Episode 451: 2026 Land Rover Defender Octa, 2026 Buick Encore GX, Hankook Tire Test

The Unnamed Automotive Podcast gets deep into it this week, with a "review" of the impressive and high end 2026 Land Rover Defender Octa, a performance oriented version of the off road SUV. While Jaguar and Range Rover get the SV treatment for their high output models, Defender gets an Octa badge, though it features the same BMW sourced turbo V8 and 6D suspension as the Range Rover Sport SV. Which JLR super SUV camp do you belong to? What makes a six figure SUV special? What differentiates this from a G63 AMG? Then Benjamin checks out the 2026 Buick Encore GX, a subcompact crossover that used to represent the growth of the American premium brand, but now seems a bit dated compared to other Buick vehicles. Benjamin explains it all with careful perspective of where the Encore stands with the impressive Envista sitting next to it. Then the show introduces a new concept: tire testing! Benjamin throws on some new summer rubber on his Daily Driver and can't wait to tell you the results. Thanks for listening! Check out our new Patreon series 25 Cars That Define The 90s We go deep on one of our favorite eras of automotive design, the 1990s. Weekly posts that discuss not just the 25 most important cars from that decade, but also other car-focused bonus episodes that don't fit the main feed. Click here to listen to the first episode for free! Links: Like what you hear? Tip us at Ko-Fi — Send a dollar our way using Ko-Fi to help support the Unnamed Automotive Podcast.