Luxury off-roading SUVs have a particularly difficult job to accomplish. These high-riding SUVs have to offer tremendous off-road capabilities as well as a comfortable ride suitable for daily driving. One of the best contenders in this segment is the 2021 Land Rover Defender. MotorTrend even went as far as naming it “SUV of the Year.” To find out exactly why, we’re going over three reasons why you need a Land Rover Defender in your life.

The Land Rover Defender surprisingly versatile

Diehard off-roading fans will be quick to crucify the 2021 Land Rover Defender for its lack of a body on frame design. While the benefits of a high-riding and flexible SUV are hard to deny, the Defender has some serious tech up its sleeve.

Like most of the British carmaker’s SUVs, the new Defender employs an adjustable air suspension to manage its ride height and overall comfort. In its lowest setting, Land Rover’s newest SUV has 8.5 inches of ground clearance. As the airbags in the suspension fill up, the Defender can reach a maximum clearance of 11.5 inches.

Aside from adjusting the height, the adaptive suspension can also adjust the ride stiffness. In fact, the Defender’s automatic Terrain Response system scans the road and automatically adjusts the suspension accordingly. The result is that on-road, the Defender has the ability to act as a soft riding luxury SUV daily and a serious off-roader when needed. The adjustable suspension also means that the Defender doesn’t have to sacrifice overall driving dynamics to an elevated ride height.

The Defender has a stylish yet functional aesthetic

Let’s face it, a massive chunk of the Land Rover Defender’s sold will likely never leave the pavement. If the off-roading capabilities aren’t the main draw, buyers are likely lured by its retro-inspired styling. Like Land Rovers of old, the new Defender utilizes a boxy design throughout.

It’s not just pretty either, given that Land Rover’s newest SUV was styled specifically with off-roading in mind. For starters, the Defender offers minimal overhang both front and rear thanks to its short bumpers. According to Car and Driver, the shortened bodywork allows the Defender to offer 38 degrees of approach angle and 40 degrees of departure angle. The result is that the Defender is capable of easily tackling reasonably steep climbs.

Let’s not forget it’s also a luxury SUV

On top of all of the off-roading and aesthetic benefits, we can’t forget that the Land Rover Defender is also a luxury SUV. According to Land Rover, the Defender’s interior is available with an optional Windsor leather in various colors.

On the tech side, a digital instrument cluster comes standard on all trim levels. The interior’s crown jewel, however, is its 10-inch infotainment screen. While the screen does feature Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, that’s not its party piece. The central touchscreen works as the Defenders central command center, controlling most of its off-road tech.

Regardless of what draws you to the Defender, it’s safe to say that there’s a lot to like. If you decide to pick one up, you’ll more than likely be thrilled with it.