The Defender nameplate is no stranger to stellar offroad performance, and the Octa essentially takes that and injects straight power and added offroad capability to the mix. We attended the launch of the Octa here, and you can see our thoughts here.
Related: Land Rover Defender Octa vs Mercedes-AMG G63: Here's our winner
What happens when we look at the Octa's price competitors, all of which have a V8 engine? We get a power blitz. We have the newly launched RSQ8 Quattro Performance from Audi and the XM from BMW, with its rather quirky design. Let's see how these SUVs compare in terms of practicality and, more importantly, performance.
Looking at the figures
| Land Rover Defender 110 Octa | BMW XM | Audi RSQ8 quattro performance | |
| Engine | 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 petrol | 4.4-litre turbocharged Hybrid V8 petrol | 4.0-litre turbocharged V8 petrol |
| Total Power / Torque | 467kW / 750Nm | 480kW / 800Nm | 471kW / 850Nm |
| Gearbox | 8-Speed Automatic | 8-Speed M Steptronic | 8-Speed Tiptronic |
| Claimed Fuel Consumption | 13.5 L/100km | 2.7 L /100km | 12.2 L/100km |
| Towing Capacity (Unbraked/Braked) | 750kg / 3500kg | 750kg / 2700kg | 750kg / 3500kg |
| Driven Wheels | All | All | All |
| 0-100 km/h | 4.0s (With Dynamic Launch Control) | 4.3s | 3.6s |
| Top Speed | 250km/h (210km/h with the 20-inch optional wheels) | 270km/h | 250km/h (305km/h optionally) |
| Service Plan | 5-year/100 000km maintenance plan | 5-year/100 000km maintenance plan | 5-year/100 000km maintenance plan |
| Price | from R3 499 100 | from R3 400 000 | from R3 266 100 |
*Pricing stated here was correct when publishing and is subject to change without prior notice. Manufacturer figures were also claimed here.
Comparing the figures
Purchase Price
We're well over the R1.5 million mark, and at that point, money isn't too much of a factor, but you can always save a few bucks. To pay off one of these vehicles, we'll calculate using our finance tool and set the parameters at 72 months, a 10% deposit, no balloon/residual, and a 12% interest rate.
| Car | Purchase Price | Monthly Installment |
| Land Rover Defender 110 Octa | from R3 499 100 | from R61 567 p/m |
| BMW XM | from R3 400 000 | from R59 824 p/m |
| Audi RSQ8 quattro performance | from R3 266 100 | from R57 468 p/m |
The Audi RSQ8 will be the cheapest to buy and pay off.
Performance
| Power Figures | 0-100 km/h | |
| Land Rover Defender 110 Octa | 467kW / 750Nm | 4.0s (With Dynamic Launch Control) |
| BMW XM | 480kW / 800Nm | 4.3s |
| Audi RSQ8 quattro performance | 471kW / 850Nm | 3.6s |
The Audi is the quickest at 100 km/h, and though its power figure is between the three, it has the most torque. The Audi wins here.
Who's the best and cheapest SUV?
Out of the trio here, the win will go to the Audi. The Audi is the best performer and is the cheapest to buy. The Defender Octa comes in second thanks to its added offroad capability but the XM gets an honourable mention thanks to its trick hybrid system. You can search AutoTrader for the latest used and new offerings on the Defender, XM and RSQ8. You can sell your car too.
