2026 Land Rover Defender 90 V8 is a Half Price G-Class You’ll Actually Take Off-Road

By Ben McKimm - News

Updated: 21 May, 2026

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Readtime: 10 min

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Look for a new car with some character, and you’ll quickly realise that we’re living in the era of emissions-regulated motoring. You’ll struggle to find anything bigger than a 4-cylinder engine with some form of hybrid technology in dealerships today as large-displacement engines become an endangered species. But as European emissions regulations tighten, people’s appetite for overpowered, boxy utility vehicles shows no signs of slowing down. Witnessing a manufacturer like Land Rover aggressively expand its V8 offering feels like a stubborn, highly entertaining rebellion against the inevitable, and we’re here for it.

With the looming NVES regulations, I was shocked to realise that Land Rover had reduced the selection of smaller engines in its line-up in favour of more powerful V8 options. That includes the top-of-the-range Defender OCTA, which borrows its twin-turbo engine from the previous-generation BMW M5, and the Defender 130 V8, which punches out a supercharged 500 HP and makes one of the greatest sounds on car earth.

But maybe the most surprising revelation was that the V8 engines can now be found at the other end of the price range, including the short-wheelbase Defender 90 P425 (from AUD$124,300 before on-road costs). Land Rover has injected the shorty with a supercharged V8 power for the current model year, paired it with tech upgrades, and new trail hardware. By doing so, the British marque inches closer to the territory occupied by the Mercedes-AMG G63. Here’s my full breakdown of the 2026 Land Rover Defender 90 P425 V8.

Engine

With a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine under the bonnet and a wheelbase shorter than many modern hatchbacks, this little brick offers the perfect recipe for absolute madness.

Plant your foot a few times, and you quickly realise that, despite the V8 engine and impressive figures, it’s not a quick vehicle. Sure, it can get out of its own way, but the 0-100 km/h time of 5.6 seconds makes it slower than many modern hybrid SUVs. Unsurprisingly, it also drinks petrol, and I average upwards of 16 litres per 100 km on this test. Good that it has a 90-litre fuel tank, but bad news for your wallet as you’ll be adding at least $200 worth of 95 RON into the tank every week. Such is V8 life.

But you don’t care about petrol because you’re buying the Defender V8, and you want it for the sound. You want it for the noise that it makes when you pull away from a set of traffic lights. You know you spent the extra money on the V8, and if you have to pull out the calculator to consider running costs, then this isn’t the car for you. It’s a very good SUV, but it’s not one that you buy with your brain unless it’s wired a certain way. Why would anyone want to drive around in a two-door supercharged V8 SUV with an obscene 2,588 mm wheelbase that makes it shorter than a 2026 VW Golf R (2,630 mm) if it weren’t for the sheer fun of it?

If you’re a traditionalist wanting diesel torque for touring, you can still grab several diesel mild-hybrids in the Defender line-up. But honestly, if you’re buying a Defender in 2026, the V8 is the unquestionable star of the show here.

Interior

The interior hasn’t changed much since I first jumped behind the wheel a few years ago, but the Defender continues to find the perfect balance between rugged and luxurious. Like a Porsche, each model year brings a notch more technology and comfort refinements, and while they don’t reinvent the wheel, they improve every little nuisance until the recipe is perfected, and this approach is much appreciated.

New for the 2026 model year is the 13.1-inch touchscreen that houses wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It’s been a while since I’ve sat in a Defender, but unlike previous screens, I had no problem finding my way through the menus, and it offers a much faster, more intuitive interface than I remember. I rarely note things like this, but unlike the AUD$400,000 Range Rover Autobiography I drove last year, my phone would actually connect to this infotainment screen.

This new screen sits just above an “ergonomically repositioned dash-mounted gear shifter,” which makes reaching for the controls feel quite natural. They’ve also redesigned the centre console, allowing you to make the most of the available space. It now features a sliding section that hides your gear in a closed cubby, leaving a deeper stowage area underneath. If you tick the Signature Suite option box, you get removable side pockets with clever cable routing, so you can keep your devices charged without wires tangling up the cabin.

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But it’s the materials and finishing touches that really elevate what would otherwise be a pretty off-road-focused vehicle. You have a premium Windsor leather seat option, paired with durable rubber cabin flooring that wipes down easily after a muddy weekend. You also get the brand’s clever Cabin Air Purification system featuring Nanoe™ X and PM2.5 technology, which actively filters out odours, allergens, and pathogens to keep the air inside crisp and clean.

Looking up, the signature Alpine lights integrated into the rear of the roof pay homage to the original Defender design while filling the cabin with natural light, keeping rear passengers happy. There’s also a massive panoramic sunroof that opens wide enough to give the illusion of an open roof.

Practicality-wise, the shorty holds its own, especially in the rear where there’s ample space for adult passengers. It comes standard with room for five passengers, but you can still spec a centre jump seat, giving you the option of six seats with practical three-abreast seating across the front row. It’s not huge, but look in the boot, and you get a somewhat usable 397 litres of load space with all the seats unfolded, just note that most of this is vertical space. If you need to haul serious gear, drop the second row and open up a much more reasonable 1,563 litres of space.

One thing I would avoid is the new optional Driver Attention Monitor (which uses a driver-facing camera to track your gaze and provide audio-visual alerts if you start nodding off). The speed limit warning chimes are present and accounted for, but they can be turned off quite easily.

Driving

The modern Defender is a far cry from the agricultural farm equipment of the past, but it’s not so far removed that it lacks character. Still, the integrated unit-body chassis, completely leaving behind the days of the old ladder frame and rigid live axles, makes it a far more competent vehicle on the road than even the most modern Toyota LandCruiser.

You’ll find fully independent suspension all around, and on this P425 variant, it’s paired with an electronic air suspension system and adaptive electronic dampers.

Most owners spend their time in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, and it passes the test with an Adaptive Dynamics system that continuously monitors vehicle movements and adjusts the dampers to find the optimal balance between ride comfort and handling. However, do note that, because of its short wheelbase, it tends to feel quite nose-heavy and loves to lean through corners, putting you in some strange angles even at road speeds. The trade-off is a vehicle that’s extremely agile in city traffic, and with its visibility, it shares many of the G-Class’s positives in this regard.

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Power is sent to the tarmac via a permanent all-wheel-drive system. It still features a twin-speed transfer box with high and low-range gearing for when you hit the dirt on the way to the farm, but on the road, the Electronic Active Differential with torque vectoring by braking ensures that all 313kW gets put down effectively.

If the idea of throwing a $124,000 supercharged V8 into a mud pit sounds like fun, I’ll point you towards my previous review of the Defender, but it wasn’t on the agenda this week. Still, I can say from experience that off the beaten track is where the Defender earns its badge, and for the 2026 model year, Land Rover has introduced another cheat code. It’s called Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control, and it’s introduced as an option for the first time on the Defender. Like an evolution of their All Terrain Progress Control, it allows the driver to set a desired comfort level when negotiating rough terrain. From there, the system automatically adjusts the vehicle’s speed to maintain that desired level of comfort over undulating surfaces.

It’s designed to improve composure off-road while reducing driver effort, making it easier and more comfortable than ever to negotiate rough terrain. I’ll have to take their word for it until I can get the shorty out onto some proper trails, but given Land Rover’s pedigree and their clientele, I have no doubt it’s an absolute weapon in the dirt.

Verdict

To put it in a few words, the 2026 Land Rover Defender 90 P425 is a perfectly irrational machine. We live in an automotive landscape increasingly dominated by sensible, silent EVs and downsized hybrids, but this supercharged V8 stands out as a loud, thirsty, and unapologetic brute. If you don’t get it, that’s fine, because on paper you’re paying upwards of $124,300 before on-road costs for a heavy, two-door SUV that sacrifices ultimate practicality for cool, and drinks fuel like a commercial airliner.

But that’s exactly why it succeeds. It brings a level of character, theatre, and old-school charm to the daily commute that’s genuinely hard to find right now. It delivers the undeniable street presence, the menacing V8 soundtrack, and the tough-luxury cabin of a Mercedes-AMG G-Class, but for less than half the financial damage.

Throw in the sharper new tech, the off-road cheat codes for when you do eventually decide to get the tyres dirty, and the sheer cool factor of the Defender’s design, and Land Rover might have built the ultimate anti-status-quo SUV. If you have the budget and the desire to own one of the last great V8 off-roaders, don’t overthink the practicality. Buy it, enjoy the noise, and leave the financial planner in the dark.

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