I never imagined getting assigned to an international trip, let alone with a luxury brand. But to my luck, I was recently given the chance to experience the new Defender with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Honestly, before the trip, I got very nervous and felt jitters in every part of my body. I had zero experience driving off-road, so I brought nothing but courage and prayers with me. Yet at the same time, I couldn’t be happier.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) gathered automotive and lifestyle media from across the region for this trip. Journalists from Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Hongkong, Indonesia, and Vietnam got to take a deep dive into the updated Defender range, as well as a special preview of the Defender 110 Trophy Edition. As the sole representative of the Philippines, I was lucky enough to have been grouped with CNA’s Steven Chia and SGcarmart’s Julian Kho, both of which are from Singapore. I also met Top Gear alumni Sam Smith (formerly TG Sri Lanka, now with Auto Smith) and David Khoo (previously TG Singapore, now with The Edge Options).
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The trip paralleled the Asia Pacific Defender Trophy Qualification held last March 21 to 22, 2026. Ron Ng from Singapore and Charles Murray from New Zealand will represent the region as Asia-Pacific winners and will progress to the Defender Trophy Global Final. It will be held in Africa later this year, hosted in partnership with the Defender’s long-standing conservation partner, Tusk.
Our first day covered selected challenges from the competition. We will cover that in a different article, so for the purposes of this story, we’ll be focusing more on our little road trip.
We had our safety briefing at the Yingda Mulu Camping Site, which was also our starting point before our trip. Of the 10-vehicle convoy, we were assigned the Defender D350 X-Dynamic HSE in Woolstone Green. JLR’s head instructor Sky Jen led us with the D350 Trophy Edition in Sandglow Yellow. Also part of the convoy were the other D250 X-Dynamic HSE and the D250 X-Dynamic SE units.
We covered a total of 115 kilometers with the drive split into three segments. Steven took on Sandishan Forest Road, starting on smooth scenic highways before gradually climbing gravel and dirt trails at elevations of up to 900 meters.
As we approached Sandi Mountain Forest Road in Sandimen Township, Pingtung, I took the wheel for the final three kilometers towards our first stop, the cafe break. There, a wilderness barista served us hand-brewed specialty coffee, giving us a moment to take in the view of Dawu Mountain.
Throughout the journey, the Defender remained composed and confident, handling the changing terrain with the help of the Terrain Response System. I, for one, felt safe throughout the tight spaces and uneven roads because of the ClearSight Ground view.
I drove for about 44 kilometers along Pingtung’s Provincial Highway 185 en route to our lunch stop at Sanpei Cafe. Nestled in the Pingtung countryside, this quaint cottage was brought to life by a local artist and his Japanese wife. True to its roots, the space reflects understated wabi-sabi aesthetics and serves authentic Japanese-style set meals with subtle international flavors, offering a unique glimpse into Taiwan’s rich culture.
After lunch, we made our way to Dapeng Bay for the Bay Loop Scenic Route, one of southern Taiwan’s largest lagoons. It treated us to sweeping coastal vistas at every turn, with each stretch revealing new layers of seaside charm—it was a fitting close to our test drive.
If you were to ask me if I'd include this in my dream garage, my answer would be a hundred times yes. It ticks all the boxes.
The Defender looks good, and it has significant road presence with its boxy, rugged physique. The updated styling with the new headlights and grille bar aren’t bad, either.
It also offers plenty of safety features, with the controls ergonomically positioned for the driver. Everything is accessible and within reach. It also has abundant space that can fit my family and friends.
It also has features that makes off-roading manageable even for a newbie off-roader like me, specifically the adaptive off-road cruise control. Momentum and precision are a few things I learned throughout this trip, and this feature helped me drive with confidence. But most important, the Defender made me realize just how much I enjoy overlanding and off-roading. Maybe in the future, I can get to try it out again.
