Land Rover Defender: What's changing for the 2026 model year
The new Defender (internally known as the L663) has now been on the market for five years. Land Rover is giving it a subtle refresh for the 2026 model year. The revised version of the British off-road vehicle boasts enhanced surfaces, a refreshed design, and further improved technologies. It will continue to be available in the Defender 90, 110, and 130 body styles, as well as the top-of-the-line Defender OCTA.
The extremely rugged exterior of the Defender in the 26th generation features new front and rear bumpers with optimized surfaces: on most models, they come in Silicon Silver or Carpathian Grey Satin. The inserts in the hood and body sides also receive a new textured pattern. All models feature redesigned wheel center caps in Gloss Black with the Defender logo.
The redesigned headlights feature a distinctive new signature, while the flush-fitted taillights are now dark-tinted. According to Land Rover, this provides a clean appearance and further improves visibility. A Gloss Black grille bar is now standard, complemented by a dark oval emblem.
New 22-inch seven-spoke diamond-turned dark grey alloy wheels and new exterior colors are also available for the 2026 Defender. Inspired by the Borasco silver mine in California, the metallic Borasco Grey paint finish features a sophisticated gloss finish.
The new Woolstone Green paint color was inspired by the British Woolstone Waterfall: the deep green finish is reminiscent of British nature, with warm undertones enlivened by aluminum-colored and coarse-grained mica accents with a yellow shimmer effect.
Land Rover Defender (2025)
Image by: Land Rover
In the interior of the 2026 Defender, a new 13.1-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system brings all the technological highlights closer to front-row passengers: on a larger display above the gear lever, which has been ergonomically repositioned on the dashboard.
The updated center console design allows passengers to maximize the available space. A sliding compartment conceals small items under a lid while maintaining access to the deep storage area below. Removable side pockets, available as part of the Signature Suite upgrade, further enhance convenience.
Thanks to clever cable routing, devices can be charged without causing any interference in the cabin. Customers can optionally opt for a folding center seat on many models, temporarily allowing three passengers to sit side by side in the front.
Land Rover Defender (2025)
Image by: Land Rover
To assist you on off-road adventures, the 2026 Defender is available for the first time with the optional Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control. This technology represents a further development of All Terrain Progress Control and allows you to select a specific speed on rough terrain, allowing you to concentrate fully on steering. The system automatically adjusts the speed to ensure the desired level of comfort for a relaxed ride on uneven surfaces.
The new Driver Attention Monitor system, with its camera directed toward the driver's seat, provides additional safety. By monitoring the driver's gaze, the system can trigger audio-visual warnings if the driver isn't paying attention to the road. This feature can be customized, activated, or deactivated via the driver assistance menu.
Land Rover Defender Octa (2025)
Image by: Land Rover
The Defender OCTA is the hero of extreme performance: It features a 467 kW (635 hp) 4.4-liter twin-turbo gasoline V8, an innovative 6D Dynamics suspension, Body and Soul seats, and a special OCTA mode for maximum off-road performance.
The fastest and most capable Defender offers a revised color palette with even more choice for the 2026 model year. In addition to the existing colors Charente Grey and Petra Copper, customers can now also choose from Borasco Grey and the all-new Sargasso Blue. Sargasso Blue features a distinctive sheen reminiscent of the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic.
Land Rover Defender Octa (2025)
Image by: Land Rover
In addition to the matte protective film already available for all Defender OCTA paint finishes, a matte Patagonia White film will be available from the end of 2025. This film will also be offered in combination with the V8 trim package. Named after the snow-capped mountains of Santa Cruz, Arizona, it boasts a striking, bright white exterior with a smooth, matte finish.
The purposeful body design of the Defender OCTA will be refined for the 2026 model year with Textured Graphite accents. A matte finish and high-intensity metallic bits are intended to convey a sense of rugged luxury. Key exterior elements in this context include the front and rear bumpers, the hood vents, the side air intakes, and the two-piece hood lettering, which is finished in Phosphor Bronze.
Additionally, the Defender OCTA now offers optional Chopped Carbon Fiber accents to complement the exterior and interior, along with further personalization options such as a matte paint protection film, four interior color schemes, and a choice of wheel and tire combinations, including 20-inch forged alloy wheels.
Land Rover Defender Octa (2025)
Image by: Land Rover
Optional accessory packages allow customers to personalize their Defender to their individual taste. These include the Explorer, Adventure, and Urban packages. New individual options include black finishes for the Expedition roof rack, crossbars, and front underbody protection. The rear door sill guard is now available in dark finish in addition to the existing light finish.
Getting in and out of the Defender is particularly easy thanks to retractable or fixed side steps. The Defender 130 is now available with an optional integrated air compressor—ideal for increasing tire pressure after driving with reduced pressure on soft sand.
The recommended prices for the 2026 Defender start at 67,500 euros in Germany.
Other cult off-road vehicles:
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