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Land Rover Defender

Live market prices, listings, and how many are still on the road.

Land Rover Defender — market at a glance Median asking £19,995

Recorded auction results and live UK asking prices for this model are below, along with how many are still on the road. Our own sold-price comparables are still building.

Still on UK roads

Licensed in Great Britain 158,480 as of 2026 Q1
Declared off-road (SORN) 30,177 stored, restored or resting

Vehicle counts contain public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 — DfT/DVLA vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0120, Great Britain), grouped by generic model. Counts cover all body types and fuels registered under this model name.

MOT pass rate & common faults

MOT pass rate 77.8% of 222,177 tests
Typical MOT mileage 95,000 median recorded, miles

MOT pass rate by year — improving, up 1.7 points since 2020:

Excludes 2024 — that year covers a different number of tests from the rest of the series, so the rate is not comparable with the years shown.

Most common failure areas — share of failed tests citing each area (a car can fail on more than one), from 49,302 sampled fails:

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment 27.3%
Suspension 20.2%
Brakes 18.0%
Steering 16.0%
Body, Chassis, Structure 15.3%

MOT figures contain public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 — DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results (Great Britain), class 4 (cars & light vehicles), 2024. Pass rate is measured across first (initial) MOT tests only; a pass counts a certificate issued outright or after minor repair at the station. Grouped by generic model.

Live UK market — what they’re listed at

Median asking £19,995 midpoint of live UK listings
Listings live 157 range £4,000–£155,000
Typical time listed 15d median, since tracking began
Listing type 88% classified · 12% auction

What’s for sale by price — how the live UK listings split by asking price:

Price bandListingsShare
Under £5k 2 1%
£5k–£10k 24 15%
£10k–£20k 53 34%
£20k–£35k 32 20%
£35k–£50k 25 16%
£50k–£75k 13 8%
£75k–£100k 6 4%
£100k–£150k 1 1%
£150k+ 1 1%

Asking by trim — median live UK asking price for the variants enthusiasts shop by (trims overlap; a car can count in more than one):

TrimMedian askingListings
90 £25,400 41
110 £23,000 23

Asking by mileage — median live UK asking price by odometer band (the live counterpart to recorded sales above):

MileageMedian askingListings
Under 40k mi £51,000 30
40–80k mi £25,975 44
80–120k mi £15,998 22
120k+ mi £12,000 9

Asking figures are live, de-duplicated statistics from the eBay UK and dealer listings we currently track for this model — the same cars shown in “for sale now”. Asking prices are not sold prices.

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Every car listed for sale right now; priced-car medians below are de-duplicated to one row per car.

Or jump to a trim — the variants enthusiasts shop by.

eBay listings

Shown separately from other sources. Details are as eBay last reported them.

About the Land Rover Defender

The classic Defender (the name arrived in 1990; the shape traces back to the original Land Rover) is the definitive go-anywhere machine: body-on-frame, live axles, aluminium panels and utter simplicity. Over its long life it ran the 200Tdi and 300Tdi diesels, then the five-cylinder Td5 (1998–2007) and the 2.2/2.4 TDCi “Puma” (2007–2016). It is noisy, slow and basic on the road, but its reward is unburstable character and values that have climbed strongly. Corrosion is the enemy — check the chassis (especially rear crossmember and outriggers), bulkhead and footwells.

Read next: Land Rover Defender vs Discovery — our full buying and pricing guide.

Land Rover Defender: FAQs

Why are classic Land Rover Defenders so expensive?

The classic Defender has become a sought-after icon with strong, appreciating values, driven by its character, simplicity and cult status. Good, honest examples with sound chassis command a clear premium.

What should I check when buying a Defender?

Corrosion is the priority: inspect the chassis (rear crossmember and outriggers), bulkhead and footwells, plus evidence of proper maintenance. A documented history and a sound chassis matter far more than mileage.

Which Defender engine is best?

The 300Tdi and the later Td5 are both well regarded for durability; the final 2.2/2.4 TDCi “Puma” cars are the most modern to drive. Buy on overall condition and history rather than engine alone.