But we\u2019d come prepared. The Defender flagship, Octa, is Land Rover\u2019s newest attempt to convince you that yes, you can be both a rugged outdoors person and someone who alphabetises their spice rack at home in the Cotswolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What does Octa stand for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Land](\"https:\/\/www.attitude.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/03\/Cars-1-1024x640.webp\")
Land Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nLest you should wonder, the name \u2018Octa\u2019 refers to the octahedral geometry of diamonds \u2013 apparently because this is the toughest, most precious Defender yet \u2013 though it\u2019s also a subtle wink to those of us who love a bit of sparkle and a bit of rough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a twin-turbo, mild-hybrid V8 sourced from BMW, be in no doubt the Octa has brought a gun to a knife fight. It delivers a whopping 635 horsepower, which is a touch excessive for a vehicle originally conceived to tow a horsebox or rescue stranded hill-walkers. But it\u2019s absolutely glorious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s as quick as you\u2019d imagine, but sounds naughtier than you\u2019d expect\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Land](\"https:\/\/www.attitude.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/03\/Cars-2-1024x640.webp\")
Land Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nOur journey began at the foot of the Cheviots, where stone walls snake lazily across the landscape. The Octa \u2013 wearing matt paint like a perfectly tailored wax jacket \u2013 stood ready for action. We needed no second bidding, climbed aboard, and on the smooth tarmac of the early stages of the test route stretched the car\u2019s legs and lungs. It\u2019s as quick as you\u2019d imagine, but sounds naughtier than you\u2019d expect. We like very much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Off-road beckons, though. We begin with an ascent on a loose gravel track that the Defender took in its stride, its 6D Dynamics suspension smoothing out every rut as though taught etiquette at a finishing school. A bouncy climb made unremarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLeather, Alcantara, Body and Soul seats that pulse to the music\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Land](\"https:\/\/www.attitude.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/03\/Cars-3-1024x640.webp\")
Land Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nA mile in, the sun was out, the birds were singing, and from up here Julie Andrews was warming up. That lasted all of seven minutes. A sudden gust of wind threw a sheet of rain sideways across the valley and into our open window with such force it might as well have been personal. Inside the cabin, however, it remained mostly serene. Leather, Alcantara, Body and Soul seats that pulse to the music and bronze accents throughout will do that, giving the interior the air of a gentlemen\u2019s country club \u2013 though one where they serve kombucha and host queer film nights on Wednesdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Octa, bang on brand, is absurdly capable off-road. At one point, we crested a boggy ridge where the only signs of life were a disgruntled sheep and a stone bothy clinging to existence. The Defender shrugged off deep ruts and axle-twisting dips and, with low range engaged and a flick into \u2018Rock Crawl\u2019 mode, it felt momentarily like a Range Rover in drag: all grace, no nonsense, and surprisingly sure-footed in six inches of slop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Land](\"https:\/\/www.attitude.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/03\/Cars-4-1024x640.webp\")
Land Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDescending was no less theatrical. The Defender\u2019s brakes \u2013 beefed-up Brembos with the kind of calipers you usually see on hypercars \u2013 bit firmly, even on wet rock. And while most off-roaders under this kind of duress give up any pretence of on-road civility, the Octa doesn\u2019t. The steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing. My guess is that it secretly loves ABBA and makes excellent risotto, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time we reached the valley floor again, the weather had cycled back around to balmy, and we were peeling off waterproofs like Beyonc\u00e9 at the halfway point of a Vegas residency. Mud spattered our boots, sheep stared us down, and the Defender idled with that calm, bassy purr that only serious engineering (and money) can produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa worth the cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Land](\"https:\/\/www.attitude.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/03\/Cars-5-683x1024.webp\")
Land Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut it\u2019s not just the astounding performance that lingers. The Octa is, somehow, more endearing than most cars I\u2019ve driven this past decade. Yes, it\u2019s ridiculously powerful, and yes, it costs more than a one-bedroom flat in Newcastle. But it\u2019s also filled with little touches: cooled and\/or heated seats, an interior that can be hosed down (for reasons I won\u2019t question) and software that adapts to any terrain in any weather. It\u2019s a vehicle that says, \u201cI\u2019ll climb a mountain, but I also packed oat milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly, if you\u2019ve got \u00a3148k burning a hole in your Moncler parka. It\u2019s too much car for most people, but if you live where the weather has commitment issues and the roads go bad at the drop of a cloud, the Defender Octa might just be the brute you\u2019ve been waiting for. For me, if you were allowed only one car in which to do everything, forever, this would be it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, what\u2019s better than four seasons in one day? Surviving them to do it all again tomorrow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you could only have one car for the rest of your life, for everything, this is likely it There are days that test a vehicle\u2019s limits and then there are days that test your soul. Driving the new Land Rover Defender Octa through the Cheviot Hills \u2013 an overlooked swell of border country wilderness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6600","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rides"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6600"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6602,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions\/6602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Lest you should wonder, the name \u2018Octa\u2019 refers to the octahedral geometry of diamonds \u2013 apparently because this is the toughest, most precious Defender yet \u2013 though it\u2019s also a subtle wink to those of us who love a bit of sparkle and a bit of rough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a twin-turbo, mild-hybrid V8 sourced from BMW, be in no doubt the Octa has brought a gun to a knife fight. It delivers a whopping 635 horsepower, which is a touch excessive for a vehicle originally conceived to tow a horsebox or rescue stranded hill-walkers. But it\u2019s absolutely glorious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s as quick as you\u2019d imagine, but sounds naughtier than you\u2019d expect\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nOur journey began at the foot of the Cheviots, where stone walls snake lazily across the landscape. The Octa \u2013 wearing matt paint like a perfectly tailored wax jacket \u2013 stood ready for action. We needed no second bidding, climbed aboard, and on the smooth tarmac of the early stages of the test route stretched the car\u2019s legs and lungs. It\u2019s as quick as you\u2019d imagine, but sounds naughtier than you\u2019d expect. We like very much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Off-road beckons, though. We begin with an ascent on a loose gravel track that the Defender took in its stride, its 6D Dynamics suspension smoothing out every rut as though taught etiquette at a finishing school. A bouncy climb made unremarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLeather, Alcantara, Body and Soul seats that pulse to the music\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nA mile in, the sun was out, the birds were singing, and from up here Julie Andrews was warming up. That lasted all of seven minutes. A sudden gust of wind threw a sheet of rain sideways across the valley and into our open window with such force it might as well have been personal. Inside the cabin, however, it remained mostly serene. Leather, Alcantara, Body and Soul seats that pulse to the music and bronze accents throughout will do that, giving the interior the air of a gentlemen\u2019s country club \u2013 though one where they serve kombucha and host queer film nights on Wednesdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Octa, bang on brand, is absurdly capable off-road. At one point, we crested a boggy ridge where the only signs of life were a disgruntled sheep and a stone bothy clinging to existence. The Defender shrugged off deep ruts and axle-twisting dips and, with low range engaged and a flick into \u2018Rock Crawl\u2019 mode, it felt momentarily like a Range Rover in drag: all grace, no nonsense, and surprisingly sure-footed in six inches of slop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDescending was no less theatrical. The Defender\u2019s brakes \u2013 beefed-up Brembos with the kind of calipers you usually see on hypercars \u2013 bit firmly, even on wet rock. And while most off-roaders under this kind of duress give up any pretence of on-road civility, the Octa doesn\u2019t. The steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing. My guess is that it secretly loves ABBA and makes excellent risotto, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time we reached the valley floor again, the weather had cycled back around to balmy, and we were peeling off waterproofs like Beyonc\u00e9 at the halfway point of a Vegas residency. Mud spattered our boots, sheep stared us down, and the Defender idled with that calm, bassy purr that only serious engineering (and money) can produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa worth the cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut it\u2019s not just the astounding performance that lingers. The Octa is, somehow, more endearing than most cars I\u2019ve driven this past decade. Yes, it\u2019s ridiculously powerful, and yes, it costs more than a one-bedroom flat in Newcastle. But it\u2019s also filled with little touches: cooled and\/or heated seats, an interior that can be hosed down (for reasons I won\u2019t question) and software that adapts to any terrain in any weather. It\u2019s a vehicle that says, \u201cI\u2019ll climb a mountain, but I also packed oat milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly, if you\u2019ve got \u00a3148k burning a hole in your Moncler parka. It\u2019s too much car for most people, but if you live where the weather has commitment issues and the roads go bad at the drop of a cloud, the Defender Octa might just be the brute you\u2019ve been waiting for. For me, if you were allowed only one car in which to do everything, forever, this would be it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, what\u2019s better than four seasons in one day? Surviving them to do it all again tomorrow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you could only have one car for the rest of your life, for everything, this is likely it There are days that test a vehicle\u2019s limits and then there are days that test your soul. Driving the new Land Rover Defender Octa through the Cheviot Hills \u2013 an overlooked swell of border country wilderness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6600","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rides"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6600"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6602,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions\/6602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Our journey began at the foot of the Cheviots, where stone walls snake lazily across the landscape. The Octa \u2013 wearing matt paint like a perfectly tailored wax jacket \u2013 stood ready for action. We needed no second bidding, climbed aboard, and on the smooth tarmac of the early stages of the test route stretched the car\u2019s legs and lungs. It\u2019s as quick as you\u2019d imagine, but sounds naughtier than you\u2019d expect. We like very much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Off-road beckons, though. We begin with an ascent on a loose gravel track that the Defender took in its stride, its 6D Dynamics suspension smoothing out every rut as though taught etiquette at a finishing school. A bouncy climb made unremarkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLeather, Alcantara, Body and Soul seats that pulse to the music\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nA mile in, the sun was out, the birds were singing, and from up here Julie Andrews was warming up. That lasted all of seven minutes. A sudden gust of wind threw a sheet of rain sideways across the valley and into our open window with such force it might as well have been personal. Inside the cabin, however, it remained mostly serene. Leather, Alcantara, Body and Soul seats that pulse to the music and bronze accents throughout will do that, giving the interior the air of a gentlemen\u2019s country club \u2013 though one where they serve kombucha and host queer film nights on Wednesdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Octa, bang on brand, is absurdly capable off-road. At one point, we crested a boggy ridge where the only signs of life were a disgruntled sheep and a stone bothy clinging to existence. The Defender shrugged off deep ruts and axle-twisting dips and, with low range engaged and a flick into \u2018Rock Crawl\u2019 mode, it felt momentarily like a Range Rover in drag: all grace, no nonsense, and surprisingly sure-footed in six inches of slop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDescending was no less theatrical. The Defender\u2019s brakes \u2013 beefed-up Brembos with the kind of calipers you usually see on hypercars \u2013 bit firmly, even on wet rock. And while most off-roaders under this kind of duress give up any pretence of on-road civility, the Octa doesn\u2019t. The steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing. My guess is that it secretly loves ABBA and makes excellent risotto, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time we reached the valley floor again, the weather had cycled back around to balmy, and we were peeling off waterproofs like Beyonc\u00e9 at the halfway point of a Vegas residency. Mud spattered our boots, sheep stared us down, and the Defender idled with that calm, bassy purr that only serious engineering (and money) can produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa worth the cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut it\u2019s not just the astounding performance that lingers. The Octa is, somehow, more endearing than most cars I\u2019ve driven this past decade. Yes, it\u2019s ridiculously powerful, and yes, it costs more than a one-bedroom flat in Newcastle. But it\u2019s also filled with little touches: cooled and\/or heated seats, an interior that can be hosed down (for reasons I won\u2019t question) and software that adapts to any terrain in any weather. It\u2019s a vehicle that says, \u201cI\u2019ll climb a mountain, but I also packed oat milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly, if you\u2019ve got \u00a3148k burning a hole in your Moncler parka. It\u2019s too much car for most people, but if you live where the weather has commitment issues and the roads go bad at the drop of a cloud, the Defender Octa might just be the brute you\u2019ve been waiting for. For me, if you were allowed only one car in which to do everything, forever, this would be it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, what\u2019s better than four seasons in one day? Surviving them to do it all again tomorrow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you could only have one car for the rest of your life, for everything, this is likely it There are days that test a vehicle\u2019s limits and then there are days that test your soul. Driving the new Land Rover Defender Octa through the Cheviot Hills \u2013 an overlooked swell of border country wilderness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6600","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rides"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6600"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6602,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions\/6602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
A mile in, the sun was out, the birds were singing, and from up here Julie Andrews was warming up. That lasted all of seven minutes. A sudden gust of wind threw a sheet of rain sideways across the valley and into our open window with such force it might as well have been personal. Inside the cabin, however, it remained mostly serene. Leather, Alcantara, Body and Soul seats that pulse to the music and bronze accents throughout will do that, giving the interior the air of a gentlemen\u2019s country club \u2013 though one where they serve kombucha and host queer film nights on Wednesdays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Octa, bang on brand, is absurdly capable off-road. At one point, we crested a boggy ridge where the only signs of life were a disgruntled sheep and a stone bothy clinging to existence. The Defender shrugged off deep ruts and axle-twisting dips and, with low range engaged and a flick into \u2018Rock Crawl\u2019 mode, it felt momentarily like a Range Rover in drag: all grace, no nonsense, and surprisingly sure-footed in six inches of slop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDescending was no less theatrical. The Defender\u2019s brakes \u2013 beefed-up Brembos with the kind of calipers you usually see on hypercars \u2013 bit firmly, even on wet rock. And while most off-roaders under this kind of duress give up any pretence of on-road civility, the Octa doesn\u2019t. The steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing. My guess is that it secretly loves ABBA and makes excellent risotto, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time we reached the valley floor again, the weather had cycled back around to balmy, and we were peeling off waterproofs like Beyonc\u00e9 at the halfway point of a Vegas residency. Mud spattered our boots, sheep stared us down, and the Defender idled with that calm, bassy purr that only serious engineering (and money) can produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa worth the cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut it\u2019s not just the astounding performance that lingers. The Octa is, somehow, more endearing than most cars I\u2019ve driven this past decade. Yes, it\u2019s ridiculously powerful, and yes, it costs more than a one-bedroom flat in Newcastle. But it\u2019s also filled with little touches: cooled and\/or heated seats, an interior that can be hosed down (for reasons I won\u2019t question) and software that adapts to any terrain in any weather. It\u2019s a vehicle that says, \u201cI\u2019ll climb a mountain, but I also packed oat milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly, if you\u2019ve got \u00a3148k burning a hole in your Moncler parka. It\u2019s too much car for most people, but if you live where the weather has commitment issues and the roads go bad at the drop of a cloud, the Defender Octa might just be the brute you\u2019ve been waiting for. For me, if you were allowed only one car in which to do everything, forever, this would be it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, what\u2019s better than four seasons in one day? Surviving them to do it all again tomorrow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you could only have one car for the rest of your life, for everything, this is likely it There are days that test a vehicle\u2019s limits and then there are days that test your soul. Driving the new Land Rover Defender Octa through the Cheviot Hills \u2013 an overlooked swell of border country wilderness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6600","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rides"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6600"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6602,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions\/6602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Descending was no less theatrical. The Defender\u2019s brakes \u2013 beefed-up Brembos with the kind of calipers you usually see on hypercars \u2013 bit firmly, even on wet rock. And while most off-roaders under this kind of duress give up any pretence of on-road civility, the Octa doesn\u2019t. The steering has heft but isn\u2019t agricultural; the ride is firm but never punishing. My guess is that it secretly loves ABBA and makes excellent risotto, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the time we reached the valley floor again, the weather had cycled back around to balmy, and we were peeling off waterproofs like Beyonc\u00e9 at the halfway point of a Vegas residency. Mud spattered our boots, sheep stared us down, and the Defender idled with that calm, bassy purr that only serious engineering (and money) can produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is the Land Rover Defender Octa worth the cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\nLand Rover Defender Octa (Image: Land Rover)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBut it\u2019s not just the astounding performance that lingers. The Octa is, somehow, more endearing than most cars I\u2019ve driven this past decade. Yes, it\u2019s ridiculously powerful, and yes, it costs more than a one-bedroom flat in Newcastle. But it\u2019s also filled with little touches: cooled and\/or heated seats, an interior that can be hosed down (for reasons I won\u2019t question) and software that adapts to any terrain in any weather. It\u2019s a vehicle that says, \u201cI\u2019ll climb a mountain, but I also packed oat milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly, if you\u2019ve got \u00a3148k burning a hole in your Moncler parka. It\u2019s too much car for most people, but if you live where the weather has commitment issues and the roads go bad at the drop of a cloud, the Defender Octa might just be the brute you\u2019ve been waiting for. For me, if you were allowed only one car in which to do everything, forever, this would be it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, what\u2019s better than four seasons in one day? Surviving them to do it all again tomorrow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you could only have one car for the rest of your life, for everything, this is likely it There are days that test a vehicle\u2019s limits and then there are days that test your soul. Driving the new Land Rover Defender Octa through the Cheviot Hills \u2013 an overlooked swell of border country wilderness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6600","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rides"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6600"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6602,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions\/6602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
But it\u2019s not just the astounding performance that lingers. The Octa is, somehow, more endearing than most cars I\u2019ve driven this past decade. Yes, it\u2019s ridiculously powerful, and yes, it costs more than a one-bedroom flat in Newcastle. But it\u2019s also filled with little touches: cooled and\/or heated seats, an interior that can be hosed down (for reasons I won\u2019t question) and software that adapts to any terrain in any weather. It\u2019s a vehicle that says, \u201cI\u2019ll climb a mountain, but I also packed oat milk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, would I recommend it? Wholeheartedly, if you\u2019ve got \u00a3148k burning a hole in your Moncler parka. It\u2019s too much car for most people, but if you live where the weather has commitment issues and the roads go bad at the drop of a cloud, the Defender Octa might just be the brute you\u2019ve been waiting for. For me, if you were allowed only one car in which to do everything, forever, this would be it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, what\u2019s better than four seasons in one day? Surviving them to do it all again tomorrow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you could only have one car for the rest of your life, for everything, this is likely it There are days that test a vehicle\u2019s limits and then there are days that test your soul. Driving the new Land Rover Defender Octa through the Cheviot Hills \u2013 an overlooked swell of border country wilderness<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6601,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-6600","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rides"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6600"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6602,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6600\/revisions\/6602"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6601"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/4guysmagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}