Is the 2023 Land Rover Defender a good car?
No.
3 of 7checks
- First car: 1 of 5. Price $53,400. Class median $44,813.
- Commuter: $154 a month. Class median $111.
- Seniors: 1 of 3. Clearance 8.9 in. Class middle half 7.0 to 8.3 in.
- Good buy: 4 rivals beat it on all four.
20 miles one way, 5 days a week. Gas $3.20. Power 17 cents per kWh.
| Check | Result | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Family car | Yes | 4 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 1 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | No | $154 vs $111 a month |
| Seniors | No | 1 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | Yes | 9.0 in, top 19% |
| Worth the money | Yes | 9% below predicted |
| Good buy | No | 4 beat it on all four |
- Each check compares the cheapest trim with the number to its class.
- A check passes when it misses at most 1 part.
- Yes when the car passes more than half of its checks.
Is the Defender a good family car?
Yes. Passes 4 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 7 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 38.4 in | Median 38.3 in | 168 | Yes |
| Rear headroom | 40.4 in | Median 38.7 in | 169 | Yes |
| Cargo behind the last row | 27.1 cu ft | Median 24.7 cu ft | 174 | Yes |
Is the Defender a good first car?
No. Passes 1 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $53,400 | Median $44,813 | 180 | No |
| Horsepower | 296 hp | 169 hp to 355 hp | 180 | Yes |
| Length | 197.6 in | Median 188.4 in | 171 | No |
| Turning circle | 42.1 ft | Median 38.4 ft | 167 | No |
| Fuel cost per mile | 17.8 cents | Median 12.8 cents | 177 | No |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the Defender a good commuter car?
No. $154 a month to commute. Class median $111.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $154
- Median of 177 SUVs
- $111
- Highway mpg
- 20 mpg, top 84% of 154
Is the Defender a good car for seniors?
No. Passes 1 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 8.9 in clearance, 77.4 in tall | 7.0 to 8.3 in clearance, 64.4 to 69.1 in tall | 156 | No |
| Front headroom | 40.6 in | Median 39.9 in | 170 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 42.1 ft | Median 38.4 ft | 167 | No |
Step-in: clearance and height in the middle half of the class.
Is the Defender a good off-road vehicle?
Yes. 9.0 in clearance. Top 19% of 166 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- 110 SE AWD, 9.0 in
- Cohort
- 166 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the Defender worth the money?
Yes. Priced 9% below cars like it.
- Price, 110 Standard AWD
- $53,400
- Predicted price
- $58,972
- Gap
- -$5,572 (-9%)
- Model error
- 15% median, 311 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2023 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the Defender a good buy?
No. 4 rivals cost less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defender 110 Standard AWD | $53,400 | 17.8 cents | 78.8 cu ft | 296 hp |
| Chevrolet Traverse LS FWD | $34,520 | 15.2 cents | 98.2 cu ft | 310 hp |
| Ford Explorer RWD | $36,760 | 13.3 cents | 87.8 cu ft | 300 hp |
| GMC Acadia AT4 AWD | $43,400 | 15.2 cents | 79.0 cu ft | 310 hp |
| Buick Enclave Essence FWD | $44,800 | 15.2 cents | 97.4 cu ft | 310 hp |
Compared with 1,138 trims of other makes, SUVs, 2023.
What this cannot tell you
No safety, reliability or insurance data.
Your prices, use and trim may differ.
- 2 or more sources
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- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree