The 2021 Land Rover Defender has 66 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are visibility/wiper and exterior lighting. Owners most often flag major mechanical failures (engine replacement, supercharger/battery failure, coolant leaks with piston-cooling jet failure) – very frequent.
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2021 Land Rover Defender vehicles (US, public record).
Across the 7 Defender model years we track, complaint volume runs from 1 (1999) to 225 (2023). With 66 complaints, the 2021 Defender sits about the same asthe model's median of 63.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Sentiment is sharply divided by generation. For the classic, pre-2016 Defender (including Td5, TDI, and Puma models), owner sentiment is overwhelmingly positive among enthusiasts, characterized by deep affection for its rugged,…
Owner insights cover all generations of the Defender. See the full Defender owner picture and every model year.
Used Defender listings typically run $45,734–$84,216 across 2020 to 2026 model years.
Compare every Defender year side by side to see how 2021 ranks against the rest.