The Land Rover Defender Octa Is a Natural Fit in the Hamptons

Date:2025-08-13 22:53:04 Category:Car Views:1 Comment:0

These days, buyers in search of a luxury SUV well-suited to life in a posh area are spoiled for choice. Rugged, cool, luxurious and even performance-oriented can all be combined in a way that wasn’t possible until recently, and the new Land Rover Defender Octa has surged the British off-roader towards the top of the food chain in this part of the market.

It’s deserved. The Octa, first revealed last year, is the new top-of-the-line Defender, one that is faster, wider and more capable both on-road and off than the Defenders that went before it. It packs a 626-hp BMW-sourced 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V-8, an adaptive smart air suspension setup with active hydraulic dampers to fight roll, pitch and dive—which also allow it to tackle enormous jumps—and it has Land Rover’s proven Terrain Response four-wheel drive system.

I spent a weekend with the Octa as part of a recent experience highlighting the Defender brand’s partnership with the ultra-chic Montauk Surf Lodge. That means I had the pleasure of navigating the rig through prime rush-hour Long Island Expressway traffic and around hoards of influencer-type pedestrians in the Hamptons and Montauk. Dynamically, this was not the ideal testing environment for a seemingly hugely capable on-road/off-road performance truck, but it still felt like an entirely appropriate place for the Octa to spend time.

Here are a few impressions:

It’s Fun

land rover defender octa hamptons — Aaron Brown

I’m in the stage of my car enthusiast life where I love a vehicle that can be thrashed over any terrain. That’s partially because I’m forced to traverse the cavernous, suspension-destroying pavement that lines the streets of New York City, and partially because, well, it’s fun to drive over stuff without concern about breaking your ride. The Octa, with its 33-inch all-terrain tires and 12.7 inches of ground clearance, absolutely checks that box.

Of course, there’s also that BMW-sourced V-8. The Octa makes hilarious power, and throwing it into Dynamic mode makes the truck feel more composed than a 5845-lb SUV has any right to be. I didn’t get the Octa onto any true twisties, but testing its limits around on-ramps deliver impressive results.

It’s Comfortable

The Octa does a great job of fully chilling out in Comfort mode. It absorbs most road craters impressively well, and dials the powertrain response back to a place where breathing on the throttle doesn’t send it surging for the horizon. I was also quite partial to the truck’s Ultrafabrics polyurethane performance seats. They’re supremely comfortable and have a fantastic body-molding shape to them.

Additionally, the interior is blasted with “chopped” carbon fiber details. This isn’t really a comfort thing, but it does look badass. I particularly love the carbon-splattered seat backs.

It’s Intriguing

Even out in the Hamptons, the Octa attracts serious attention. Its wider, taller stance and its grille lights likely contribute to that, in addition to it being a new, not-very-yet-seen thing. It’s not just another G-Wagen or Range Rover. If you’re the bragging or one-upping type, the Octa checks that box cleanly.

It’s also simply more interesting than your average G-Wagen. Unlike the G—which I am a loyal fanboy of, for the record—this doesn’t just feel like some luxurious German box. Like the Defenders beneath it in the line-up, the Octa’s interior has rugged character, smart interior design, and feels a bit less serious, in a joyful way.

The Octa is essentially the Raptor-ified Defender, with additional handling prowess. Even on a short, highway-heavy trip, there was still an immense amount of fun to be had.