Is the 2025 Land Rover Defender a good car?
No.
2 of 7checks
- Family car: 2 of 4. Rear legroom 36.6 in. Class median 38.6 in.
- First car: 2 of 5. Price $56,900. Class median $48,995.
- Commuter: $146 a month. Class median $111.
- Price: 17% above cars like it.
- Good buy: 26 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 | No | 2 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 2 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | No | $146 vs $111 a month |
| Seniors | Yes | 2 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | Yes | 8.9 in, top 17% |
| Worth the money | No | 17% above predicted |
| Good buy | No | 26 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?
No. Passes 2 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 36.6 in | Median 38.6 in | 178 | No |
| Rear headroom | 40.4 in | Median 38.7 in | 179 | Yes |
| Cargo behind the last row | 10.5 cu ft | Median 25.1 cu ft | 190 | No |
Is the Defender a good first car?
No. Passes 2 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $56,900 | Median $48,995 | 189 | No |
| Horsepower | 296 hp | 177 hp to 363 hp | 194 | Yes |
| Length | 197.5 in | Median 190.8 in | 187 | No |
| Turning circle | 38.0 ft | Median 38.7 ft | 177 | Yes |
| Fuel cost per mile | 16.8 cents | Median 12.8 cents | 192 | No |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the Defender a good commuter car?
No. $146 a month to commute. Class median $111.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $146
- Median of 192 SUVs
- $111
- Highway mpg
- 19 mpg, top 95% of 151
Is the Defender a good car for seniors?
Yes. Passes 2 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 8.9 in clearance, 77.7 in tall | 7.0 to 8.3 in clearance, 64.7 to 70.1 in tall | 165 | No |
| Front headroom | 40.6 in | Median 39.9 in | 181 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 38.0 ft | Median 38.7 ft | 177 | Yes |
Step-in: clearance and height in the middle half of the class.
Is the Defender a good off-road vehicle?
Yes. 8.9 in clearance. Top 17% of 181 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- 90 P300 S AWD, 8.9 in
- Cohort
- 181 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the Defender worth the money?
No. Priced 17% above cars like it.
- Price, 110 P300 S AWD
- $60,800
- Predicted price
- $51,962
- Gap
- +$8,838 (+17%)
- Model error
- 12% median, 299 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2025 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the Defender a good buy?
No. 26 rivals cost less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
Cheapest 8 shown.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defender 90 P300 S AWD | $56,900 | 16.8 cents | 44.6 cu ft | 296 hp |
| Ford Explorer Active RWD | $40,050 | 13.3 cents | 87.8 cu ft | 300 hp |
| Chevrolet Traverse LT FWD | $40,700 | 13.9 cents | 97.6 cu ft | 328 hp |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E Select AWD | $40,995 | 5.8 cents | 59.7 cu ft | 325 hp |
| Chevrolet Blazer RS FWD | $43,000 | 14.5 cents | 64.2 cu ft | 308 hp |
| GMC Acadia Elevation FWD | $43,000 | 13.9 cents | 97.5 cu ft | 328 hp |
| Nissan Ariya Engage e-4ORCE AWD | $43,770 | 6.0 cents | 59.7 cu ft | 335 hp |
| Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid SE AWD | $44,815 | 7.3 cents | 63.1 cu ft | 302 hp |
| Buick Enclave Preferred AWD | $45,100 | 15.2 cents | 97.5 cu ft | 328 hp |
Compared with 1,176 trims of other makes, SUVs, 2025.
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