Land Rover Defender Octa: down and dirty

Land Rover Philippines, under the stewardship of Inchcape Philippines, proved the capabilities of the Defender line by taking the luxurious sport utility vehicle (SUV) to Jungle Base in Tanay, Rizal. 

The company invited select members of the motoring media to drive and experience firsthand what a Land Rover Defender, especially the range-topping Octa model, can do.

Our group left the marque’s dealership in Greenhills with some light rain and was welcomed at the foot of the base camp with the kind of weather that was just right to showcase the nameplate’s prowess. 

Here’s what Zigwheels Philippines experienced during the immersion program. 

Sure-footed SUV 

Most SUVs aren’t comfortable attacking corners at fast speeds. But the Land Rover Defender feels right at home taking on bends with above-average momentum. 

For context’s sake, the author kept a decent pace traveling from Manila to Rizal. But when our turn came to ride with Land Rover Instructor Mark White, we were shown just how much potential the Defender has on paved roads. 

Moreover, we had our time sitting shotgun with IC Land Automotive Incorporated Vice President Chris Ward aboard the family’s top-shelf model, the Defender Octa. Here, things were taken a notch higher as the said model can go faster and make sharper turns. 

“It spends its entire life finding grip, its sole purpose,” Ward was quoted as saying. 

He further explained — using the Land Rover Defender Octa as an example — that the vehicle uses an array of intelligent systems, which includes a g-force sensor, that measure driving dynamics and manage driver assist systems to optimize grip. 

In a nutshell, the vehicle is intelligent enough to limit acceleration to prevent understeer (or oversteer) or activate dynamic stability control to apply brakes to individual wheels for better maneuverability. 

The drive itself and the demonstration done by the skilled instructors proved how sure-footed the Land Rover Defender is. In their hands, the high-riding SUV drove like a crossover firmly planted on the pavement. 

But how does it fare on unpaved roads? 

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Tech-heavy hauler 

Key to its off-road performance is the suite of technologies it comes with out of the box. 

Foremost among the said features are its drive modes. While the Land Rover Defender is equipped with a slew of intelligent systems, selecting a particular drive setting will help the SUV tailor its performance and manage its power suited to the type of terrain. 

As an example, we were able to try the Rock Crawl mode, which tailors the vehicle’s performance for low-speed movement, ideal downhill braking, and — you guessed it — finding optimum traction. 

In addition, it’s also loaded with plenty of modern amenities, such as cameras looking at the SUV’s front wheels. These were very helpful when traversing through tight thoroughfares and maneuvering over various obstacles along the way. 

It also has offline navigation, which will prove useful when moving to off-grid locations. 

Handsome machine 

After going down and dirty, the Land Rover Defender still looked like a handsome SUV, especially the Octa. Sure, you have dirt all over, but the writer believes it’s part of the Defender charm. 

Here are some of the notable exterior and interior features of the Land Rover Defender Octa: 

Exterior 

Outside, it packs a more elegant grille that appears to be small squares bundled together. This is a recurring design element for the model. It also has an exposed towing eye and a hardened front under tray. 

The hood also has air intakes on each side to allow the V8 engine (with 626 horsepower and 750 Newton-meters of torque) to breathe. 

It rides on a set of 20-inch multi-spoke wheels with a Diamond Turned Face Dark Tint finish with Satin Black contrast to create a unique visual. 

Other standard features include: 

• Gloss black brake calipers
• Phosphor Bronze exposed rear recovery eyes
• Solar attenuating windscreen
• Soft-close tail door
• Heated windscreen
• Rear wash wiper
• Satin Black exhaust finisher

Interior 

Inside, the Land Rover Defender Octa packs Semi-Aniline leather seats with “Body and Soul” technology that makes music more immersive. 

Also notable is its 13.1-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Audio is set to a Meridian Surround Sound System. Of course, it has a wireless charger. 

Here are some standard interior amenities: 

• Electrically adjustable steering column
• Heated steering wheel
• Edge illuminated paddle shifters
• Air quality sensor
• Cabin air purification plus
• Three-zone climate control with rear cooling assist

Conclusion 

Jaguar Land Rover Philippines’ Defender line is truly a capable ride both on- and off-road. These machines are fitted with a handful of intelligent technologies designed to help one maximize the SUV’s capabilities, whether it’s for mall crawling or some heavy overlanding. 

Here are the available Land Rover Defender models sold by the brand at the time of writing: 

Land Rover Defender 90	Starts at P6.19 million
Land Rover Defender 110	Starts at P6.23 million
Land Rover Defender 130	Starts at P11.59 million
Land Rover Defender Octa	Starts at P24.59 million

Also read: 

Dongfeng Rich 7 4X4 Upper: ideal entry-level truck

Ford Everest Sport Special Edition: ‘tough’-tier SUV

Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV: sporty yet sustainable

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