First Drive: The Defender Octa is like a hot hatch wrapped in an SUV body
With a range of mechanical upgrades over a standard Defender, the Octa is as extreme as this off-roader gets. Jack Evans tries it in the UK.
What is it?
This car – the formidably named Octa – currently sits at the top of the Defender tree, bringing maximum performance in a package that is designed to be practical to use. Is it the best pick, or should you go for a more ‘regular’ Defender? We’ve been finding out.
What’s new?
Currently, you can only get the Octa in 110 specification, missing out short-wheelbase 90 and longer 130 models. However, this does mean you get a good balance of practicality without the 130’s difficult-to-park length.
What’s under the bonnet?
Performance, as you might expect, is punchy; zero to 60mph comes in just 3.8 seconds and flat-out the Octa will manage 155mph. This isn’t the best car if you’re looking for efficiency, however. We did manage to meet JLR’s claimed consumption of 21.1mpg on the motorway, but around town and off-road, things slipped as low as 13mpg.
What’s it like to drive?
It even rides well, despite our car sitting on very large alloy wheels. When things get a little sticky conditions-wise, the Octa has all of the standard Defender’s off-road tech to fall back on, though we’d recommend fitting off-road or all-terrain tyres if you’re planning on heading onto the slippery stuff.
How does it look?
You can get the Octa in a range of colours, though we’d argue that the ‘Sargasso Blue’ colour of our test model looked particularly good.
What’s it like inside?
The Octa also loses none of the practicality that you’d get from a standard 110, so there’s loads of space for those people sitting in the back seats. Unlike the regular 110, however, you can’t get the Octa with an optional seven-seater configuration – it’s a five-seater car only.
What’s the spec like?
Standard equipment is plentiful elsewhere, too. You get keyless entry, a high-quality Meridian sound system and three-zone climate control, as well as illuminated metal kickplates with the Defender logo emblazoned on them. You’re not going to be left wanting for kit, that’s for sure.
Verdict
The Defender Octa is an expensive proposition – there’s no way around that. However, as an example of what this off-roader can do when truly untethered, it’s impressive. The way it handles itself dynamically surpasses belief and pushes the Defender into an area of performance that you wouldn’t expect.
When you dial it all back, however, you’re still left with a very practical and usable SUV. Just be prepared to make friends with your local petrol station operator.
