2025 Land Rover Defender Octa First Drive: Off-Road Royalty Demands To Be Driven Hard

There is absolutely no reason for the 2025 Land Rover Defender Octa to exist in this world. Of the few folks who actually have the $150,000 or so needed to purchase one, 0.0001% of them will actually take this thing out to the dirt.

That, my friends, is a pity.

It's been five years since Land Rover gave us the new Defender, and in the ensuing time it's had to fight tooth and nail to prove that it's worthy of the nameplate. With full-time all-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, center and rear lockers as well as excellent off-road geometry, the Defender has always been able to get you far, far from civilization. With the new Octa model, you'll get there much quicker.

Powered by a 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 that kicks out 626 ponies and up to 553 pound-feet of torque, this Defender is a force to be reckoned with. The torque comes on low at 1,800 rpm and continues full-bore until nearly 6,000 rpm. All told it's enough to scoot this heavy four-door Defender from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds...and that's on 33-inch all-terrain tires.

Land Rover lets me loose on a rallycross course in Gateway, Colorado with Davey Jones babysitting me from the right seat. Not only has this guy won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he's also competed in the Baja 1000, one of the toughest off-road races in the world. I guess the Land Rover lawyers want to make sure I don't go too crazy. I press the Octa button at the bottom of the steering wheel and hear a bit more of a rumble from the exhaust as the baffles open a touch wider. I also notice that the paddle shifters get a red backlight. Cool, man.

My off-road racing experience has all been in small, underpowered, lightweight vehicles. Think Volkswagen buggies and my current lifted Miata. These cars are all about momentum, keeping it flat out for as long as possible, and damn the whoops and turns. The Defender Octa is a whole other style of driving. I can actually hammer through the eight-speed transmission before braking into a turn and downshifting. The steering ratio here is quicker than a standard Defender and just a touch of input makes this thing turn.

Octa mode softens up the suspension to take hits from any wayward rocks or bumps, but somehow the thing manages to stay flat in the turns with little body roll. This is the magic of the 6D Dynamics suspension system. Each corner is hydraulically connected together to control pitch and roll so I never have to wait for the car to settle before changing direction. At one point I take a jump a bit faster than was necessary and think "Oh hells bells, Hall. This is where you lose it." But the Octa lands calmly and I can give it a little flick of the steering wheel to rotate it to the left, keeping me and Mr. Jones on the track. Phew!

Octa mode also dials down the ABS a bit, which makes braking in the dirt more effective. One thing to keep in mind, however, is the amount of lift-off oversteer this thing exhibits. In other words, the rear often wants to come around when I lift off the throttle. It surprises me at first, but it's easily controllable and combined with the quick steering it means the Octa is happy to rotate into turns. Jones keeps telling me "tuck it tuck it tuck it" and by the second lap I'm hitting each corner apex like a boss and getting back on the gas to speed into the next one.

My only issue here is that the Defender is on air bags. This gives drivers a comfortable entry and exit when just toddling around town while allowing for 12.7 inches of ground clearance, an approach angle of nearly 40 degrees, departure angle of 42.8 degrees and breakover angle of 29 degrees when at its highest setting. Plus it can ford 39.4 inches of water. Those are great numbers–better than the standard Defender–but I just don't trust in any kind of remote off-road situation. I've seen too many air suspension failures across all brands to not want steel springs on my off-road rigs. However, I have to give credit where it is due. This 6D Dynamics technology is pretty dope.

Of course, you'll get all the standard drive modes as you would in any Defender. Dynamic mode stiffens up the suspension for the street while Comfort... well, you can guess how that feels. When not hooning about a rallycross track, the Terrain Response system is robust with settings for Sand, Mud and Ruts, Grass Gravel Snow, and Rock Crawl.

While the rest of my off-road drive didn't really call for the use of any of the other drive modes, to say nothing of the low range or lockers, my previous experience in the Defender in the rough stuff has all been positive. Although it has independent suspension all the way around, the articulation is decent and the SUV can scrape up rock trails just as easily as it can surf the dunes, with the added bonus of being incredibly comfortable. Where you might be jostled about in a car with a solid rear axle, the Defender keeps head toss at bay.

On the road the Octa is superb. Hit the gas and the front raises up as that massive V8 puts all its power to the ground. When left to its own devices, the transmission shifts smoothly and cleanly in the background.

Road trips are made easier with a cooled center console for road sodas and the trick front seats. Yes, they are heated and cooled with integrated headrests and supportive bolsters. That's easy. Land Rover goes one further with the Body and Soul Seat audio technology, essentially pumping the beat of whatever music you're listening to into your chair. I can literally feel the bass line of the old school rap I've got playing on the Meridian Surround stereo system.

Driver's aids are plentiful and standard so look for adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, and the like. One thing you won't find is any kind of hands-free/eyes up highway drive assist like SuperCruise in the Cadillac Escalade, so if that's your jam you'll need to look elsewhere.

There are a few external cues that distinguish the Octa Defender from its lesser brethren. It's wider–enough that it needs amber marker lights up front–with unique bumpers front and rear, and even in standard right height it sits over 1-inch higher than a regular Defender. A wider grille helps with cooling and a quad exhaust peeks out the back. Tow hooks in the front and rear are bronze and every Octa comes with a black roof. Colors are limited to what is essentially a grey or tan, but you can get those colors in a gloss finish or with a matte protective film. Sure, it's an extra $5,000 or so, but this rig looks great in a matte color. 22-inch wheels wrapped in all-season rubber are standard but for goodness' sake get the 20-inchers with the Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires. I mean, we're not heathens, are we?

The total price on this bad boy? You're looking at $153,625 including $1,625 for destination. There is also an Edition One with some carbon fiber bits and exclusive green or dark grey paint colors, but it's only available in the first year of production, it's all sold out, and it's not worth the extra $16,000 slapped on the window sticker.

It's tough to think of anything that comes close to the Defender Octa with its unique 6D Dynamic suspension. Sure, the Rivian R1S has as much power if not more and sits on air suspension, but the dampers don't have the variability. Oh, and it's also electric so there's that. The Mercedes-AMG G 63 is over $30,000 more than the Okta and that's without the added off-road package. The Ford Bronco Raptor with its Fox Live Valve shocks could certainly give the Octa a run for its money, but come on: those with Land Rover money aren't dipping their toes in the plebeian pool with Ford.

For now, it seems like the Octa is a one-of a kind. Please use it accordingly and get it dirty.