Land Rover Defender — model-year timeline & key facts
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
Compiled from the Land Rover Defender deep-research dossier; researched 2026-09-21. UNVERIFIED flags from the source research are preserved verbatim.
Key facts
| Powertrain | ICE |
|---|---|
| Power | 400 |
| Range | N/A |
| Battery | N/A |
| 0–100 km/h | 6.1 |
| Fast charge | N/A |
| New price US | $63,500–$158,300 (2026 US, 110 P300 S to Octa Black) |
| New price EU | UNVERIFIED |
| New price CN | not sold |
| Used price signal | 2020 D240 £33.5k–£42k; 2021 D250/D300 £37k–£49k; 2022 D250 ~£44.5k; 2023 D250 ~£48k; 2024 D250 £50k–£51.5k (UK listings) |
| Value call | 2023 D300 (EU) / P400 (US) X-Dynamic — teething sorted, warranty remaining |
| Sweet-spot year | 2023 |
| Years to avoid | 2020; early 2021 |
| Reliability flag | red: electrical/48V system 3.4x typical mild-hybrid complaint rate; air suspension out-of-warranty risk |
| Biggest risk | A dead 48V converter strands the car; airbag clockspring recall 2020–2026 |
| Community verdict | Best luxury off-roader alive, but only buy under warranty with recalls done |
Model-year timeline 2021–2026
| Year | Generation / changes / reliability / used prices |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 90 widely available · 5.0 supercharged V8 (518 PS) joins · Same early pattern; window-frame sealant defects; coolant tank issues · Various campaigns · UK: D250/D300 ~£37k–£49k |
| 2022 | Carryover; 130 (8-seat) joins · P400e PHEV (EU, 404 PS) · Teething fading; "Average" JD Power starts here · 48V DCDC investigation building · UK: D250 ~£44.5k; V8 Carpathian ~£65k |
| 2023 | Carryover · P425 V8; D350 option · Solid year in forums; 48V failures now visible in NHTSA data · 48V recall groundwork · UK: D250 ~£48k |
| 2024 | Carryover · Defender Octa (4.4 TT V8, 626 PS) launches · Octa new — long-term data thin · UK: D250 ~£50k–£51.5k |
| 2025 | Pre-facelift run-out · Same · Steady · UK: D350 X 90 (low miles) ~£65k |
| 2026 | Facelift: new lights, 13.1" Pivi Pro, Trophy Edition, Octa Black · No mechanical changes · Too new for verdicts · Airbag clockspring stop-sale/recall (2020–2026); remedy rolling out · New US: $63.5k–$158.3k; UK 2026 D350 ~£70k–£90k (van listings, +VAT) |
Sweet-spot year: 2023
Years to skip: 2020; early 2021