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Independent review & score by Carivo
| Seating Capacity | 7 passengers |
|---|---|
| Body Style | SUV |
| Base Price | $56,550–$66,121 |
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov & manufacturer data. Figures reflect base trim; actual specs vary by trim level.
The 2024 Land Rover Defender is a suv that earns a Carivo score of 7.2/10 — rated Good. Its strongest dimension is Performance at 8.6/10, while Reliability at 5.5/10 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 5.5/10 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 8.2/10 — 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: 8.6/10. Expect handling and power delivery that make this one of the more entertaining suvs to actually drive. At 7.3/10 for technology, the infotainment and driver-assist package does its job without setting benchmarks — check which features cost extra on lower trims.
Priced from $56,550–$66,121, 19 MPG, seating 7, the Land Rover Defender sits in the premium tier of the suv category. The value score of 6.7/10 is a red flag — comparable alternatives offer meaningfully more for the same outlay. Shop the segment before deciding. At 2 years old, it's recent enough that the core feature set holds up well against current competition.
Verdict: The 2024 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 2024 Land Rover Defender ranks #1611 of 2454 suvs in the Carivo database — better than 34% of the segment. Its 7.2/10 overall score is 0.2 points below the segment average of 7.4/10. Its $56,550 starting price is about 57% above the segment's median of $36,079.
Rankings are recalculated as new vehicles and scores are added. See the full SUV ranking →
Smart-money pick: the 2021 Land Rover Defender scores 7.0/10 — within striking distance of the 2024's 7.2 — and starts roughly $5,000 lower. If you don't need the newest model year, that's money better spent on a higher trim or kept in your pocket.
| Year | Score | Starting price (MSRP when new) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7.3/10 | $58,246 | Read review → |
| 2025 | 7.3/10 | $58,246 | Read review → |
| 2024 (this review) | 7.2/10 | $56,550 | |
| 2023 | 7.1/10 | $54,853 | Read review → |
| 2022 | 7.1/10 | $53,157 | Read review → |
| 2021 | 7.0/10 | $51,460 | Read review → |
| 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.
| Engine and engine cooling / Engine / Oil/lubrication / Filter/screen 17/06/2024 · 24V450000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Defender, 2024 Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Range Rover Velar vehicles. The oil filter housing can crack and leak oil into the engine compartment. |
|---|---|
| Back over prevention / sensing system / camera 12/09/2024 · 24V678000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2024 Defender, Discovery Sport, Range Rover, Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar, and Range Rover Sport vehicles. The Near Field Sensing Module (NFSM) may overheat and cause the 3D… |
| Equipment 06/12/2024 · 24E102000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with Raised Air Intake (RAI) aftermarket accessory equipment, with part number VPLEP0543. The raised air intake may not be secured… |
| Back over prevention / Software 16/01/2025 · 25V016000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2023 Discovery Sport, 2023-2024 Defender, and 2023 Range Rover Evoque vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera… |
| Electrical system / Propulsion system / Dc/dc converter 17/04/2026 · 26V248000 | Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery, 2020-2023 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover, 2020… |
Source: NHTSA recall database, fetched at page build time.
We rate the 2024 Land Rover Defender's reliability 5.5/10 — below the segment average, so budget for higher maintenance. It has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns on record for this model year (details in the recalls section above — repairs are free at dealers).
5 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 7.2/10 overall, ranking #1611 of 2454 suvs in our database (better than 34% of the segment). Stronger-scoring alternatives exist at similar prices — use our compare tool before committing.
The 2024 Land Rover Defender starts at $56,550 and ranges up to $66,121 across trims (MSRP when new). At 19 MPG, expect roughly $2,763/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.
