Land Rover Defender statistics

• Licensed in Great Britain 67,447 +20.3% on a year earlier
• Declared SORN 4,387 Off the road, not taxed
• Rank by number licensed No. 121 of 1,159 models we cover
• Licensed count At its peak highest since 1994
• New registrations in 2025 12,374 registered for the first time
• Most common fuel Diesel 81.5% of those licensed

How many Land Rover Defenders are left in Great Britain?

There were 67,447 Land Rover Defenders licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 4,387 declared off the road (SORN). That is the most on the road at any year end since 1994.

Land Rover Defender versions

The Land Rover Defender 90 Turbo Dies has its own page. The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records under that version’s name.

Land Rover Defender MOT reliability

We do not show MOT figures for the Land Rover Defender. 62% of those on the DVLA record are vans, and DVSA’s MOT results do not separate car and van tests of the same model, so the figures would not describe the car. How we work out MOT figures.

Land Rover Defender engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 65,310 Land Rover Defenders licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 62.0% have an engine of 2,901cc to 3,000cc, and 16.8% have an engine of 2,401cc to 2,500cc. The share with an engine of 2,401cc to 2,500cc has fallen from 96.6% in 2014 to 16.8%. Diesels made up 99.4% of those licensed in 2014 and 81.8% in 2025.

United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. How we use engine sizes.

Land Rover Defender fuel economy and CO2

The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the Land Rover Defender from 2000, when the data begins, to 2024. On the WLTP test (listings 2020 to 2024), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and diesel versions ranges from 22.6 to 32.2 mpg, with CO2 of 230 to 283 g/km. On the older NEDC test (listings 2000 to 2011), official combined fuel economy for its diesel versions ranges from 25.7 to 28.3 mpg, with CO2 of 266 to 299 g/km.

Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated 15 Sept 2026

• Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
• NEDC figures (in VCA’s data until September 2018) and WLTP figures (from the 2019 guide) come from different tests, so they are shown separately and should not be compared.
• Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was listed. Matched from VCA’s model names “Defender, 20MY”, “Defender Station Wagon”, “Defender”. How we use VCA’s figures.

Land Rover Defender safety recalls

DVSA lists 31 safety recalls for the Land Rover Defender since 1992, the first in 2000. The most recent was launched on 26 June 2026.

All 31 Land Rover Defender recalls, with defects, remedies and build dates

62% of the Land Rover Defenders on the DVLA record are vans. DVSA’s recalls cover every body type, so some of these recalls may apply only to vans.

A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Land Rover Defender. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Compare the Land Rover Defender with other Land Rover models