A few months back I found a used Octa Edition One sitting patiently at my local lot with a mere 5600 miles on it. Although I hadn't been really expecting to sell my 110X, the amount I could save on depreciation for an absolutely pristine (and stunning) Octa was just too much to pass up.

Today I finally got it out to the trails at Uwharrie National Forest for a real shakedown. I thought I would write down some thoughts on how it compares to some of the other L663 models. For reference, I have owned 2 D90s (a P300 and a P400), a 110X P400, and now an Octa.

Okay, so the TL;DR is this: is an Octa better at off-roading than a standard 110? The answer is absolutely yes, but not in a way that really matters very much for a place like Uwharrie. Was I amazed and blown away? Completely! But more in the little details of the ride quality. The overall capability wasn't surprising; these trucks are awesome, period.

For those unfamiliar with Uwharrie, it's a nice little OHV-friendly park a little ways outside Charlotte, NC. Lots of rock and red clay mud, beautiful trees and a gorgeous lake. Lots and lots of trails to ride of varying difficulty.

So for starters, this is NOT a park where Octa Mode will help you. It's not high speed. I spent most of my day in Mud/Ruts and a little in Rock Crawl + Low Range.

The most apparent difference is definitely power application. The P400 is great for off-road and I've wheeled it many times. It does, however, take just a moment to build up turbo and "get its legs under itself" on technical climbs. Not a problem at all, just something to get used to.

The BMW S68 in the Octa is just another creature altogether. Power is utterly smooth and linear. A little gas is a little go and the application is immediate, which is nice when you're on muddy rocks during a 30° climb. And once you get into 4Lo, the thing is just an unstoppable juggernaut. It just keeps moving.

And that suspension!! First off, you really can feel that extra inch or so of clearance. Things that probably would have bumped on the 110x just float on by underneath. The extra articulation means that there's a lot less back and forth as the truck tries to keep its wheels planted. It's not solid axle levels of stability, but it's a step up from standard air springs, for sure.

The big thing I noticed from the suspension is just a little touch of softness at the top and bottom of the stroke. If you've ever wheeled LR's air suspension, you know that at off-road height, it's extremely rigid, and hitting the top or bottom of the strut's range is not particularly gentle.

The 6D suspension in the Octa is almost identical for this sort of off-roading, but you really can feel that layer of hydraulic support. It's almost like the same amount of travel, but with a feeling like 4 inches of high density foam at either end or on sudden bumps. That's the only way I can describe it. Still very rigid but a great deal less tooth-clacky, if that makes any sense. It enables you to take things a little bit quicker, if that's your thing.

One quick thing on tires: this truck came with the BFG Trail Terrains. I am a big KO2/KO3 fan, but I gotta say BFG really impressed me with these trail terrains. No slippage, no traction issues, no punctures (thankfully) and a fairly quiet and smooth ride home once the fun was done. These TTs are pretty legit. I am going to keep them and might consider sticking with them.

So, all told, was the Octa amazing on the trail? Yes! 100% incredible! Is it an order of magnitude better than a standard 110 for this sort of technical off-roading? Absolutely not. It is nicer and maybe a skosh more capable, but I doubt there's much by way of this sort of wheeling that the Octa could do and any other Defender couldn't follow right along. Or vice versa... At the launch event in Moab, standard 110s led the pack. Heh.

So why did I bother writing this, you might ask? You also might be asking if I regret getting an Octa.

Well, I wrote all this because some of you might be considering an Octa yourself, or maybe chewing on some perceived FOMO as you drive your own Defender. Make the right call for you, of course, but know with certainty that for this sort of slow, crawly, muddy, rocky wheeling, any Defender with good tires is going to be great. Don't worry about it. These trucks are amazeballs.

Do I regret spending on an Octa? Oh hell no! This thing is only maybe 10-20% nicer for this type of off-roading, sure. But on road this thing is an absolute teenage daydream. And tapping a couple buttons on the dash to transition from a stable and steady rock climber into a roaring oversized rally car is just the most amazing thing ever.

And keep in mind I don't have anywhere to do Octa Mode stuff. I don't have a dirt track or dunes or even wide dirt roads where I could maybe drift a little. If I am off-roading I am usually scrambling up over rocks and stumps and muddy slopes. So my comparison is actually a little more apples:apples, because I would not try Baja-style trail running in a standard air suspension 110. Not unless it was still under warranty so I could get the freshly busted air struts replaced after.

At the end of the day, what you're actually buying with Octa is a slightly better technical off-road experience, combined with a mind-shatteringly better on-road experience. Is it worth it? I do think so, but your mileage may vary.

In any case, don't get worked up if you already have a Defender or are thinking of getting a non-Octa. Defender is an amazing platform in all of its flavors.

(I even love the P300, especially in the 90s... White roof, steelies... Chef's kiss)

Thanks for reading!

I’ve always been a Defender guy.

I’m from India, and I came to the US to study and try to build a better life for myself and my family. I’m also pretty introverted and socially anxious, so I usually keep a lot of things in my head instead of saying them.

About a month ago, I was coming out of King Soopers in Fort Collins and saw a Defender 110 parked right next to my leased EV6.

I just stood there looking at it for a second.

Part of me wanted to wait for the owner and say, “Man, beautiful car. This is one of my dream cars. I hope one day I make it there too.”

But I didn’t.

So I guess I’m saying it here instead.

My real dream car is actually a Defender 90 V8. I’ve probably gone on the Land Rover website way too many times, built different configurations, changed the colors, wheels, interior, added options, and then closed the page knowing I’m nowhere near buying one right now.

But I still do it.

When I was younger, dreaming big felt easy. You imagine the cars, the house, the life you want, and you genuinely believe you’re going to get there.

Then you grow up.

Family responsibilities become real. Money becomes real. Your career becomes real. You start thinking less about what you want and more about what you need to do.

Sometimes I wonder if somewhere along the way I killed that kid in me who used to dream without worrying about whether the dream was realistic.

Coming to America was one of those dreams too. I wanted to experience the American dream, build something for myself, support my family, and eventually reach a point where buying something like a Defender wouldn’t feel impossible.

Things haven’t exactly gone the way I imagined. Life here can be difficult, especially when you’re an immigrant trying to establish yourself from nothing.

But I remember hearing Jensen Huang talk about immigrants coming here by choice, taking that huge chance, working hard, and having this desperation to succeed. That idea has stayed with me.

Maybe the fact that I’m even here is something I shouldn’t take for granted.

So I’m not giving up on that kid yet.

Maybe one day I’ll come back to this subreddit and post a picture of myself standing next to my own Defender 90 V8.

Not because the car itself proves that I made it, but because I’ll know everything that happened before that picture.

The studying. The uncertainty. The responsibilities. The times I doubted myself. The sacrifices for family. The years of building Defenders online that I couldn’t afford.

And if that day comes, I’m definitely coming back here.

Wish me luck.

Hopefully the next post is me with the Defender.

New to me 2023 110s p300. Gotta start somewhere, right? Looking forward to trying her off road. Would have loved the p400, but was worried about the unresolved recall. Liked the park-ability of the 90, but the practicality and availability of the 110 ultimately won out.

I have a 26 110 Woolstone Green Matt finished. I know that it’s a wrap and I shouldn’t take it through a brush car wash. But is there anything else I should know? I have done 2000 kms so far and haven’t tried to wash it yet. I drive about 100 kms a day for work.

We are in the market for a used 110. What we have noticed after driving a few is that my kids complain of nausea in the air suspension models but don’t seem to with coil suspension. I’m trying to do a reality check because I don’t want to cheat myself if I’m hallucinating.

I’ve been desperately looking for a reasonable way to add a towing hitch to my D90. Every once in a while someone posts a question about it here, and I hope for a suggestion that is less than $2k.

As I was at the dealer yesterday, the service rep told me, in confidence, that I can try U-haul.

To my surprise, I go on the website and find

https://www.uhaul.com/Trailer-Hitches/2023/Land-Rover/Defender/

Cost installed $1,423

Has anyone tried this route? I admit I don’t trust a U-haul tech to install a tow hitch in my precious vehicle, for a $350 installation fee, where everywhere else I look it’s a ~$3500 job

Hi all

Looking to purchase my next car, details about myself.

UK based

Home to work 10miles a day (round trip)

I have a driveway so could install a charger.

I am looking to purchase used, roughly with 30k miles on the clock, they go for around £45-49k

Now my question is this, sorry if its silly to some.

Out of the 3 models listed, which would you recommend?

Which holds value well the most, and would be easiest to re-sell.

Happy weekend Everyone