Land Rover Defender OCTA: Ultimate All-Round Performance

The Land Rover Defender OCTA is entirely unnecessary. Nobody needs a 626bhp Defender, a car derived from military use and adopted by farmers and landowners. But that is exactly why it is so brilliant. 

The OCTA is the most powerful, most exaggerated Defender ever made, and the antithesis to many a new car. This is not a machine that relies on big batteries for its power, and while it is a mild hybrid, it defers to a huge 4.4-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 for kicks. And there are plenty to be had, whether on tarmac, off-road, mountainside or in a river. The OCTA can be driven virtually anywhere and has a huge breadth of ability thanks to the wily engineers at JLR. 

Take one look at it and it becomes quickly apparent this is no regular Defender. It’s an angry, aggressive looking thing with its swollen side arches to accommodate the huge wheels, raised ride height and quad exhausts. There is no doubt about its intentions. See one in your rear view mirror and it’s as though you’re being chased by a Bond villain. It is a vast, intimidating machine that sits high and makes normal SUVs appear small and insignificant. They soon are if you put your foot down. Whether in normal or ‘Dynamic’ mode, the OCTA is rapid. Its 750Nm of torque grants overtaking possibilities in any gear, the old school rumble of the V8 reassuring as you squeeze the throttle. Go flat out from standstill and hit 60mph in just 3.8 seconds, an impressive feat for a car that weighs 2510kg. 

The speed is staggering, but it’s the suspension which is the highlight. It shares a similar 6D Dynamics suspension set-up as the Range Rover Sport SV. This system manages pitch and roll control, essentially keeping the car level when moving at speed. This is most noticeable when taking fast corners and sudden braking. In a regular car of this size and off-road ability, the suspension would be relatively soft, causing it to lean through corners. The OCTA stays level thanks to this trick set-up, essentially eliminating body roll, making you quicker and inspiring more confidence. 

This is also true off-road. Sporting the newly designed rally-style forged alloy wheels and specially developed Goodyear Advanced All-Terrain tyres, the OCTA is basically a road-legal Dakar car (side note: JLR will actually enter a modified version in the 2026 Dakar rally, showing how confident they are in the platform). It will climb steep, muddy terrain, traverse rocks and gravel and make light work of sand dunes. It has modes to accommodate each of these challenges, with the suspension and ride height adjusting accordingly. It can also wade deeper than any Defender that’s gone before it, and is able to drive through water up to a metre deep. 

If you happen to find yourself on a fast off-road rally stage, OCTA Mode takes everything a step further. It’s the first dedicated off-road performance driving mode JLR has developed, and it tightens everything up, optimising the suspension and braking for loose surfaces. It also transforms the dash and illuminates the button on the wheel, as well as the paddles, in a red glow. Cool. 

It can do all of the above. But it can also be exceptionally comfortable. The leather-doused interior adds a luxurious finish to the Defender’s otherwise utilitarian fare, while heated seats and wheel combine with JLR’s Body and Soul technology, which vibrates the seats along to music. Tactile materials include Chopped Carbon fibre on the centre console and a textured resin on the doors that is reminiscent of the cold feel of a Glock. This is a car you could do big miles in, whether on quick winding roads, off-road or on the M6. 

Are there any downsides? The main one is price. It starts at £145,300, with first year Edition One models costing from £160,800. ‘How many owners will actually take it off road?’, we hear you cry. How many supercar owners will take their Ferrari or McLaren to a local track day? It is expensive, sure, but like a well-engineered diving watch or an expedition-grade parka, it is reassuring to know it can very much do what it says on the tin.