Land Rover Defender: common problems, best years and what to check
Iconic 4x4; the 2020 reboot is a luxury off-roader. Covers 2008–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Land Rover Defender a good used buy?
Best buy
2022+ L663 D250
Avoid
classic with chassis rot
Who it suits: Buyers wanting a genuinely capable, iconic 4x4.
What's good
- Iconic
- Brilliant off-road
- L663 is comfortable
- Strong resale
What's not
- Reliability below average
- Expensive to run
- Theft target
- Classic is crude
By the numbers
- #144 most common model on UK roads, with about 44k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2024: 11.9k cars still licensed.
- 2008 cars survive 83% better than comparable cars of that year.
- The most expensive common fault: Chassis and bulkhead rust (up to £6,000).
Land Rover Defender common problems by generation and engine
Land Rover Defender Classic (1983–2016) · 90 / 110 / 130
How to spot it: 08 plate to 16 plate. Boxy, aluminium-bodied classic.
2.4 / 2.2 TDCi (Puma (Ford), diesel, 2007–2016)
Rugged
- Chassis and bulkhead rust£500–£6,000any
Land Rover Defender L663 (2020–) · 90 / 110 / 130; P400e
How to spot it: 20 plate onwards. Modern boxy body with side-hinged tailgate and alpine roof windows.
D200 / D250 / D300 (Ingenium 6-cyl, diesel mild hybrid, 2020–)
Smooth
- Electrical / infotainment glitches£0–£800any
Faults on any L663 (2020–) engine
- Air suspension faults£800–£2,500any
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Land Rover Defender years
How many Land Rover Defenders from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2008. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Land Rover Defender MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2008+ cars)
Land Rover Defenders pass their MOT first time 6 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (80% vs 74%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 69% | 57% | 96k miles |
| 2009 | 68% | 58% | 89k miles |
| 2010 | 69% | 59% | 84k miles |
| 2011 | 70% | 61% | 80k miles |
| 2012 | 71% | 63% | 71k miles |
| 2013 | 72% | 66% | 65k miles |
| 2014 | 76% | 69% | 58k miles |
| 2015 | 79% | 72% | 47k miles |
| 2016 | 83% | 75% | 32k miles |
| 2020 | 89% | 86% | 45k miles |
| 2021 | 91% | 87% | 39k miles |
| 2022 | 92% | 89% | 29k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Diesel
Petrol
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Position lamp: not working3.74 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush3.19 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively2.65 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2.5 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working2.31 per 100
- Headlamp aim: too high2.1 per 100
- Rear fog lamp: not working2.1 per 100
- Component mounting prescribed areas: prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength1.9 per 100
Most common advisories
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded17.29 per 100
- Engine oil leaks: leaking excessively from engine15.26 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear9.78 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened9.76 per 100
- Shock absorbers: has an excessively worn bush8.37 per 100
- Wheel bearings: has excessive play7.7 per 100
- Seat belts: webbing significantly weakened cut greater than 4mm7.39 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm6.88 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Land Rover Defender have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ingenium 6-cyl | chain | check from 80k | £2,000–£4,000 |
Land Rover Defender running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Land Rover Defender ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Land Rover Defender vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land Rover Defender | 44k | 35–50 | 786 l | 2022+ L663 D250 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Ineos Grenadier | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Mercedes G-Class | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Land Rover Discovery | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
| Jeep Wrangler | — | — | — | Guide coming soon |
What to check when buying a used Land Rover Defender
- Classic: chassis rust; L663: software recalls
Land Rover Defender FAQ
›Is the Land Rover Defender reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2022+ L663 D250. Avoid: classic with chassis rot.
›What is the Land Rover Defender MOT pass rate?
80% of Land Rover Defenders passed their MOT first time in 2025 (52,971 tests), better than the 74% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: position lamp: not working.
›What are the most common Land Rover Defender problems?
The costliest known faults are Chassis and bulkhead rust; Electrical / infotainment glitches. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Land Rover Defender have a timing belt or chain?
Ingenium 6-cyl: chain.
›What is the best year Land Rover Defender to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2008, 2022, 2023 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Land Rover Defender cost to run?
Real-world economy: D250/D300 30–34 mpg; Classic 2.2 25–28 mpg. Insurance groups 35–50. A minor service is about £350–£500 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Land Rover Defender?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Land Rover Defender ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.