2026 Land Rover Defender P425 | PH Review
Can a lower-powered V8 dampen our affection for the Defender?
We’ve been predicting the demise of JLR’s 5.0-litre V8 for what seems like a lifetime. Or in the case of the Defender, pretty much its entire lifecycle up to this point. Consider: the firm began plotting its powertrain deal with BMW as far back as 2019, eyeing plenty of opportunities for the much newer, punchier S68 motor. In 2020, Ford closed the factory that was originally responsible for building the supercharged V8. JLR had a sizeable stockpile, sure - but it seemed like when they were done (18 months, two years, we thought) that would be that. Yet half a decade later here we are, apparently no closer to the final curtain.
Or at any rate, not sufficiently close for the P425 - as distinct from the P500 and P525 flavours still available on Land Rover’s customer site - not to be a thing in 2026. Of course, with production brought in-house, JLR has been detuning the V8 for almost as long as its been sending it in the opposite direction (the F-Type P450, perhaps most memorably, being arguably the outgoing version to go for), and while the engine is assuredly a niche prospect now limited to the Defender, it is heartening that its maker is still experiencing sufficient demand for it to think different iterations necessary.
This in addition to the OCTA, the one variant that gets the BMW-supplied 4.4-litre V8. The explosive performance of the turbocharged flagship, based on its 200hp advantage in output, is traditionally the sort of backdrop that does a lesser model no favours. But the Defender is a different prospect when separated from the uprated chassis the OCTA shares with the Range Rover Sport SV - the more lenient, standardised air suspension being about as well matched to the supercharged motor as a party keg is to a graduation party.
Moreover, you cannot buy the sportiest Defender as a 90, which does leave the door ajar for a different breed of go-fast 4x4. The OCTA certainly encourages all kinds of liberty taking, yet it tends towards seriousness if only for the huge speed it carries; the P425, buoyant by comparison on 20-inch rims and Goodyear Wranglers, is all about mostly harmless, flatulent fun. Peak torque is walked back to 406lb ft from 1,800rpm - 50lb ft less than you get in the much larger P500 130 - yet sufficient to reach 60mph in 5.3 seconds if you’re really, really trying. Mostly you won’t be. The Defender remains a consummate potterer.
But whereas the likes of the (uniformly lovely) D350 tends to lull you into a head-nodding appreciation of steady progress, the P425, partly thanks to the 90’s snappier change of direction - though mostly owing to its dog whistle of a supercharger - encourages you to lean assertively into it. Not in the B-road-obliterating style of the OCTA perhaps, because the limits are tangibly so much lower, but certainly in the manner of a man reaching repeatedly and shamelessly into a biscuit tin. There is simply too much sensory pleasure contained within to stop yourself.
If that sounds a lot like any other JLR product strapped to the V8 over the years, it pretty much is - although it’s worth highlighting (much as it was in the F-Type) that slightly less muscle on the public road often works to the Defender’s benefit. The initial surge forward, primed by terrific throttle response and accentuated by a modest amount of pitch, is much the same here as elsewhere, despite the shortfall in torque. It’s later in the rev range that you inevitably notice the deficit in outright power, the P425 not careening forward with quite the same abandon in its intermediate gears - but by the time you’re in the position to gauge the difference, you’ll already be travelling plenty quick enough.
Given that Land Rover makes no great claim of improved efficiency for the lower-powered engine (WLTP reckons you might nudge 20mpg in the 90 P425, compared with 19.9 in the P525), you might still conclude that the additional grunt is worth paying for - though it is worth noting just how much that decision will cost you. A key attraction of the P425 is its availability among cheaper trim grades: in 90 terms, the manufacturer will let you pair the 5.0-litre unit with mid-tier X-Dynamic SE (as tested) - assuming the configurator is up-to-date, the P525 can only be bought in range-topping V8 format. The price difference between the two? £41k.
In the larger (more popular) 110, where the P525 has been discontinued, the difference is even more stark. To go from entry-level P425 (£83,335) to full-blown OCTA (£148,045) requires a near £65k walk-up. Granted, between these two there is a palpable difference in capability; between the P425 and P525 (or the P500 in the 130), not so much. Especially if you’re minded to actually put the Defender’s all-terrain tyres to good use. Some light puddle splashing is a fine way of recalling not just its position as the world’s preeminent off-roader, but also the V8’s capacity for making virtually any forward motion, no matter how slow-paced, seem like top-shelf entertainment.
Therein, surely, lies the reasoning for its continued existence. A D350, cheaper to buy, not much slower and hugely more efficient, is by some considerable distance the sane option for the Defender’s engine bay. But it cannot hope to rival the V8’s romp-factor. Whether or not the supercharged unit is now shielded from falling axe that is Euro 7 legislation remains to be seen - what is not in any doubt is the familiar equation: a large and expressive petrol engine, in the right setting, makes for deeper and longer-lasting enjoyment of whatever car is being powered. The P425, notwithstanding its lengthy protestations in the opposite direction, reflects JLR’s uncluttered comprehension of this fact. In short: buy now to avoid disappointment.
Specification | 2026 Defender X-Dynamic SE P425
Engine: 5,000cc, V8, supercharged
Transmission: 8-speed auto, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 425@5,500-6,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 406@1,800-5,000rpm
0-62mph: 5.3 seconds (to 60mph)
Top speed: 119mph
Weight: 2,300kg (EU unladen)
MPG: 20 (WLTP)
CO2: 321g/km
Price: £72,725 (as tested £83,265)
How nice to see a featured car in a bright colour and with silver wheels! It even had a non-black black black interior.
#oldmanshoutsatclouds.
A friend has a modern Defender. He loves it. His family love it. It s been reliable.
As I don’t do car leases and always buy outright, I wouldn’t want to take the risk burning my hard earned money on a potential donkey, there’s plenty of horror stories on JLR products for a reason, also there are polar opposites of good experiences too. Luck of the draw
You would have to have a daily motorway commute to buy a diesel one nowadays with the DPF, so this petrol one certainly has some appeal with the most reliable engine in the base spec car.
Thankfully as a forty something man I am not at the stage of having "affection" for a w
kpanza. Most clichéd vehicle on the road? Very possibly. Driven by certain types. Absolutely. How nice to see a featured car in a bright colour and with silver wheels! It even had a non-black black black interior.
#oldmanshoutsatclouds.
A friend has a modern Defender. He loves it. His family love it. It s been reliable.
I’ve been invited to an Octa event next week and I’m really looking forward to driving that thing. I’ll probably keep my D250 and have it fettled once the guarantee is up though. Fault free in 3 years and 25k miles btw, it’s a great car.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff