4. Land Rover Defender
For most SUVs on this list, the future is uncertain, but not for the Land Rover Defender. Despite the fact they discontinued it in 2016 after staying in production for almost 70 years, Land Rover announced it will replace it with a new improved model suitable for the 21st century.
The history of the Defender started out of necessity due to the after-war shortages in Great Britain. Used military Jeeps just weren`t enough so Rover started producing the capable and compact Land Rover in 1948. With its numerous qualities, small weight and off-road capabilities, the Land Rover soon became the ultimate off-road SUV capable of crossing deserts, jungles and all kinds of rough terrain.
The Defender soon became a popular military vehicle, so they produced it in numerous variants. Land Rover later introduced the Range Rover, a plush and comfortable off-road SUV, but the Defender remained in production. In the last couple of years, despite the popularity of the Defender, it was obvious that its days were numbered.
The modern safety and environmental standards made the 70-year-old model obsolete. Land Rover didn’t have any choice but to retire the old model and announce a new one. They have revealed the Defender concept, but they have yet to present the final production version. Anxious drivers can only hope that it will be a true Defender, not only with the character design but also with the soul of the old legendary model.