Don’t worry, Land Rover Defender Octa fans. Despite what you may have heard, the monster SUV isn’t showing up for 2027 with 100 horsepower missing. At least not if you live in America. US shoppers will get the full-fat Defender Octa, along with other model year changes, including a six-cylinder instead of the old basic four, new colors, captain’s chairs, and more. Here’s what’s happening with the latest model.
US Version Keeps Its V8, But Europe Gets Better Sound
In Europe and some other markets, the Defender Octa trades its 626-horsepower 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 for one that only makes 533 horsepower. The company didn’t explain the reason, though it’s likely related to emissions. Whatever it is, don’t worry about it, America. The V8 lives on here, though you might miss out on “a more characterful and deeper exhaust noise to give a truer V8 sound” from a new exhaust manifold.
The turbo V8 stays, but the supercharged 5.0-liter unit is gone. That one, offered in multiple models, is off the list. A detuned version of the 3.0-liter I6 in the P400 models takes the place of the 2.0-liter four in P300 vehicles. Horsepower is the same at 296, but torque is up significantly from 285 pound-feet to 346.
Defender’s new trim grade this year is called Vertex. It’s the same price as the Defender X in the 90, 110, and 130 lineups, but it is meant to be a little more luxurious and less rugged. Instead of blacked-out accents on the lower parts of the vehicle, including the front bumper, Vertex mixes body color arches and sills with a matte silver bumper trim. It has a new rear door spoiler and yellow accents on the brake calipers and rear tow hooks.
Vertex is available in white, black, green, and two shades of grey, along with a matte white wrap. There are new colors this year, including the addition of Santorini Black for Trophy Edition models as an alternative to the deep yellow, while Octa has added a new green, and standard models offer a new desert-inspired Namib Orange. Another new option for buyers is a self-healing glossy wrap, perfect for anyone who wants to venture off-road without destroying the paint on their $80,000 luxury SUV.
If you want some of the Vertex look with a different feature pack, an Extended Exterior pack adds the silver bumper, but keeps the gloss black everything else, plus a body-color spare tire cover.
New Six-Person Option And Extra Off-Road Lights
Multiple choices of Defender 90 return to the lineup this year. Along with that, the larger Defender 110 gets the option of some extra comfort for your safari guests. Land Rover has added an option to get captains chairs in the second row for six-person seating. Land Rover says it makes it easier to get into the third row and adds legroom for everyone in the back.
The Defender loves accessories, so Land Rover has some new options on that list as well. A new Expedition Roof Light adds 9,000 lumens of dust and waterproof light to the roof and can be controlled by the main light switch. There’s also a tailgate-mounted gear carrier that delivers 2.1 cubic feet and 27 pounds of lockable storage to the back of the SUV.
Pricing for 2027 starts from $62,950, including a $1,950 destination fee. A Defender 110 starts from $66,950, the Defender 130 from $75,950, and the ultimate Octa is $160,750.
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