Land Rover Defender review – a cheaper alternative to the Toyota Land Cruiser?
The Defender isn’t a typical evo car, but it's something we’d gladly have sat in the garage next to one
It’s not the car that will appear on many evo reader’s list of dream cars to drive, but we’ve always said that the thrill of driving comes in all shapes and sizes, on and off the road. The Land Rover Defender might share a name and lineage with the marque’s iconic workhorse, but its technical makeup is very different, ditching the old-school ladder-frame chassis for a thoroughly modern aluminium-heavy monocoque.
Available in 90, 110 and 130 guise, the Defender range has expanded since it was first introduced five years ago, and there's pretty much a model for every use case. Fancy a straight-six diesel load-lugger, or the unhinged twin-turbocharged V8 Octa? The Defender has you covered. The result is a versatile, capable and pleasant SUV to roam around in. A perfect example of what’s achievable when you set out to design and build a car fit for the purpose it’s meant for.
> Land Rover Defender V8 (2021 - 2026) review – Britain's Mercedes G63 rival is no more
Engine, gearbox and technical highlights
- Electrified four and six cylinder engines in diesel and petrol forms
- Chassis designed from the ground-up for on and off-road performance
- High weight leads to high fuel consumption
Land Rover has altered the Defender’s powertrain offerings a number of times since its launch, and the latest change in 2026 was one of the more significant. The range-topping standard V8 has now been ditched entirely to leave more room for the fully fledged Octa 110, with the P380 mild-hybrid petrol straight-six taking its place.
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Long term tests
- Living with the Land Rover Defender 90, the world's first V8 hot hatch
- Land Rover Defender 110 Fast Fleet test – 9000 miles in the go-anywhere SUV
Reviews
The powertrain options are broadly similar between bodystyles, with the entry-level 247bhp D250 straight-six diesel available in all but the 130. The same diesel six in a higher 345bhp state of tune is packaged as the D350 as the sweet spot of the range, available in every body style and offering a strong 5.9sec 0-62mph time. Only the 3-litre straight-six petrol P380 is quicker from standstill to 62mph, but with only 30bhp more, gains are marginal at 5.7sec.
There is a sole plug-in hybrid offering for the 110 bodystyle only, pairing a 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with fully fledged hybrid drive. Output stands at 296bhp to put it in the middle of the pack, and while a claimed 60mpg WLTP efficiency figure makes it almost twice as economical as the second-best alternative, you gain around 100kg and lose luggage capacity in the process.
Outside of the standard lineup, buyers can also opt for the ‘Hard Top’ models in 90 and 110 body styles, stripping spec back, removing back seats and adding blanking plates for the rear windows – these are officially certified as commercial vehicles. In its standard configuration, the 110 is available with five, six, or five + two seats, with the 90 limited to a maximum of half a dozen seats. The 130, meanwhile, can carry eight.
Drive in all models is via an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, with twin-speed transmissions providing both high and low ratios, the latter for towing and off-road use. Beneath its recently tweaked design is the full complement of technical kit to take the Defender anywhere it cares to go. There’s a two-speed transfer ’box within the eight-speed auto, centre- and rear-locking differentials and, of course, permanent four-wheel drive.
Independent multi-link double wishbone suspension is fitted at the front, with an integral link axle at the rear, while air suspension is standard across the 110 range. The X model also features as standard an electronic differential, Terrain Response 2, configurable terrain response (think driver modes for sports cars but for a car designed for bog snorkelling rather than lap times) and all-terrain progress control (an off-road cruise control system).
It will probably not surprise you to know the likely associated costs of running a new Defender are, like the rest of its numbers, big. Thanks to an EU weight of between 2140kg and 2708kg, it’ll chew through wear and tear components such as tyres, bushes and its brake hardware faster than lighter rivals.
Performance, ride and handling
- Straight-six diesel suits it best, Octa now the only V8
- Drives almost like a normal car, despite off-road focus
- Supple ride and reasonable body control
The Defender isn't a light car and a drive in an early model with the old four-cylinder diesel made that very clear. The current six-cylinder offerings fare much better, with the D350 the sweet spot of the range. The straight-six diesels feel far more grown up and effortless than the previous four-pots, making for an ideal match to the Defender’s personality.
The lack of a V8 model in the standard Defender range is a sad sight, as while it burned an awful lot of fuel for not much performance in return, it had character in abundance. The same sadly can’t be said for its much better-matched straight-six alternative, and the introduction of the £147,245 Octa gives those looking for true performance a stunning option yet to be matched by anything else on sale.
This Defender drives nothing like the old one, which some of you will be more than happy about, while others will head straight outside to hose out the interior of their ‘real’ Defender. But it’s the 21st century, and having a car that drove like it was designed to survive being dropped from a plane makes for a lovely piece of nostalgia, but not such a great day-to-day vehicle. You’re driving a car that works on road as well as it does off it. It doesn’t lurch around or pitch itself into a corner or around a motorway slip road curve with the grace of an elephant on skates. It almost drives like a normal car.
There’s a suppleness to its ride quality that puts a Discovery 5 to shame and its body control is superior, too. It certainly responds to being hustled along better than the 5, and aside from the slightest evidence of vagueness from the steering around the dead ahead when the optional off-road tyres are fitted, you find yourself travelling quicker than expected.
The thump from the straight-six engines helps considerably here, neither troubled by the high kerb weight nor aerodynamics that probably raised a snigger from the wind tunnel operators. Its step-off from stationary is instant, the mid-range punchy and responsive beyond all expectations. Unlike its predecessor and so many of its ilk, it lets you set the pace rather than dictate it.
For those long road trips and too far away places that Defenders are drawn to, the road part will no longer be a chore. Your overriding impression of the new Defender is just how complete it feels. How nothing has been compromised or sacrificed and every need has been catered for. It will still crawl up a rock face or submerge itself in a bog and haul itself out the other end, but crucially it will no longer suck the life out of you when you need to travel any distance on a road.
Interior and tech
- Versatile cabin combines ruggedness with luxury
- Flexible layout with multiple seating configurations
- Tech enhances modern off-roading capabilities
A key aspect of any Defender has always been its versatility and ruggedness inside the cabin, something this car captures extremely well but with new levels of comfort, tech and even luxury if specified as such. The interior’s overall design is based on such versatility, with a simple horizontal dash that incorporates a standard infotainment touchscreen situated above a compact group of physical controls that handle heating and ventilation, the terrain response system and a volume knob. This section also includes the joystick-style gear selector, and all together allows for three different interior layout options that are available across the range. As standard, most models come with the usual centre console, but this can be swapped out for a central jump seat, making this a two-row six-seater, or be removed altogether, creating a walk-through cabin.
This level of creative thinking has been applied throughout other parts of the cabin, too, with its clever combination of tough, hard-wearing plastics and fabrics, creative use of exposed painted metal on the doors and dash, plus the option of a full hose-down interior. The specification choices also allow for a big variation in cabin ambience too, with high-spec X models incorporating luxurious materials into the otherwise rugged cabin.
Tech also rates highly, with Land Rover’s Privi Pro infotainment system light years ahead of the systems found in older JLR products, while clever integration of new technology such as its camera systems, the virtual rear-view mirror and one of the most comprehensive digital off-roading toolkits make it feel like a real step forward for an off-roader.
The clever bit of all this is that no model, whether an S or a top-spec X, feels like anything other than a Defender. Its clever roof lights, while small, are still an important nod to its predecessor, while the sheer variety of roof and interior design options make it easy to specify one exactly to your taste.
Prices, specs and rivals
Despite the recent loss of the V8, the Land Rover Defender range is still as diverse as the terrain it’s able to tackle. Pricing between the different specifications covers a vast range. A standard D250 Defender 90 will now set you back £58,655, the 110 from £64,315 and the huge 130 from £84,250. Adding extra kit like deployable side steps, bodywork protection and an electric winch can easily add another £5000-10,000 on top of the basic price. Trim levels give you similar jumps in price too.
Natural rivals could be anything from the £80,945 Toyota Land Cruiser right through to the £141,065 Mercedes G-class, not to mention more traditional family SUVs such as Land Rover’s own Discovery 5 (£69,540) or even the recently launched Audi Q7 (£81,65). When considered against the G, the Defender feels light years ahead, despite the transformational driving characteristics Mercedes instilled in it following its comprehensive overhaul in 2018. While many conventional SUVs beat the Defender for in the luxury stakes, very few do for off-road performance or outright charm, and if you can stump up £147,245, the Octa 110 is quite simply untouched.
