LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 review

10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 is mostly a masterclass of LEGO vehicle design, incorporating clever customisation and strong shaping, but – with some irony – is also surprisingly fragile.

The LEGO Group’s partnership with Land Rover has finally led to not one but two Land Rover Defender builds in 2023. By far the biggest is 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90. While much of this massive Land Rover recreation works to the fullest extent, it’s not without its downsides, though the positive parts of this model greatly outweigh them.

Based on the iconic Land Rover Classic Defender, 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 is a must-have for fans of the manufacturer – more so than any other past or present LEGO Land Rover.

— LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 review set details —

Theme: LEGO Icons Set name: 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 Release date: April 1, 2023

Price: £209.99 / $239.99 / €239.99 Pieces: 2,336 Minifigures: 0

LEGO: Available now

— Where to buy LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 —

10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 launched in April 2023 and has yet to release at retailers outside of the LEGO Group’s bubble. At the time of writing, you can pick up the LEGO Icons set for £209.99 / $239.99 / €239.99 on LEGO.com and in LEGO Stores, depending on stock.

Later on, you might be able to find 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 at other retailers, as LEGO Icons models usually only have a limited-time exclusivity period. However, this has yet to be confirmed.

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— LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 build —

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first: 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 is based on the vehicle of the same name, but it’s nowhere near as sturdy. In our experience, any handling of the model risks breaking pieces off, especially with the roof rack used in one of its three modes.

The roof, bumper with winch and angled exhaust are particularly fragile and you’ll find yourself constantly reattaching these to the build. You should be fine otherwise, but these are important to note as they take away from the experience somewhat when you have to partially rebuild it. Thankfully, it’s not at all difficult to place the pieces back on, just a bit repetitive after a few times.

It’s a shame as the rest of the build is stellar with an exciting mix of building techniques, accurate details, expert shaping and an iconic colour scheme that naturally draws the eye’s gaze – and all this while evoking the unique identity of Land Rover and the rugged sense of off-roading in the countryside.

As long as you keep the model on display and demonstrate extreme caution when handling it, 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 is well worth your time and is one of the better LEGO Icons vehicle builds, even compared to licensed creations such as 10300 Back to the Future Time Machine. Much of the appeal comes from the extensive customisation that is available with this build. You can choose between Expedition, Sleek or Bulge mode with a choice of two engines as well.

Expedition mode takes up the most pieces with the integration of the roof rack and accessories including jerry cans, a car jack and a fully-stocked toolbox. These can be held in place with an array of LEGO string elements and the finished model looks excellent.

The design differences in the Sleek and Bulge modes are much more muted, affecting only the bonnet, but the options are welcome for that classic Land Rover look. The interior is flush with details too, including a LEGO Campus Easter egg. Even the back is suitably decorated and offers some room to store the extra accessories when not in use, though is too small for the roof rack and roll cage. Both models also have an extra triangular piece with a grill placed on the side to cover a stud, which the instructions neglect to mention. This error isn’t huge but it’s annoying to see this mistake in a set of this size.

Under the bonnet, there’s space for one of two engines designed for off-road driving and smoother terrain, adding another level of customisation on top of the different driving modes. The fact that the bonnet can be held up with the included folding support strut is a wonderfully functional detail too.

Stickers are used frequently, though there are not many of them. Those including the duo on the window are understandable, but the licence plate and name on the bonnet could have been printed. Despite this, they don’t take away from the overall experience, just be careful and use the provided brick separator when applying them.

Beyond the shelf, 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 blends well with the colours of nature – and real Land Rover Defenders too. It’s an ideal model for an outdoor photoshoot with its working suspension, though the doors at the sides and back are a bit loose and would frequently open while moving it. More resistance in the hinges would have been welcome.

— LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 price —

10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 is priced well at £209.99 / $239.99 / €239.99. Even when not using the many additions in Expedition mode, you can absolutely feel the value in the size of the build and its thoughtful functions.

While there are a few flaws including the fragile nature of the model, it’s not enough to sour the joyful building experience and sheer fun that you’ll have switching between the different modes. You’ll eventually find a favourite and likely keep it as is, but until then be careful when handling it.

— LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 pictures —

— LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 pros and cons —

The fragility of 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 is an unfortunate aspect of this otherwise impressive and accurate model. As far as LEGO Icons vehicles go, we’d still rank 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 towards the top as everything else in the set works very well.

The iconic colour scheme, masterful shaping, thoughtful features and customisation options feel far beyond most other LEGO Icons vehicles and offer something that 42110 Land Rover Defender was never able to achieve – personality.

You can make 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 your own with the included accessories and while they add to the price, the options they provide are worth it. Keep it on display, take care when handling it and there’s plenty of genuine fun to be had with 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90, especially for fans of the manufacturer.

10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 pros	10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 cons
Easy and superb customisation	For a Land Rover build, it’s surprisingly fragile
Authentic features, shaping and interior	Missed step in the instructions
Detailed accessories that are fun to use

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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— Alternatives to LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 —

While 42110 Land Rover Defender has now retired, there are still plenty of solid alternatives to 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90. 40650 Land Rover Classic Defender is a worthy companion or smaller stand-in to 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 for those without the budget for the larger Defender, and is available now for £13.49 / $14.99 / €14.99.

Also worth considering is LEGO Technic’s 42122 Jeep Wrangler for £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99, recreating another off-road vehicle at a smaller size than 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90. Otherwise, 10290 Pickup Truck is another strong option at the same scale as the LEGO Icons Land Rover for £119.99 / $129.99 / €129.99, with similar shaping.

— LEGO Icons 10317 Land Rover Classic Defender 90 FAQs —