2026 CarExpert Choice winner: Best Off-Road SUV

The Land Rover Defender has been named Australia’s best off-road SUV in the 2026 CarExpert Choice Awards.

It beat out two finalists: the Ford Everest and Toyota Prado.

After running a range of large SUVs through a series of off-road tests earlier this year as part of our 4WD SUV megatest, we crowned the Land Rover Defender our off-road SUV winner.

This was based not only on scoring for each of the tests we conducted, but also our evaluation of the ease with which its 4WD controls are operated and how much driver input was required.

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The Defender proved the easiest vehicle to operate in every one of our off-road tests, and its ability to automatically lock and unlock its differentials allows you to concentrate on the trail ahead.

It was this combination of four-wheel drive system intelligence and a capable platform that made us ultimately pick the Defender as our off-road winner, so naturally it also takes the crown for best off-road SUV in this year’s CarExpert Choice Awards.

If you’re after something that can not only tackle the tough stuff but also prove liveable in the daily grind, the Defender well and truly delivers thanks to its comfortable interior and a range of excellent powertrains. As demonstrated in our megatest, it’s a capable tow vehicle, too.

There’s even a wide range of body styles, a rarity in this segment, ranging from the 90 ‘shorty’ all the way up to the extended 130 with seating for up to eight.

The Defender is truly a jack of all trades, and its tough styling is well and truly backed up by its ability.