Ford Everest vs Land Rover Defender
What's the difference?

Ford Everest

$58,990 - $83,417

2026 price

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Land Rover Defender

$96,255 - $325,532

2026 price

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Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz EQ-Class

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Pajero

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Renault Megane E-Tech

Renault Scenic E-Tech

Summary

2026 Ford Everest

2026 Land Rover Defender

By Marcus Craft

By Laura Berry

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Diesel Turbo 4, 2.0L

Twin Turbo V8, 4.4L

Fuel Type

Diesel

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

7.1L/100km (combined)

13.1L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Comfortable on-road
Capable off-road
Solid value-for-money

Black elements make design even more appealing
Smooth and powerful 4.4L turbo-petrol V8
Practical but super luxurious

Dislikes

Doesn't have '4Auto' mode
Doesn't have Rock/Crawl drive mode
Doesn't have a 360-degree camera view

Quite thirsty
No third-row seating
Annoying speed warning system

2026 Ford Everest Summary

Hold back your tears. The Ford Everest Ambiente and Trend have been dumped and a new variant, the Active, is now the entry-grade in a revamped Everest line-up.

The Active has a newly offered 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, which produces less power and torque than the twin-turbo engine it replaces – down 29kW and 95Nm, respectively.

So, does the new engine make the Everest any better or worse on- and off-road? And does it yield improved fuel economy?

Read on.

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2026 Land Rover Defender Summary

This feels wrong to say this, but it’s so refreshing not to be driving an electric vehicle. There I said it.

After testing so many EVs lately reviewing a car that has an actual engine is a nice change. And this car definitely has an internal combustion engine - it's the Land Rover Defender Octa Black with a twin-turbo petrol V8.

The Defender Octa is the ultimate form of the 110 Defender. It’s wilder looking, more powerful and more capable, while the Black edition adds darkened elements inside and out for even more visual appeal.

While the Defender Octa Black is special, it’s not alone in a world of high-performance luxury SUVs and its head-to-head rival would be Mercedes-AMG’s G63.

I had the Defender Octa Black for a week and while I didn’t take this beast off-road where it is superbly capable, I put it to the test on some challenging tarmac as well as some challenging real-world family duties.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Ford Everest 2026 Land Rover Defender

Verdict

The Ford Everest has always been an impressive 4WD wagon, with useful day-to-day driveability and real off-road capability.

As standard, it has a lot going for it. It’s quiet and refined on-road, very capable off-road and it’s packed with features.

The 2.0-litre single-turbo Active is a solid entry-point into the Everest line-up and, though it lacks the polish of its higher-spec stablemates and doesn’t yield the kind of improvement in fuel economy you might have hoped for, it makes a strong case as a touring vehicle with plenty of aftermarket-build potential.

Verdict

The Land Rover Defender Octa Black could well be the ultimate form of the Defender. There's also the combination of Land Rover style and utility, but with one of the best V8 powerplants gifted to it from BMW. The Black edition adds extra appeal and highlights how stealthily something this good can fly under the radar against rivals like the Mercedes-AMG G63.

Ford Everest vs Land Rover Defender What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Ford Everest vs Land Rover Defender
What's the difference?