carivo.co
Independent review & score by Carivo
| Seating Capacity | 7 passengers |
|---|---|
| Body Style | SUV |
| Base Price | $51,460–$65,605 |
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov & manufacturer data. Figures reflect base trim; actual specs vary by trim level.
The 2021 Land Rover Defender is a suv that earns a Carivo score of 7.0/10 — rated Good. Its strongest dimension is Performance at 8.4/10, while Reliability at 5.4/10 is where it trails the competition most noticeably. It's a capable but unexceptional suv — stronger alternatives exist if you're willing to shop the segment carefully.
Reliability and safety are the two dimensions that matter most for long-term ownership costs. At 5.4/10 for reliability, this suv trails its segment. That doesn't rule it out, but go in with eyes open on running costs. Safety lands at 8.1/10 — solid, though some rivals offer more advanced driver-assist features as standard. Confirm official results for your trim at nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Few rivals match it for performance: 8.4/10. Expect handling and power delivery that make this one of the more entertaining suvs to actually drive. At 7.2/10 for technology, the infotainment and driver-assist package does its job without setting benchmarks — check which features cost extra on lower trims.
Priced from $51,460–$65,605, 16 MPG, seating 7, the Land Rover Defender sits in the premium tier of the suv category. The value score of 6.2/10 is a red flag — comparable alternatives offer meaningfully more for the same outlay. Shop the segment before deciding. At 5 years old, it's worth checking whether a newer generation or refresh has addressed any weaker dimensions — compare it to the current model year before buying.
Verdict: The 2021 Land Rover Defender sits in the middle of the field. Until its value and reliability scores improve, stronger options exist at this price. Worth a look if it fits a specific need; otherwise use our compare tool against the segment leaders first.
Carivo scores are our own editorial assessment, informed by NHTSA safety and recall records, EPA fuel-economy figures, and manufacturer-published specifications. Scores are reviewed periodically and updated when new data becomes available. See our full methodology →
The 2021 Land Rover Defender ranks #2010 of 2454 suvs in the Carivo database — better than 18% of the segment. Its 7.0/10 overall score is 0.4 points below the segment average of 7.4/10. Its $51,460 starting price is about 43% above the segment's median of $36,079.
Rankings are recalculated as new vehicles and scores are added. See the full SUV ranking →
Across the Defender model years we've scored, the 2021 holds its position — we didn't find an older year that delivers similar scores for meaningfully less money.
| Year | Score | Starting price (MSRP when new) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7.3/10 | $58,246 | Read review → |
| 2025 | 7.3/10 | $58,246 | Read review → |
| 2024 | 7.2/10 | $56,550 | Read review → |
| 2023 | 7.1/10 | $54,853 | Read review → |
| 2022 | 7.1/10 | $53,157 | Read review → |
| 2021 (this review) | 7.0/10 | $51,460 | |
| 2020 | 7.0/10 | $49,764 | Read review → |
The following recall campaigns have been filed with NHTSA for this model and year. Recall repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers; check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Exterior lighting / Tail lights 08/06/2021 · 21V435000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Defender X vehicles equipped with smoked rear light assemblies. A voltage spike, triggered by a bright light shining on the rear of the vehicle, can cause the turn signals,… |
|---|---|
| Seat belts / Front / Retractor 26/08/2021 · 21V668000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Range Rover, 2022 Range Rover Sport, 2020-2021 Range Rover Velar, Discovery Sport, 2020-2022 Discovery, and Defender vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may… |
| Equipment / Other / Owners/service/other manual 29/07/2021 · 21V584000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles. The owner's manual incorrectly states that the third-row seating is equipped with LATCH child seat restraints with top tethers. As such, these… |
| Power train / Automatic transmission / Control module (tcm/pcm/tecm) 03/06/2021 · 21V424000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with 6-cylinder engines. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) may unexpectedly switch off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in an… |
| Seats 01/07/2021 · 21V499000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021 Defender 90 vehicles equipped with manually-adjustable front seats. The front seat track end-stop bracket may become deformed, which could prevent the seat from locking into place. |
Showing 5 of 8 campaigns — see the full list on NHTSA's site.
We rate the 2021 Land Rover Defender's reliability 5.4/10 — below the segment average, so budget for higher maintenance. It has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns on record for this model year (details in the recalls section above — repairs are free at dealers).
8 NHTSA recall campaigns matched this model and year as of our latest check. Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
It scores 7.0/10 overall, ranking #2010 of 2454 suvs in our database (better than 18% of the segment). Stronger-scoring alternatives exist at similar prices — use our compare tool before committing.
The 2021 Land Rover Defender starts at $51,460 and ranges up to $65,605 across trims (MSRP when new). At 16 MPG, expect roughly $3,281/year in fuel at 15,000 miles/year.
Other suvs at a similar price point, ranked by Carivo score.
Explore the full lineup of Land Rover models scored by Carivo — ranked by overall score across reliability, safety, value, performance, and technology.
