Model research hub
Land Rover Defender
AutoGuide says the 2026 Land Rover Defender OCTA is unlike any Defender that came before it, titling its review 'Geländewagen Hunting,' and telling buyers looking for an over-the-top rugged luxury SUV with oodles of performance to take a good, hard look at it. DefenderSightings says Land Rover raised the bar even further in 2025 with the Defender OCTA, a 626-hp monster with a twin-turbo BMW V8 and a suspension system borrowed from rally cars, with new 2026 OCTA and OCTA Black Edition models available to order through Land Rover dealers, following the Defender V8 that made Land Rover enthusiasts sit up and pay attention when it launched. OffRoadXtreme says the OCTA spec starts with the Land Rover Defender 110 platform, and that like most new off-roaders, the Defender OCTA has a substantial set of drive modes that build on Land Rover's usual Sand, Mud and Ruts, Grass/Gravel/Snow and Rock Crawl Terrain Response modes.
Chasing the G-Wagen
AutoGuide (opens in a new tab) says the 2026 Land Rover Defender OCTA is unlike any Defender that came before it, titling its review 'Geländewagen Hunting,' and telling buyers looking for an over-the-top rugged luxury SUV with oodles of performance to take a good, hard look at it.
A 626-hp BMW V8 with rally-car suspension
DefenderSightings (opens in a new tab) says Land Rover raised the bar even further in 2025 with the Defender OCTA, a 626-hp monster with a twin-turbo BMW V8 and a suspension system borrowed from rally cars, with new 2026 OCTA and OCTA Black Edition models available to order through Land Rover dealers, following the Defender V8 that made Land Rover enthusiasts sit up and pay attention when it launched.
Built on the Defender 110 platform
OffRoadXtreme (opens in a new tab) says the OCTA spec starts with the Land Rover Defender 110 platform, and that like most new off-roaders, the Defender OCTA has a substantial set of drive modes that build on Land Rover's usual Sand, Mud and Ruts, Grass/Gravel/Snow, and Rock Crawl Terrain Response modes.
Questions buyers ask
How much horsepower does the Land Rover Defender OCTA have?
DefenderSightings (opens in a new tab) says 626 hp from its twin-turbo BMW V8.
What platform is the Defender OCTA built on?
OffRoadXtreme (opens in a new tab) says the Land Rover Defender 110.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2026 Land Rover Defender is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder (P300), 3.0L turbo inline-six (P400), 3.0L turbo inline-six (P500), or supercharged 5.0L V8 (P525), rated at 296–518 horsepower across its off-road SUV body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2026 U.S. lineup has 5 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe most the 2026 Land Rover Defender is published to tow is up to 8,201 lb.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2026 Defender.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2026 Land Rover Defender
Engine availability depends on body length: Defender 90 offers P300/P400/P525, Defender 110 adds P500, and Defender 130 offers P300/P400/P500. Trim and body style (90/110/130) vary independently of engine.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
3 indexed Land Rover Defender model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Land Rover Defender | 2027 record → | |
| 2026 Land Rover Defender | 2026 record → | |
| 2025 Land Rover Defender | 2025 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Land Rover Defender.
The Land Rover Defender (introduced as the Land Rover One Ten, joined in 1984 by the Land Rover Ninety, plus the extra-length Land Rover One Two Seven in 1985) is a series of British off-road cars and pickup trucks. They have four-wheel drive, and were developed in the 1980s from the Land Rover series which was launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show in April 1948.
- Special editions
- In 1992 the first special edition Land Rover Defender was produced. Called the 90SV (SV stands for "special vehicles", as all the vehicles were produced by Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations department), they were painted turquoise and were fitted with a black canvas Tickford soft top with standard door tops.
Source: Land Rover Defender (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Land Rover Defender at a glance
- Production
- 1983–2016, Over 2 million Series/Defenders built since 1948
- Class
- Small offroader (90), Medium sized offroader (110 & 130)
- Layout
- Front engine, four-wheel drive
- Predecessor
- Land Rover Series III
- Successor
- Land Rover Defender (L663)
- Also called
- Land Rover 90, Ninety, 110, One Ten, One Two Seven (1983–1990)
Recent recalls (9 campaigns across the latest model years)
- September 2026, Electrical System:Propulsion System:Dc/Dc Converter. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace… Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- June 2026, Air Bags:Frontal. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver’s air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.
- April 2026, Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The fuel tank was improperly manufactured with walls that are too thin. Consequence: In the event of a crash, an improperly manufactured fuel tank may leak fuel, increasing the risk of a fire.
Year by year
The Land Rover Defender across 8 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Land Rover Defender | 17–18 | $4,450–$4,700 | 3 | ||
| 2026 Land Rover Defender | 16–20 | $3,900–$4,850 | 12 | 3 | |
| 2025 Land Rover Defender | 16–19 | $4,100–$4,850 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2024 Land Rover Defender | 16–20 | $3,900–$4,850 | 9 | 6 | |
| 2023 Land Rover Defender | 16–20 | $3,900–$4,850 | 8 | 9 | |
| 2022 Land Rover Defender | 16–19 | $4,100–$4,850 | 6 | 6 | |
| 2021 Land Rover Defender | 18–19 | $4,100–$4,300 | 4 | 9 | |
| 2020 Land Rover Defender | 18–19 | $4,100–$4,300 | 4 | 7 | 53 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Land Rover Defender, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to 2027 | 12 to 3 | 18.0 to 17.5 | Labels: Defender 110, Defender 130, Defender 130 P300 MHEV, Defender 130 P400 MHEV, and 2 more; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI, 5L 8-cyl SIDI | |
| 2025 to 2026 | 11 to 12 | 17.5 to 18.0 | Labels: Defender 110 Trophy MHEV | |
| 2024 to 2025 | 9 to 11 | 18.0 to 17.5 | Labels: Defender 130; Engines: 4.4L 8-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid | |
| 2023 to 2024 | 8 to 9 | Labels: Defender 130 Outbound | ||
| 2022 to 2023 | 6 to 8 | 17.5 to 18.0 | Labels: Defender 130 P300 MHEV, Defender 130 P400 MHEV | |
| 2021 to 2022 | 4 to 6 | 18.5 to 17.5 | Engines: 5L 8-cyl SIDI |
Buying used
What the Land Rover Defender recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | seat belts (critical fasteners); fuel system, gasoline (storage); air bags (frontal) | None |
| 2025 | 2 | equipment; air bags (frontal) | None |
| 2024 | 6 | engine and engine cooling; back over prevention (sensing system); equipment; 3 more | None |
| 2023 | 9 | seat belts (pretensioner); engine and engine cooling; child seat (vehicle tether anchor); 5 more | None |
| 2022 | 6 | exterior lighting (tail lights); seat belts (pretensioner); engine and engine cooling; 3 more | None |
| 2021 | 9 | power train (automatic transmission); exterior lighting (tail lights); seats; 6 more | 1 fixable over the air |
| 2020 | 7 | power train (automatic transmission); exterior lighting (tail lights); equipment (other); 4 more | 1 fixable over the air |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| exterior lighting | 19 | 35% | 2020 (19) |
| electrical system | 12 | 22% | 2020 (12) |
| steering | 8 | 15% | 2020 (8) |
| engine | 7 | 13% | 2020 (7) |
| visibility/wiper | 6 | 11% | 2020 (6) |
| structure | 5 | 9% | 2020 (5) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Land Rover Defender trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) | 296 | 295 | 5,125 | 7,716 | 20 | – |
| X-Dynamic SE | AWD | 5.0-liter V8 (Supercharged) | 493 | 450 | 5,125 | 8,201 | 16 | – |
| Trophy Edition | AWD | 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) | 395 | 406 | – | 8,200 | 17 | – |
| X | AWD | 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) | 395 | 406 | 5,125 | 8,201 | 17 | – |
| V8 | AWD | 5.0-liter V8 (Supercharged) | 518 | 461 | 5,735 | 8,201 | 16 | – |
| OCTA | AWD | 4.4-liter V8 (MHEV, Twin Turbo) | – | 553 | 5,950 | 8,200 | 17 | – |
| OCTA Black | AWD | 4.4-liter V8 (MHEV, Twin Turbo) | – | 553 | 5,950 | 8,200 | 17 | – |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Land Rover Defender model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 5.0-liter V8 (Supercharged) / 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) +1 | 296–518 | 5,125–5,950 | 7,716–8,201 | 23.8 |
| 2025 | 7 | 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) / 5.0-liter V8 (Supercharged) / 4.4-liter V8 (MHEV, Twin Turbo) | 395–518 | 5,125–5,950 | 7,716–8,201 | 23.8 |
| 2024 | 6 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) / 5.0-liter V8 (Supercharged) | 296–518 | 4,815–5,735 | 7,716–8,201 | 23.8 |
| 2023 | 16 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) / 5.0-liter V8 (Supercharged) | 296–518 | 4,815–5,735 | 7,716–8,201 | 23.8 |
| 2022 | 10 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) / 5.0-liter V8 (Supercharged) | 296–518 | 4,815–5,735 | 7,716–8,201 | 23.8 |
| 2021 | 6 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV, Turbo) | 296–395 | 4,815–5,035 | 7,716–8,201 | 23.8 |
| 2020 | 12 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder (Turbo) / 3.0-liter 6-cylinder (MHEV) | 296–395 | – | 7,716–8,201 | 23.8 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Owning it
Oil, fluid and wheel-nut figures for the Land Rover Defender.
| Model year | Engine oil | Brake fluid | Wheel-nut torque | A/C refrigerant | Key-fob battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | – | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | CR2032 |
| 2025 | 0W-20 | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | CR2032 |
| 2024 | 0W-20 | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | CR2032 |
| 2023 | 0W-20 | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | CR2032 |
| 2022 | 0W-20 | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | CR2032 |
| 2021 | 0W-20 | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | CR2032 |
| 2020 | 0W-20 | DOT 4 | – | R-1234yf | CR2032 |
Source: the manufacturer's owner's manual for each model year. A dash means that year's manual gave no single value for it, for instance one that lists two oil grades or two key types.
Model-year recall record
Land Rover Defender: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
Fewer recalls than this model’s own average
- 2025 Land Rover Defender : 2 recalls on file (average across published years is 6.0).
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | not available | seat belts, fuel system, airbags |
| 2025 | 2 | not available | equipment, airbags |
| 2024 | 6 | not available | backup camera, engine cooling, equipment, electrical system |
| 2023 | 9 | not available | engine cooling, seat belts, child seat, brakes |
| 2022 | 6 | not available | exterior lighting, seat belts, engine cooling, equipment |
| 2021 | 9 | not available | equipment, exterior lighting, seat belts, powertrain |
| 2020 | 7 | 53 | equipment, exterior lighting, powertrain, engine cooling |
| 2019 | 0 | ||
| 2018 | not available | ||
| 2017 | not available | ||
| 2016 | not available | ||
| 2015 | not available |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Land Rover Defender model years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Land Rover Defender?
Recall count alone can't answer that: it says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record. What federal data can say: 2025 carried fewer recalls than this model's own average. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Land Rover Defender model years have the cleanest federal recall record?
The 2025 Land Rover Defender has 2 recalls on file: below this model's own average of 6.0. A shorter list on file as of this page's data pull is not a guarantee against a future recall.
Q03What are common recall-related problems on the Land Rover Defender by model year?
2026: seat belts, fuel system, airbags. 2025: equipment, airbags. 2024: backup camera, engine cooling, equipment, electrical system. 2023: engine cooling, seat belts, child seat, brakes. 2022: exterior lighting, seat belts, engine cooling, equipment. 2021: equipment, exterior lighting, seat belts, powertrain.
Q04Why do some Land Rover Defender model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Land Rover Defender model years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Buying, records and recalls, Climate and electrical, Transmission and drivetrain, Engine and cooling, Brakes, tires and steering.
Compared with
Models this Land Rover Defender is most often compared with.
Nearest Land Rover models
Other Land Rover models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2026 Defender come in?
The 2026 Land Rover Defender (off-road SUV) comes in 5 trims: S, X-Dynamic SE, X, V8, Octa.
Q02What are the 2026 Defender trims?
The 2026 Land Rover Defender trims are S, X-Dynamic SE, X, V8, Octa, listed from the entry S up to the top Octa.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2026 Defender use?
The 2026 Land Rover Defender is built around 2.0L turbo four-cylinder (P300), 3.0L turbo inline-six (P400), 3.0L turbo inline-six (P500), or supercharged 5.0L V8 (P525), rated at 296–518 horsepower across its off-road SUV body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2026 Defender have?
The 2026 Land Rover Defender is rated at 296–518 horsepower (2.0L turbo four-cylinder (P300), 3.0L turbo inline-six (P400), 3.0L turbo inline-six (P500), or supercharged 5.0L V8 (P525)).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2026 Defender?
The 2026 Land Rover Defender is offered with Standard AWD/4WD.