Land Rover Defender 2026 review: Octa Black

Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?

8 / 10

The Defender Octa Black lists for $313,800 which is about $10,000 more than a standard Octa. The difference between them is purely cosmetic but the black elements add such a visual impact that $10K seems worth it for the unique customised look that distinguishes it from ‘ordinary’ Defender Octas.

The Black edition adds about 30 elements with either a gloss black or satin black finish. These include the Narvik Black paint, gloss black exhaust tips, 20-inch forged black wheels with gloss black calipers, there’s black badging and lettering, too.

Inside there’s ebony semi-aniline leather upholstery, plus black hand holds and dashboard crossbeam.

Then there’s all the standard equipment you’ll find on a regular Defender Octa. 

There's three-zone climate control, a Meridian sound system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 11.4-inch touchscreen with sat nav, wireless phone charging and head-up display. 

The front seats are heated and cooled, while the second-row outboard rear seats are heated. There’s privacy glass in the rear windows, a panoramic glass roof, LED headlights and tail-lights and a proximity key.

Our car had several options fitted including the chopped carbon-fibre finisher which you can see on the front seat-backs and centre console, dual snorkels, tow-hitch receiver, mud flaps and black roof rails.

Is the value good? Yes' it's very expensive at more than $300k, but the price is quite a bit lower than the Mercedes-AMG G63 ($368,400) and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT ($376,200).

Design – Is there anything interesting about its design?

9 / 10

Oh gosh yes, there’s a lot that’s interesting about the design of the Defender Octa Black. 

Land Rover absolutely nailed the look of the new Defender when it launched in 2020 and it's barely aged in the years since. 

I love its modern take on the original Defender design with its boxy styling that looks both prestigious enough to be waiting in the driveway of a castle, but also purposeful and practical enough to be sitting in a paddock on a farm.

The Octa is based on the 110 Defender four-door body style with five seats, but its muscular enhancements make it longer, wider and taller than a regular 110 Defender. 

The Octa Black has exactly the same dimensions as the Octa at 5003mm long including the tailgate-mounted spare wheel, 2105mm wide with the mirrors out, and 1995mm tall on the low suspension setting (air suspension can raise the vehicle much higher).

The Octa Black adds about 30 gloss black or satin black elements to the Octa and I’ve listed many of them in the features section above.

For me the highlights of the Black include the 20-inch forged wheels which look stylish and army tough, there’s also the black coating on the quad exhaust tips, while the blacked-out badging and lettering also gives this variant a carefully modified, stealthy look.

Inside I love the exposed screws in the door trim, and black dashboard hand rail. When the vehicle is switched off all of the black buttons lose their glowing icons, turning the cabin into an inky, luxurious, minimalist space.

I could go on about the safari windows overhead in the boot area, the thick carpet, and how the optional chopped carbon fibre looks like solid marble, but we need to move on. 

Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside?

9 / 10

The Defender Octa Black is practical by its design and intention. This is a large off-road SUV with boxy proportions and utility is as much a priority as luxury.

A five seater with no third row, the Defender Octa Black has an enormous boot at 972 litres and outstanding cabin storage throughout from large door pockets to stowaway areas, trays and hidey holes. There’s also a small fridge under the centre armrest between the front seats.

Space for passengers is excellent with ample headroom and rear legroom. I’m tall at 188cm and can easily sit behind my driving position. Upfront and sitting in the driver’s seat I have acres of room in the footwell, plenty of space for my legs to clear the steering wheel and lots of elbow room.

There are power outlets throughout including a 230V powerpoint in the boot, USB-C ports in the second and front rows, plus wireless phone charging up front.

How great it is to see big chunky physical dials for climate control and volume as opposed to just a media screen, which is the case with so many new vehicles.

Possibly the only impracticality of the Defender Octa Black is the drop down out of the cabin. Even on the lowest air suspension setting the step up and out of the cabin will be too big for some older people and younger children. 

Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its engine and transmission?

9 / 10

One of the Defender Octa’s biggest drawcards is its engine, a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 courtesy of BMW.

Yes this is a BMW-sourced V8 making 467kW and 750Nm. The same engine is found in BMW’s M5 super saloon and X5 M and it suits the Defender Octa Black so well you’d swear it was purpose built for the big SUV.

You might not know that there is also a mild hybrid system on board too, but it doesn’t drive the wheels and isn't really there to save fuel. Its function is to add even more grunt to the engine. 

Unlike Mercedes-AMG's G63’s V8, the Defender Octa’s V8 won’t traumatise the neighbourhood on start up or idle or even just cruising along. But push it hard and it changes its attitude from a powerful limousine growl to a wild NASCAR roar.

There are drive modes including a dynamic setting but it’s ‘Octa’ mode that makes the car special. It's is a high-performance off-road setting that does exactly what you’d think.

Of course the Defender is one capable off-road vehicle with low- and high-range four-wheel drive.

An eight-speed automatic transmission sends the drive to all four wheels smoothly and the paddle shifters allow quick changes up and down.

Efficiency – What is its fuel consumption? What is its driving range?

6 / 10

Nobody buys a large off-road SUV powered by a petrol V8 thinking it’s going to be super fuel efficient, right? Just checking, because the 4.4-litre petrol V8 in the Defender Octa Black needs feeding constantly, like some kind of huge, hungry animal.

My average fuel economy of 18.5L/100km (according to the trip computer) over nearly 500km of driving actually wasn't as high as I expected considering all the countryside I ran through combined with the urban warfare of heavy traffic. Still that’s much higher than the 13.1L/100km Land Rover says the Octa should do in combined driving conditions. 

Fortunately the Octa has a 90L fuel tank so you won’t have to fill up at every petrol station you see.

Driving – What's it like to drive?

9 / 10

The Defender Octa Black is big but it only takes a week of driving before it feels like an extension of your body and becomes an easy and obedient thing to pilot.

The acceleration is strong with 0-100km/h coming in four seconds but it's how it handles that's really impressive.

Smart so-called '6D suspension' uses adaptive tech to keep the vehicle level, damping its desire to pitch forward under braking and preventing body roll in the corners. I tested this on my remote winding, bumpy test road and was amazed by this big monster’s ability to keep itself composed and flat despite the sudden changes in direction.

There was no off-road test for the Octa Black this time but we've been impressed with the capability of Defenders in our tough terrain tests in the past. The Octa Black’s air suspension can rise high enough to offer a maximum 323mm of ground clearance. Angle of approach is 40.2 degrees and departure is 42.8 degrees, while the ramp over angle is 29 degrees. Wading depth is 1000mm.

And if you’re towing, braked towing capacity is 3500kg.

We tested the Octa Black for its handling of both engaging roads but also its handling of suburban duties where it proved easy to pilot, towering over the traffic but still able to slip up tight streets and in and out of car parks (check the maximum headroom and keep the suspension low), along with the school run each day.

Built for off roading means visibility is excellent, from being able to see clearly where the vehicle begins and ends to the huge windows that means there’s hardly a blind spot.

That made parking easy as long as there’s a space large enough and trust me, even if you take your time to park, nobody will honk at you in this military-grade looking rig.

All the while the air suspension kept the ride comfortable and serene.

Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating?

8 / 10

The Land Rover Defender scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was tested in 2020 and that applies to the Octa Black, too. The only catch is that ANCAP rating will expire at the end of 2026. The criteria is now much stricter to get five stars.

That said, of course the Defender is safe, just as cars given a five star rating this year won’t automatically be unsafe in six or seven years, but there will be newer and better safety tech.

Still the Defender has auto emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.

Occupant safety in crash tests also scored high, according to ANCAP.

For child seats you’ll find two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchors across the second row.  

Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs?

7 / 10

Land Rover covers the Octa Black with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is short compared to most mainstream brands but fairly common among the high-end makes.

Roadside assistance is included for five years, too.

A service plan is available with five years costing $4800. Again, quite common for prestige brands but expensive compared to the more mainstream makers.

Verdict