While there are plenty of performance SUVs that are rapid in a straight line, not many have the kind of all-round ability that the Defender OCTA can deliver. It comes with the same ‘6D Dynamics’ adaptive air-suspension system that’s fitted to the Range Rover Sport SV, and this gives the car a broad spread of ability, so it’s equally happy cruising at the national limit, negotiating a rocky forest track or tackling a series of fast A and B-roads.
Land Rover’s Terrain Response system allows you to pick the correct set-up for the surface with the twist of a rotary dial on the centre console, and off you go. The BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 sounds a little muted, especially when compared with the stonking V8 found in the Bentley Bentayga Speed, but there are no quibbles about the Defender’s performance.
Select OCTA mode via the big button on the steering wheel, and the car’s suspension tightens up, the steering sharpens, throttle response is boosted, and the Defender accelerates, brakes and handles like a car half its size, simply shrugging off its 2.5-tonne kerbweight with ease. We’d stick with all-season tyres if we were buying an OCTA ourselves, because we found that the all-terrain tyres on our car reached their limit of grip well before the chassis did, and you’re unlikely to feel as if you’re losing much in terms of off-road ability.
The only other thing that really holds the OCTA back as the ultimate performance SUV is its sheer size. While the handling makes the car feel as if it shrinks around you, at two-metres wide, it’s a big lump to hustle along tight British B-roads.
| Model: | Land Rover Defender P635 OCTA Black |
| Price: | £158,045 |
| On sale: | Now |
| Powertrain: | 4.4-litre, V8 twin-turbo |
| Power/torque: | 626bhp/750Nm |
| Transmission: | Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive |
| 0-62mph/top speed: | 4.0 seconds/155mph |
| Economy: | 21.1mpg |
| CO2: | 302g/km |
| Size (L/W/H): | 5,003/2,064/1,995mm |
