2026 Land Rover Defender 90 D250 S Review

It might not be all that new, but the latest Defender proves it’s still extremely capable, both in and out of town.  

Despite its reputation for producing some of the most capable off-road vehicles, Land Rover has a strange history with the Dakar Rally. If you weren’t aware, the British brand recently entered the desert enduro with a team of production-based Defender D7X-Rs, and not only won its class, but also finished second, and fourth. This victory marked the first time Land Rover (as a brand) had competed in the race in over 40 years. 

The first Dakar Rally took place in 1979, where Land Rover entered a near-stock Range Rover Classic, and won. The brand repeated the win in 1981 when it returned to the desert, but stopped competing after this. Since then, Land Rover has supplied support vehicles, helping race, medical and media crews keep up with the action.   

So it was a pretty big deal when the brand announced its intentions to return to the desert for 2026, and an even bigger deal when the Defenders rolled across the line in a one-two formation. Watching these Defenders win on the world stage felt like a throwback to the old racing days, when winning on Sunday, and buying on Monday was something people did. 

I don’t think it’s a crazy notion to point out these production class off-road racers are far closer to the showroom vehicles than any other mainstream motorsport. Underneath the desert liveries, Dakar rules state the vehicles have to retain the majority of the stock bodywork, meaning the Defender D7X-R looks just like the range-topping Octa. It also makes use of the same 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, though detuned by around 120kW to meet regulations.   

What I am trying to say, in a roundabout way, is that there might not be a more relevant time to get behind the wheel of a Defender, and get off the beaten track, so that’s what we did. 

A light ’lift  

Late last year, the Defender underwent one of the lightest facelifts in the history of the automotive industry. The headlights and taillight underwent a minor alteration, as did the badge. So the ‘new’ Defender still looks and drives the same, but that isn’t a bad thing in our eyes. This update spans the Defender Range, which consists of three bodystyles; 90, 110, 130, and the big bad BMW V8-powered Octa. 

For our time with the updated Defender, we had the ‘most affordable’ version currently offered in New Zealand; the 90 250 S. Starting at $128,900, this entry-level three-door Defender has just one engine option. As the D250 name suggests, this is a 3.0-litre inline-six diesel engine with mild hybrid assistance. Peak outputs sit at 183kW and 570Nm of torque. 

Opting for the 90 X-Dynamic SE model will get you a supercharged V8, but you’re going to have to shell out an extra $50,000 for those extra cylinders. 

As is the case with all these modern Defenders, an automatic transmission is the only option, and this 90 comes with an eight-speed ZF unit. 

Customisation is a big thing with Land Rover, and the Defender is no different. At the launch last year, the team was particularly excited to share with us the new colours available, which include Borasco Grey and Woolstone Green (which is what our 90 is finished in). However, any colour other than white will run you $1000 extra while a contrasting roof adds $2000.   

Arguably the biggest disappointment when it comes to the updated Defender is the fact you can’t option it with steel wheels anymore. When Land Rover revived the Defender during Covid times, half its charm was in the retro styling elements available, such as the green Defender 90 with a white roof and matching steel wheels that we reviewed in 2021.   

A hybrid test for a hybrid SUV  

In the wake of the Defender’s success in Africa, it only felt fitting to take it somewhere sandy. Muriwai Beach on Auckland’s west coast was chosen, and we set out in the name of science. As far as Defenders go, this 90 is one of the more modest examples, as it has retained the old-fashioned coil sprung suspension system. On the road, there is a noticeable difference between this and those with air suspension but it’s more to do with cornering ability than the ride offered. Where air sprung Defenders hold composure for a curve better, these coil sprung vehicles can lumber and roll. 

The more obvious difference is the fact you can’t adjust the ride height for off-road antics. For something like beach driving, this isn’t an issue as the 260m of ground clearance offered is more than enough. It’s only once you start getting into some seriously rutted terrain that you might find yourself wanting the extra clearance.   

Though the Defender comes with a range of drive modes for different terrains, I decided to keep it in auto to see how it would handle the sand. As expected, the Defender showed no signs of slowing down in the soft stuff, with the traction control systems grabbing at each wheel to keep things moving. 

The same went for the river crossings, but with the Defender’s wading depth of 900mm, it’s hard not to feel overly confident in any body of water.  

For more enthusiastic driving on the sand, I did feel like the traction control system was limiting the Defender’s dynamics. Switching this system off seemed to increase wheel speed at all four corners, and the little SUV showed its playful side. 

The 3.0-litre turbodiesel isn’t anything special, but the healthy amount of torque it produces is more than enough to get it along on the road, and out of trouble in the rough stuff. 

For the hour or so that we were on the sand, I never once felt like the Defender was out of its depth, which isn’t something I could say for the Chinese ute that accompanied the Land Rover out on the beach. 

So while millions of dollars is invested by Land Rover into the Defender’s off-road talents, most never see much more than the old grass carpark. But this is where the SUV’s other talents lie, as it feels just as at home on the high street as it does on the beach. 

After a quick clean to remove excess sand, I drove straight from Muriwai to arguably Auckland’s most upmarket suburb for dinner, and the Land Rover looked right at home. It should come as no great surprise to hear there were far more Defenders there than there were on the beach, but that is something that speaks to what the Defender has become. No longer is it a farm tool, it’s a luxury SUV that just happens to also excel off the beaten track. 

To Land Rover’s credit, things like the Dakar entry with the almost-stock Octa are fantastic for the brand, as it reminds people why they pay $130,000 for a two-door SUV. This is also true for the Defender Journey programme, in which Land Rover New Zealand will take a group of owners, under the supervision of professional instructors, as far off-road as their vehicles will go.  

Land Rover Defender 90 D250 S
$128,900  /  8.3L/100km  /  217g/km
0-100 km/h 8.0s
Engine  2997cc / IL6 / TDI
Max power  183kW@4000rpm
Max torque  570Nm@1250rpm
Drivetrain  8-speed auto / AWD
Front suspension  Wishbones / swaybar
Rear suspension  Multilink / swaybar
Turning circle  12m (2.0 turns)
Front brakes  Discs (349mm)
Rear brakes  Discs (325mm)
Stability systems  ABS, ESP
Safety  AEB, ACC, BSM, LDW, RCTA, ALK, AHB
Tyre size  f-255/65R19  r-255/65R19
Wheelbase  2587mm
L/W/H  4583 / 2008 / 1974mm
Track f-1701mm  r-1701mm
Fuel capacity  89L
Luggage capacity  397L
Tow rating  750kg (3500 braked)
Service intervals  2yrs / 34,000km
Scheduled servicing  6yrs / 102,000km
Warranty  3yrs / 100,000km
ANCAP rating  ★★★★★ (2020)
Weight (claimed)  2316kg