The Land Rover Defender is already proving popular in New Zealand and it seems the Aussies are also infatuated with the British off-roader.

The Defender range has topped the latest Retained Value ratings list compiled by respected Australian automotive analyst RedBook.

Using data based on new, sub-$100,000 vehicles and with depreciation forecast for a three-year-old vehicle that had travelled up to 60,000km, Defender achieved an impressive retained value of between 79 and 82 percent of its initial purchase price, putting it well ahead of many of its European, North American and Japanese rivals.

Depreciation, the difference between a vehicle’s initial purchase price and its sale price as a used vehicle, can change by as much as 30 percent in the first year of ownership.

Announcing the latest Retained Value data, RedBook General Manager Ross Booth said Australia’s appetite for off-road vehicles had remained strong during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly reflecting a desire for people to “discover their own backyard” while overseas and even state-border travel restrictions are in force.