Large SUV

2026 Land Rover Defender: problems, recalls and fuel economy

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Owners have filed 9 complaints about the 2026 Land Rover Defender with NHTSA, and it has 3 recalls. We don't rate it yet: a rating needs sales figures to turn complaints into rates.

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Owner complaints

filed with NHTSA

Recalls

on record

Fuel economy

20 mpg

best version, EPA combined

Fuel, 5 years

$10,200

12,000 mi a year, $3.40/gal

What owners complain about most

Electrical system2

Engine & cooling1

Transmission & drivetrain1

Brakes1

Engines and fuel economy

Version	Drive	Combined
Automatic (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	20 mpg
Automatic (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	19 mpg
Automatic (S8), 8 cyl, 5.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	16 mpg
Automatic (S8), 8 cyl, 5.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	16 mpg
Automatic (S8), 8 cyl, 5.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	16 mpg
Automatic (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	20 mpg
Automatic (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	20 mpg
Automatic (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	19 mpg
Automatic (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	18 mpg
Automatic (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	18 mpg
Automatic (S8), 8 cyl, 4.4 L	4-Wheel Drive	17 mpg
Automatic (S8), 6 cyl, 3.0 L	4-Wheel Drive	17 mpg

Recalls

Air Bags › FrontalJun 12, 2026 · campaign 26V389000
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 driverâs air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank AssemblyApr 23, 2026 · campaign 26V263000
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.
Seat Belts › Critical FastenersMar 18, 2026 · campaign 26V163000
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.

Check whether a specific car still has open recalls with its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

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Other years of the Land Rover Defender

Year	Reliability
2027	Not rated yet
2026	Not rated yet
2025	Not rated yet
2024	Not rated yet
2023	Not rated yet
2022	Not rated yet
2021	Not rated yet
2020	Not rated yet

Questions people ask

What problems does the 2026 Land Rover Defender have?

Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA: electrical system (2), engine & cooling (1), transmission & drivetrain (1). We don't rate it yet, so this count isn't a reliability score: popular cars get more complaints.

How many recalls does the 2026 Land Rover Defender have?

3 recalls on record with NHTSA.

What gas mileage does the 2026 Land Rover Defender get?

Up to 20 mpg combined (EPA), depending on the engine.