A car swap - leaving the classic behind for a holiday in a new defender 130 from the out
Ad. Contains gifted experience.
Although we love to roam around Oxfordshire and The Cotswolds in Hutch, the classic Defender 90, Al and I have three teenage children between us - meaning that we need a bigger (and dare I say, more modern, reliable) option for family trips away.
When heading down to Cornwall to join my father and siblings, plus their families this summer, we were looking at UK car hire companies and came across THE OUT. They offer luxury car rental, delivered and collected nationwide, which seemed like the perfect solution, and a great way to try out a new Defender, as they have an amazing fleet of Defenders, Discoveries, Range Rovers and Jaguars.
Amongst the old Lady owner community, new Defenders are often looked down on, as they’re just ‘not the same’. The truth is that they aren’t the same - but that doesn’t mean that these modern versions don’t have a place, and it is ok to like both!
I will always love the classics. They are iconic, and the rawness and rugged nature is something that cannot be replicated. I do love that the new Defenders have taken inspiration from the old in many places, though. Even internally, everything feels tougher than Range Rovers - less precious, somehow - yet still luxurious. I feel that they have created a brilliant balance.
Head to Instagram for the wrap up reel
the out app
The app made the whole process super simple - I just selected the location of collection and delivery, our dates, and our preferred vehicle, and within seconds I was checking out. You can choose to add additional drivers for no extra fee, plus handy things like car seats and dog guards, which makes the whole service feel seamless.
I can imagine our friends flying over from abroad would love this service, turning up at the airport and getting everything they need delivered in an stress-free way. Gone are the days of having to queue at awful car hire booths and scrambling with paperwork and ropey child and pet extras which have seen better days. This is car rental at an entirely different level!
Delivery
I received a text on the morning of delivery, with the driver’s name and ETA, which is a simple touch but such a nice reassurance when you have a million things on your mind pre-holiday. Once he arrived, I was shown around the vehicle, including those little tips like how to move the seats, and how to connect to the tech.
The car was beautifully clean and the driver was so friendly. THE OUT even left bottles of water for us, which was a small but welcome touch, reminiscent of luxury chauffeur services.
We were told not to worry about cleaning the car for return - although as many of Hutch’s followers have observed, Al is meticulous about driving shiny cars, so he couldn’t help but take it for a little rinse during the week..!
The Experience
Space-wise the Defender 130 had everything we needed and more. With the choice to have eight seats, or fold the back three down for extra boot space, it didn’t matter that the children had brought the kitchen sink for our chilled out week in Padstow. For once, we had no packing anxiety, which was fabulous. The car is also WIDE inside, which meant that we heard zero complaints about comfort.
In the front, Al and I had a great time, too. Heating and cooling seats, a brilliant sound system, and of course Apple CarPlay to help with entertainment and directions on our way down to the coast. We didn’t need to use it, but the option to raise and lower the vehicle, or put it into various 4x4 driving modes at the touch of a button was impressive, and made us realise how utilitarian these cars really are. They are undeniably an incredible piece of kit!
Even a rental car deserves a name
Before renting the Defender 130, I took to Instagram to ask what the car should be called. I received so many great suggestions, but the outright winner was ‘Starsky’ - as in - ‘Starsky and Hutch’. The perfect pair.
I doubt this is the last time we’ll be needing the services of THE OUT, and a new Defender would certainly be on our wish list for our next family break. Perhaps we’ll have another trip in Starsky, or maybe we’ll try something different. That’s the beauty of renting, after all.
Check out the range of luxury cars for hire from THE OUT. Which would you go for?
Amelia x