Does the Defender hold its value?
Demand for the Land Rover remains as high as ever, as do prices. In fact, values are actually rising because even the newest Defenders have taken on classic status. Yet while these appreciating assets are better than money in the bank, the running costs are likely to be a drain on your account.
THE LAND ROVER Defender is proving to be a big hit with car buyers, being outsold only by the Range Rover Evoque in the second quarter of 2021, according to the company's latest figures.
Land Rover's toughest 4x4 has to deliver supreme reliability, while safety shouldn't be an issue. From just looking at the chunky, robust design, you could easily draw the conclusion that the Defender is virtually unbreakable. And, to live up to its name, it has to show excellent reliability in all conditions.
One reason they were so expensive when they were in production was to allow for all the warranty repairs that would be necessary. For the Defender the cost is due to it being a military and expedition vehicle with superior engineering and incredible off road superiority.
Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Discovery, Land Rover Defender 90 and Land Rover Defender 110 are fully depreciated in year one. 2. Luxury car depreciation can continue year two at $16,400, year three at $9,800 and $5,860 per year for each succeeding year until the vehicle is fully depreciated or sold.
The Land Rover Defender is a true luxury car; despite its smaller size, it carries a base price of $52,000, a starting price that is $600 more than the 4-door version. From there it spans the full range competing with both the Jeep Wrangler and the Mercedes-Benz G Wagen.
The Land Rover Defender 110 is the original Land Rover Defender model size. Of course, with countless innovations and updates since the 1983 launch, the Defender 110 is usually the most highly sought-after model because of its practicality, incredible features, and simply iconic status in the UK and around the world.
The 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 P400 X starts at $85,400. Americans were willing to pay $900 more than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for non-luxury new cars in November 2021, pushing the average transaction price for a new car to a record-breaking $43,144.
Land Rover Defender wins 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Upper Large SUV. Trent Nikolic has been road testing and writing about cars for almost 20 years. He's been at CarAdvice/Drive since 2014 and has been a motoring editor at the NRMA, Overlander 4WD Magazine, Hot4s and Auto Salon Magazine.
- 8/8 1970 Range Rover Classic.
- 7/8 1983 Land Rover 110.
- 6/8 1989 Land Rover 90.
- 5/8 1989 Land Rover Discovery Series 1.
- 4/8 2003 Range Rover.
- 3/8 Land Rover LR4.
- 2/8 2011 Range Rover Evoque.
- 1/8 2014 Range Rover Sport SVR.
How long do Land Rover Defenders last?
A Land Rover will last, on average, about 200,000 miles or 13 years. But despite its legacy, Land Rover is amongst the least reliable makes on the road, ranking 33rd (last) in J.D. Power's 2020 vehicle dependability study.
The new Land Rover Defender
Despite all of this, the new Defender has proven to be a fairly reliable vehicle and the JD Power surveys, taken from 100s of owners see the Defender score 70 out of 100 in the reliability stakes.
The Defender was a hardcore off-road weapon thanks to its ability to survive the harshest and most brutal conditions. But these extremes made it too harsh to use as an everyday vehicle.
The original Land Rover Defenders are rare to come by because they were not sold in the US after 1997. There are a few off-road-ready SUVs out there, but very few are as iconically designed and well-versed as the Land Rover Defender.
The 2018 Land Rover Discovery manages to maintain a 53.4% resale value and is a tough competitor in the SUV lineup.
Off-road, there's no contest: the Land Rover Defender reigns supreme. With better approach, departure, break over angles along with an inch of additional (max) ground clearance, the Land Rover Defender is already ahead of the curve. Check out these numbers on the Land Rover Defender 110.
The Best Land Rover Engine
While the 2021 2.2-litre TDCi is the most powerful and refined engine ever to call the Defender its home, we're willing to bet that more than a few Defender owners would argue that the old 300Tdi is by far the most robust and off-road friendly engine of all the iterations of years gone by!
So, why is the Defender so popular? For one main reason, it is extremely functional. And the emotional appeal has made the Defender withhold its iconic British presence around the world for the past 70 years.
Despite its off-road capability the Defender is quite good to drive around town. Cars with air suspension are especially comfortable, and the steering is light, making it easy to manoeuvre. Visibility is good out the front but the spare wheel gets in the way of the view out the rear.
Alpine's armored Land Rover Defender is built using latest technology to provide clients with highest levels of protection. Typically armored to Level A9/B6+, this bulletproof Land Rover is protected against 7.62mm lead core, 5.56x45 and M80 ball rounds, as well as 2 DM51 hand grenades.
Is the Defender 2022 reliable?
Is the Land Rover Defender Reliable ? The 2022 Land Rover Defender has a predicted reliability score of 70 out of 100. A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.
The new Defender doesn't just have technology and weight on its side, it trumps the old car for power, too. Sure, it's 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine is a bit smaller than the old car's 2.2-litre engine, but it produces a convincing 430Nm of torque and 240hp.
The steering is very heavy and isn't very responsive. There are lots of turns lock-to-lock, but the turning circle is huge, and cornering is best done slowly. It also bounces around over rough tarmac. That said, if you love driving then there's real satisfaction to be had driving a Defender.
An offer of 3-5% over a dealer's actual new car cost is acceptable when purchasing a new car. Although it's not a huge profit, a dealer will sell a new vehicle for a 3-5% margin any day of the week.
However, you may encounter cases in which limited availability can require paying well over MSRP. In 2022, a chip shortage has resulted in more consumers paying markups. According to the website iSeeCars, the average markup fee is $3,753, or 9.9% over MSRP.
The Land Rover Defender is the most in demand used car currently on the market according to Aston Barclay's August desirability index. The Defender's 9.0 out of 10 score was the highest ever rating recorded by a used car in the index.
Choosing between the Defender 90 and Defender 110 boils down to your preference. If you want a two-row five-seater, the Defender 90 is your pick. If you need a three-row off-roader, there's nothing quite like the Defender 110. Read More: How Much Can the 2022 Land Rover Defender Tow?
High demand and low availability drive up the cost. So if you find a vehicle that is eligible for restoration the chances are that it is not going to be in good condition. For the US market, the vehicle needs to be older than 25 years. This means that it is probably going to be an early-90's V8.
| Year 1 | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | $511 | $7,761 |
| Repairs | $0 | $5,284 |
| Taxes & Fees | $5,137 | $6,347 |
| Financing | $2,068 | $5,925 |
The new Land Rover Defender
Despite all of this, the new Defender has proven to be a fairly reliable vehicle and the JD Power surveys, taken from 100s of owners see the Defender score 70 out of 100 in the reliability stakes.
Why was the Defender discontinued?
Following a continuous production run for 67 years, the Defender was discontinued in 2016 due to rising irrelevance and the costly EU emission standards. However, in 2020, Jaguar Land Rover released a new generation that differs significantly from the previous model.
| Top 5 Lowest- and Highest-Depreciating Midsize SUVs – iSeeCars Study | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lowest-Depreciating | Highest-Depreciating | |
| Rank | Vehicle | Depreciation |
| 1 | Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | 52.8% |
| 2 | Toyota 4Runner | 52.6% |
- 8/8 1970 Range Rover Classic.
- 7/8 1983 Land Rover 110.
- 6/8 1989 Land Rover 90.
- 5/8 1989 Land Rover Discovery Series 1.
- 4/8 2003 Range Rover.
- 3/8 Land Rover LR4.
- 2/8 2011 Range Rover Evoque.
- 1/8 2014 Range Rover Sport SVR.
The most popular Land Rover model worldwide is the Discovery Sport with over 83.5 thousand units sold in 2019.
The Best Land Rover Engine
While the 2021 2.2-litre TDCi is the most powerful and refined engine ever to call the Defender its home, we're willing to bet that more than a few Defender owners would argue that the old 300Tdi is by far the most robust and off-road friendly engine of all the iterations of years gone by!
So, why is the Defender so popular? For one main reason, it is extremely functional. And the emotional appeal has made the Defender withhold its iconic British presence around the world for the past 70 years.
The 2023 Land Rover Defender 130 P400 X starts at $85,400. Americans were willing to pay $900 more than the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for non-luxury new cars in November 2021, pushing the average transaction price for a new car to a record-breaking $43,144.
Bollywood actor-turned-politician Sunny Deol has purchased the new Land Rover Defender 110 with top-spec V8 engine worth Rs 2.05 crore (ex-showroom).