Really? This is a horribly biased video with complete apples to oranges comparison based on trim levels. You have the top off road packages versus probably the worst off road spec defender. They even admit in the video they couldn’t buy a defender spec’d the way they wanted, but you can grab a top level Bronco AND Jeep? What does that say about the three?
Goodyear tires suck ass off road wether you’ve got enough sidewall or not. And obviously they did not. It’s a super easy swap to fit 18’s over the brakes and most off road types upgrade wheels anyway.
Stock for stock the defender crushes the rubicon in ground clearance, they just don’t tell you they didn’t remove the rocks they stacked for the defender!
They could buy a Defender that was spec'd the way they wanted--and did buy it--but it had so many engine problems the dealer bought it back. After that, they've stated they want nothing to do with the 4cyl Land Rover engine. This was their third Defender.
And, to play devil's advocate, where do you stop with the modifications? For the same price as it would take to put 18" wheels on that Defender (which would require changing the brake calipers), you could put a 2" lift and 35" tires on the Jeep. Heck, you could put 35" tires on the Jeep even without a lift. And then the Defender is still playing catchup.
And the "ground clearance" stat is misleading. The Jeep's limitation on ground clearance (and virtually every vehicle with a solid axle) is the bottom of the axle differentials--something that raises higher in the air when the tire is on an obstacle.
The bottom line is that I do not get hung up on this video because it's a clear failing of the spec'd tire and not the vehicle itself. And, I think this video gained enough traction that it has caught the attention of Rover enthusiasts around the world. PowerfulUK mentioned it in one of their videos. Hopefully, it eventually catches the attention of Land Rover themselves, so they can be put on notice that the 20" wheel is worthless off road and to stop making it more or less mandatory on their supposed "off road" vehicles.