Is the 2026 Land Rover Defender a good car?
No.
3 of 7checks
- First car: 1 of 5. Price $63,400. Class median $47,693.
- Commuter: $173 a month. Class median $111.
- Seniors: 1 of 3. Clearance 8.5 in. Class middle half 6.9 to 8.4 in.
- Good buy: 7 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 | 3 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 1 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | No | $173 vs $111 a month |
| Seniors | No | 1 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | Yes | 8.9 in, top 20% |
| Worth the money | Yes | 1% below predicted |
| Good buy | No | 7 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 3 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 38.4 in | Median 38.5 in | 167 | No |
| Rear headroom | 40.4 in | Median 38.7 in | 168 | Yes |
| Cargo behind the last row | 27.1 cu ft | Median 25.2 cu ft | 176 | Yes |
Is the Defender a good first car?
No. Passes 1 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $63,400 | Median $47,693 | 176 | No |
| Horsepower | 296 hp | 175 hp to 373 hp | 182 | Yes |
| Length | 197.5 in | Median 191.6 in | 178 | No |
| Turning circle | 42.1 ft | Median 38.7 ft | 166 | No |
| Fuel cost per mile | 20.0 cents | Median 12.8 cents | 179 | No |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the Defender a good commuter car?
No. $173 a month to commute. Class median $111.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $173
- Median of 179 SUVs
- $111
- Highway mpg
- 19 mpg, top 94% of 139
Is the Defender a good car for seniors?
No. Passes 1 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 8.5 in clearance, 77.4 in tall | 6.9 to 8.4 in clearance, 64.7 to 70.8 in tall | 156 | No |
| Front headroom | 40.6 in | Median 39.9 in | 169 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 42.1 ft | Median 38.7 ft | 166 | No |
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 20% of 173 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- 110 P300 S AWD, 8.9 in
- Cohort
- 173 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the Defender worth the money?
Yes. Priced 1% below cars like it.
- Price, 110 P300 S AWD
- $63,500
- Predicted price
- $64,177
- Gap
- -$677 (-1%)
- Model error
- 13% median, 275 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2026 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the Defender a good buy?
No. 7 rivals cost less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defender 110 P500 X-Dynamic SE AWD | $99,100 | 20.0 cents | 66.2 cu ft | 493 hp |
| Rivian R1S Dual Standard AWD | $76,990 | 6.7 cents | 104.7 cu ft | 533 hp |
| Cadillac VISTIQ Luxury AWD | $77,395 | 6.7 cents | 80.2 cu ft | 615 hp |
| Volvo EX90 Twin Motor Performance Plus AWD | $84,995 | 6.7 cents | 75.4 cu ft | 670 hp |
| BMW iX xDrive60 AWD | $88,500 | 5.9 cents | 77.9 cu ft | 536 hp |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE GLE 580 4MATIC AWD | $90,000 | 17.8 cents | 74.9 cu ft | 510 hp |
| Jaguar F PACE SVR 575 Edition AWD | $92,400 | 18.8 cents | 70.4 cu ft | 567 hp |
| BMW X5 M60i AWD | $93,600 | 16.8 cents | 72.3 cu ft | 523 hp |
Compared with 1,084 trims of other makes, SUVs, 2026.
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