The new Land Rover is definitely worth the wait.

The roads are starting to see more and more of the rather excellent Land Rover Defender as shipments start to gather pace and it's nice to note continued interest from passers-by and other road users when you have one, writes Chris Johnson.

Now, it’s been a while since I drove a petrol Land Rover…in fact I would probably not be able to cast my mind back that far if I was being honest and so when the P300 appeared on the review list I was a little anxious about what to expect.

Obviously the Defender was an eternity in the design stage and therefore time was on their side with regards to how to power the 90 going forward and this 2.0L 300hp petrol was definitely a great decision.

The Defender packed a punch on acceleration, the torque was measurable and whilst not back of the seat quick it certainly could proceed at a pace suitable for today’s traffic.

Obviously such a turn of pace will not return you the most brilliant of MPG but driven well you should easily achieve a mid 20/mpg, not the best I grant you but you’ll feel like 'a somebody' when you pull up at your destination.

Presented in what might well become the iconic 'go to' colour of Tasman Blue Metallic (£895) the X spec comes with a long list of tech and support that you might one day be very glad of.

For example, Terrain Response 2, Active Diff, driver assist pack, 14 way heated and cooled front seats, 20inch gloss grey alloys and a clear sight interior rear view mirror (that makes you dizzy for the first time!).

Then if you really know your onions then you would be sensible to add some options such as the air suspension pack (£1615), tow pack with advanced tow assist, electrically deployable tow bar (£2,200) and the list literally goes on and on.

The P300 is available on the road for a smidge under £54,000, with the model as tested adding a further £5,500 to the on the road price which is fairly hefty, but the car is hefty, too.

It's smooth, it's robust, it takes a commanding stance on the road and feels tremendously sure-footed off the road, making this a sure hit with any owner who will simply forget having parted with such funds in the first place.

If I’m honest, only the slimmest of adults will manoeuvre themselves through the doors and past the front seats into the rear, but once there, they are cocooned in a comfortable seating position with great forward views and the benefit of tinted side windows gives the whole cabin a great feeling of light.

A couple of features I found intriguing was the little plastic guard that prevented you from being able to open the bonnet if the driver's door was closed and the ultimate in extendable sun visors to give even more shade for the front passengers…. all vehicles should have these!

So in summary was the wait was worth it, well by jolly it was!

The Defender 90 P300 is a perfect example of a company understanding its market, in creating something that adopts the road and the off road like a proverbial duck to water, delivering you and your slightly smaller rear seat passengers in comfort and style.

Therefore, expect to see more and more of these on the roads going forward. The Defender is definitely here to stay.

Pros: Looks/style, Ability, Desirability

Cons: Low(ish) MPG, Rear seat access, Get passengers to visit the loo before setting off!