2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV: MPG and fuel economy
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV is a hybrid rated at 19 combined MPG by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It returns 17 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway.
This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.
Key takeaways
- The most efficient car in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model X Long Range Plus at 105 MPG.
- EPA estimates this car costs around $7,500 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.
- Requires premium gasoline, which typically adds about 40 to 60 cents per gallon to the EPA's annual fuel cost estimate.
Fuel economy at a glance
These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.
Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).
| Combined MPG | 19 MPG |
| City MPG | 17 MPG |
| Highway MPG | 22 MPG |
| Annual fuel cost | $3,650 |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 462 g/mi |
| Fuel type | Premium |
How the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV compares
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV returns 19 combined MPG. Cars in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the same model year average 22.1 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 14%.
The most efficient car in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model X Long Range Plus at 105 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.
For broader context, the average new car of the 2021 model year (across all classes) returns 27.9 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2021 model year is on its own page.
Annual fuel cost across driving patterns
The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for premium gasoline, which is $4.61/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.
The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 789.5 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).
| Driving pattern | Estimated annual fuel cost |
|---|---|
| Light driver, 7,500 miles per year | $1,825 |
| Average driver, 15,000 miles per year | $3,650 |
| Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year | $6,083 |
Year-over-year MPG for the Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV
The EPA has rated the Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV across 7 model years, from 2020 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV through 2026 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.
Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV at 20 MPG.
| Year | Combined MPG | Open year page |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 20 MPG | 2026 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV |
| 2025 | 19 MPG | 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV |
| 2024 | 18 MPG | 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV |
| 2023 | 20 MPG | 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV |
| 2022 | 19 MPG | 2022 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV |
| 2021 | 19 MPG | this page |
| 2020 | 19 MPG | 2020 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV |
Compare against other Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD for 2021
If you are cross-shopping the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.
The Tesla Model X Long Range Plus leads this group at 105 MPG, 86 MPG ahead of the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV.
Specifications
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV runs a 3-liter 6-cylinder turbocharged engine paired with a automatic (s8), sending power through 4-wheel drive.
Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.
- Vehicle class
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
- Engine
- 3L 6-cylinder turbocharged
- Transmission
- Automatic (S8)
- Drivetrain
- 4-Wheel Drive
- Fuel type
- Premium
- Annual petroleum use
- 15.7 barrels per year
- Start-stop system
- Yes
Common questions about the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV
Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV.
-
Is the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV fuel efficient?
Not particularly. The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV returns 19 combined MPG, which trails the average car in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the same model year by about 14%. -
What MPG does the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV get?
The EPA rates the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV at 19 combined MPG, 17 MPG in city driving, and 22 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is. -
How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV per year?
The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,650 for the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade. -
Does the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV require premium gas?
Yes. The EPA lists the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump. -
Has the Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV become more fuel efficient over time?
Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2020 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV, 19 MPG) and most recent (2026 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV, 20 MPG) versions sit in the same range. -
How much CO₂ does the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV emit?
Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 462 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 6,930 kilograms of CO₂. -
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV?
City driving returns 17 MPG and highway driving returns 22 MPG, a gap of 5 MPG. The two figures are close enough that the car will hold its rated efficiency well across most driving patterns. -
What engine is in the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV?
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV has a 3-liter 6-cylinder turbocharged engine (EPA description: SIDI; Mild Hybrid). -
What transmission and drivetrain does the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV have?
The 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV comes with a automatic (s8) transmission and 4-wheel drive. -
How does the 2021 Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV compare to the best car in its class?
The most efficient car in the Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD class for the 2021 model year is the Tesla Model X Long Range Plus at 105 combined MPG. The Land Rover Defender 110 MHEV returns 19 MPG, a gap of 86 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.
Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.