The 2025 Defender OCTA Wants To Show America How Off-Roading Is Done
Off-roading is about to get even more luxurious, but it'll cost you. Another version of the Land Rover Defender is hitting the market in 2025 called the OCTA, and its MSRP begins at $152,000 with a special Edition One trim bumping the price up to $167,800 — a trim only available in the first year of production. If you're able to hit that high price tag, something regular Land Rovers already have, there's a lot to like about both the on-road and off-road performance of the OCTA Land Rover Defender.
The OCTA sports 33-inch diameter tires, the largest ever put onto a Defender, and that sizing led to some other improvements to the build. Because of the larger tires, the Defender OCTA has extended wheel arches that go with a restyled grille and front bodywork that's designed to increase airflow for the vehicle.
The 6D Dynamics suspension improves off-roading performance by detecting the surface you're driving on and adjusting accordingly, provided you're in Dynamic mode. Land Rover says the vehicle's steering, throttle, and suspension settings are all controlled with a single button press. It's designed to make the Defender OCTA fun to drive both on-road and off without sacrificing performance.
OCTA mode is the setting off-roaders will want, as it activates Off-Road Launch mode that allows for more acceleration on loose surfaces. If all goes according to plan, it's easy to envision this being one of the best vehicles ready to go off-roading fresh off the lot.
The Defender OCTA is the most powerful Defender yet
There have been many iconic Land Rover models over the years, and the Defender OCTA is making a strong case for itself to be in the discussion. Land Rover calls this the most powerful Defender yet, and it's powered by a twin-turbo 626 hp V8 engine that the manufacturer claims can get up to 155 mph, albeit when you have smaller, 22-inch tires on. The engine produces up to 590 lb-ft of torque with the aforementioned Dynamic mode toggled on. To top it all off, the Defender OCTA is equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Land Rover raised the Defender OCTA 1.1 inches higher than its predecessor to allow for additional ground clearance, and widened the stance by 2.7 inches. At risk of sounding like a broken record, Land Rover says the new OCTA has the fastest steering ratio of any Defender vehicle.
While it's not exactly important for off-roading, the Defender OCTA can go zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds. All of these factors help Land Rover justify the high price tag of the vehicle. It'll still be a while before you can ultimately get your hands on one, but you can see its debut at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed between July 11 and 14.