Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2026 Land Rover Defender, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Unknown or other2
- Electrical system2
- Exterior lighting1
- Service brakes1
- Power train1
- Engine1
- Air bags1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2026 Land Rover Defender failed the safety check 0.04% of the time — 77% less often than the average 2026 passenger car (0.16%). Median odometer at inspection: 12 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
628 first registered in 2026 are on Dutch roads; 30% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €114,613.
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In New Zealand
421 2026 cars are on the New Zealand register; 0% arrived as used imports, 100% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 14.9 L/100 km (about 16 mpg US), CO₂ 353 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defender 130 P500 · Sport utility vehicle: Standard · Premium gasoline | 17.0 | 12.5 | 14.9 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2026 Land Rover Defender.
| 2026292 12 Jun 2026 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the connector for the driver-front airbag in the steering wheel could corrode. As a result, the driver-front airbag may not inflat… |
| 2026206 23 Apr 2026 | Fuel System Issue: On a small number of vehicles, the fuel tank may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the wall of the fuel tank may be too thin and could … |
| 2026126 18 Mar 2026 | Seats And Restraints Issue: On certain vehicles, the brackets that secure the third-row seat belt anchors may not have been manufactured properly. As a result, the seat belt(s) co… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver’s air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The fuel tank was improperly manufactured with walls that are too thin.
Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2026 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The third-row lower seat belt anchorage bracket may have an insufficient weld stud.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words