Is the 2027 Land Rover Defender a good car?
No.
1 of 3 checks with data
- Crash stars
- Not rated
- Not counted
- Value kept, 3 years
- 72%
- Pass
- Price
- $61,000
- Fail, median $50,943
- Fuel cost
- $3,071 a year
- Fail, median $2,132 a year
Compared with 2027 SUVs. Cheapest trim.
Four checks
Source marks: one sourcemodel-level or estimate
| Check | This car | Compared with | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crash test stars | Not rated | 4 or more | Not enough data | |
| Value kept after 3 years | 72% | Median 63% | 174 | Yes |
| Price 90 P300 S AWD | $61,000 | Median $50,943 | 114 | No |
| Fuel cost a year 110 P635 OCTA AWD | $3,071 a year | Median $2,132 a year | 102 | No |
- Stars pass at 4 or more.
- Price and fuel cost pass at or under the class median.
- Value kept passes at or over the median.
- Yes when the car passes more than half of the checks.
- Price and fuel cost use the cheapest trim with the number. Stars use the lowest version.
- Value kept: KBB value now divided by original MSRP, 2023 SUVs.
Fuel: 12,000 miles a year. Gas $4.35 (EIA, week of Oct 5, 2026). Power 18.19 cents per kWh.
Good for what
Checks for one use each. They do not change the answer above.
| Check | Result | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Family car | No | 2 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 2 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | No | $222 vs $154 a month |
| Seniors | Yes | 2 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | Yes | 8.9 in, top 20% |
| Worth the money | Yes | 7% below predicted |
| Good buy | No | 1 beat it on all four |
- Each check uses the cheapest trim that has the number. The trim is named.
- A check passes when it misses at most 1 part.
Is the Defender a good family car?
No. Passes 2 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats 90 P300 S AWD | 5 seats | 5 or more | Not listed | Yes |
| Rear legroom 90 P300 S AWD | 36.6 in | Median 38.7 in | 98 | No |
| Rear headroom 90 P300 S AWD | 40.4 in | Median 38.9 in | 98 | Yes |
| Cargo behind the last row 90 P300 S AWD | 10.5 cu ft | Median 25.5 cu ft | 100 | No |
Is the Defender a good first car?
No. Passes 2 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price 90 P300 S AWD | $61,000 | Median $50,943 | 114 | No |
| Horsepower 90 P300 S AWD | 296 hp | 178 hp to 392 hp | 106 | Yes |
| Length 2027 Land Rover Defender 90 P400 S AWD | 197.5 in | Median 191.9 in | 109 | No |
| Turning circle 90 P300 S AWD | 38.0 ft | Median 39.1 ft | 96 | Yes |
| Fuel cost per mile 110 P635 OCTA AWD | 25.6 cents | Median 17.8 cents | 102 | No |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the Defender a good commuter car?
20 miles one way, 5 days a week. Gas $4.35 (EIA, week of Oct 5, 2026). Power 18.19 cents per kWh.
No. $222 a month to commute. Class median $154.
- Miles a month
- 867
- Trim
- 110 P635 OCTA AWD
- This car
- $222
- Median of 102 SUVs
- $154
- Highway mpg
- 19 mpg, top 94% of 78
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 | 6.7 to 8.4 in clearance, 64.8 to 71.0 in tall | 82 | No |
| Front headroom 90 P300 S AWD | 40.6 in | Median 40.1 in | 99 | Yes |
| Turning circle 90 P300 S AWD | 38.0 ft | Median 39.1 ft | 96 | 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 20% of 92 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- 90 P300 S AWD, 8.9 in
- Compared with
- 92 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the Defender worth the money?
Yes. Priced 7% below cars like it.
- Price, 110 P300 S AWD
- $65,000
- Predicted price
- $69,815
- Gap
- -$4,815 (-7%)
- Typical price error
- 12% median, 128 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2027 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the Defender a good buy?
No. 1 rival costs less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defender 110 P635 OCTA AWD | $158,800 | 25.6 cents | 66.2 cu ft | 626 hp |
| Rivian R1S Quad AWD | $121,990 | 8.1 cents | 104.7 cu ft | 1,025 hp |
Compared with 493 trims of other makes, SUVs, 2027.
What this cannot tell you
Your prices, use and trim may differ.
No sales data per model, so complaints are not scored.
- Two or more sources agree
- One source
- Model-level or estimate
- Sources differ