoofer helps propel sound throughout the cabin.

Also included on the line-topping X trim level are a head-up display, a Configurable Terrain Response system (which greatly assists the vehicle while you take it off-roading). Added to this is an upgraded terrain response control system, progress control for all-terrain function, and torque vectoring by braking with electronic braking differential. All of this serves to make the X a highly capable off-roading vehicle.

Which Trim to Choose?

The 2020 Land Rover Defender line-up is sure to make for a grand re-entry into the US SUV market, Land Rover has obviously taken their time to craft a vehicle that is worthy of this re-entry. They learned their lessons from the mistakes they made in the 90's and are coming out swinging this model year. This vehicle is impressive as an off-roader, especially when you go up higher in trim levels and get more of the off-roading features. And there are so many ways that you can customize the Defender that you can make this vehicle just the way you want it.

The only problem here is the vehicle's cost. The more you add, the higher you go in trim levels, the more expensive the 2020 Land Rover Defender becomes. Truth be told though, this is a vehicle in the luxury segment, so people who shop in this category usually have some money to splurge on a fancy vehicle like this.

If you are in fact one of those people, then you might want to consider buying one of the higher trim levels - especially if you plan on doing a lot of off-roading in it. If you are going to go big or go home, go big the the X trim level and take it home to show off. It has every single infotainment and safety feature that you could possibly need. The extra off-roading tools are indeed quite helpful as well. For this being the re-inaugural year for the Defender, it might just be worth it to get the X and be able to brag to your friends about what a cool vehicle you have. The driving performance on the 3.0-L is superb, and the transmission makes for the perfect pairing.

All in all, the 2020 Land Rover Defender is an exceptional choice for an off-roading luxury SUV this model year. Land Rover should expect to find some success with the Defender, so it is worth giving any of the trim levels a try and seeing which one best suits you. But we think the X will appeal to the most people.