2025 Land Rover Defender

Both the Jeep brand of go-anywhere transports born in America and the Land Rover name from across the pond with British ties grew out of World War II muddy ground gains by the Allies in the 1940s. At the end of the conflict, these rugged, military-grade vehicles that powered through just about any tropical-to-arid terrain were recast and made available to the general public for enjoyment whether venturing off-the grid or on miles of newly paved expressways.  

As the decades passed, the once utilitarian blue collar Jeep brand strived for higher status, eventually boasting such spacious and posh (and pricy) models as the 2025 Wagoneer. Land Rover, for its part, took to society’s upper crust as the British Adventure Brand, always eying a wider swath of potential buyers and sales volume.  

Here on this side of the pond, some confusion exists between similar sounding Land Rover and Range Rover designations; so let’s iron out any misconceptions. Simply put, Land Rover denotes the umbrella brand (aka the “make’) while Range Rovers constitute an available model within the brand designate. Thus, all Range Rovers fall under the Land Rover brand while Land Rover encompasses more variety than just Range Rover.  

Think of the upscale British-born Land Rover brand as an all-terrain import choice with three distinct families: Range Rover, Discovery and Defender. Of the three, Defender best represents the tallest standing of the kin and the only member with two side doors available. Defender also emits a retro vibe. It’s the scrappy lad of the Land Rover family promoting comfort and luxury when adventuring safari-esque surroundings.  

The very off-road capable Defender arrives in three body styles: Defender 90 (two side doors) Defender 110 (mid-size with four side doors) and Defender 130 (extended-length with four side doors and same 119.0-inch wheelbase distance as the Defender 110). In 2025 an all-new (and pricy) Defender Octa (think eight) arrived with Defender 110 dimensions.  

The 2025 model year Defender largely carries over content wise from 2024, the most notable update other than Octa includes second-row captain’s chairs now available for the extended-length Defender 130 with three seating rows available.  

The first-generation Land Rover Defender hit the ground running in 1983 in Europe, arriving in the U.S. a decade later. It was an abbreviated stay as it quietly exited the American market before the millennial turn, although sales outside the U.S. continued until 2016. By the 2020 model year, the robust, four-wheel-drive Defender returned to the U.S much refined by incorporating an all-new structure.  

The 2020 model year Defender introduced unibody underpinnings and a fully-independent rear suspension with coil springs in place of the heavy-duty body-on-frame truck platform. Unibody platforms remain a popular build within sedans and car-based crossovers providing a smooth drive experience especially on road. Some purists pondered if this Defender redesign could still handle deep woods exploration, but the update did little to hamper sales results and on-road civility now rates as first rate.  

Defender’s full-size spare tire affixes to the rear door which opens a-la refrigerator door style with a right-side hinge, contributing to its up-right stance and near 90-degree rear top corner. A large, prominent left-side vertical grab handle assists with the grand opening. A pair of small, square inline taillights flank each side of the door. In front, the raised, sculpted hood provides a balanced stance. On the sides, large, bold strap-like openers, operational even when sporting thick gloves, adorn all doors. Our Silicon Silver exterior (a hefty $1,550 premium extra) contrasted with black A, B, C and D pillars along with the entire roof.  

Side fenders include black, checkered vents in the shape of a capital ‘D’ allowing air flow. Round wheel wells include flared bumps. Short-statured rectangular black sideview mirrors include puddle lamps projecting the Defender name on the ground at night along with a face-on sketch interpretation of the vehicle. Front headlights include a three-quarter-circle design and flank the prominent grille.  

Our tester, a four-wheel drive Defender 110 includes four trims: S, X-Dynamic SE, posh X, and Defender V8. In addition, lower-volume 2025 Trophy Editions are available with SandGlow Yellow and Keswick Green exteriors. All include such off-road necessities as hill decent control, locking center/rear differentials, hill-launch assist, terrain response and a two-speed transfer case for off-roading adventure. Consider the Defender 110 a cozy mid-sizer or larger-than-average compact, a ‘tweener’ at its best.  

These four trims offer a wide array of engine choices for such a niche-type vehicle. Fuel economy remains secondary to off-road endurance with our tester averaging a ho-hum 19 miles per gallon in combined city/highway travel. Engines range from a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four cylinder delivering 296 horsepower to a 5.0-liter Supercharged V-8 motivating 518 horses.  

Our Defender X-Dynamic SE tester featured Land Rover’s advanced, 3.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged (known as ‘twin charging’) engine enhanced with a 48-volt electric motor cranking out a handy 395 horses. The company debuted this intriguing inline six-cylinder mild hybrid a half dozen years ago in the United Kingdom before making way to this side of the pond. It’s a sound choice and a favorite of this scribe.  

The electric supercharger assists lower-engine-speed performance sharpening the engine’s throttle response, providing instant feedback from a standing start. Turbochargers require additional hardware, repurposing super-heated, fast-moving exhaust gases through a turbine (Defender employs two turbines, reducing the chances of turbo-lag hesitation when stomping the gas pedal), spinning a compressor.  

Both Turbocharged and Supercharged technologies qualify as forced-induction systems (in this case, dual forced induction), compressing highly oxygenated air into the engine and cylinders to hype horsepower. The engine works with a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission.  

The mild hybrid employed by Defender differs from a traditional full hybrid. A mild hybrid’s small electric motor acts as an engine/torque booster (an assist to a traditional alternator) with electric motor output not independently powering the wheels. A full hybrid (such as the original Toyota Prius) allows limited use of electric-only propulsion to power the wheels for short durations. Mild hybrids cost less than full hybrids to implement with lower mpg returns. Both mild and full hybrids self-charge, requiring no nightly plug into a wall socket to reinvigorate the onboard battery pack.  

The flat direct-current battery pack stows under second row seating assisting with improved balance. This battery supplies power to the electronic supercharger, provides current to the conventional 12-volt battery, provides extra engine torque for quick starts, and assists start/stop functions during city travel through the engine start/stop function which quiets the vehicle down at prolonged stops to conserve fuel.  

Expect a smooth ride with sharp handling when on-roading. Adaptive cruise control comes standard, using radar sensors to automatically slow and accelerate based upon the distance of the vehicle ahead on the highway. 

Our Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE tester included such niceties and upgrades as 20-inch satin dark grey wheels, LED headlights with signature daytime running lights, upgraded Meridian sound system, rain sensing front and rear wipers, heads up front windshield secondary display of instrument panel information (a $1,000 extra) and black contrast roof and roof rails.  

Pricing checks in at $72,100 for the 110 X-Dynamic SE before a host of add-on extras bringing the bottom line to $85,023 including a $1,625 destination charge. Major extras in addition to those already mentioned include a $1,850 tow package, $1,735 off-road package with electronic locking differentials and a comforting $1,600 air suspension. The lowest-priced four-door Defender 110, an S trim, starts around $63,500, pricing comfortable for a royal family, but considerably more Benjamins than a two-door Jeep Wrangler or four-door Wrangler Unlimited.  

Defender 110 arrives with two rows of seating standard. Backrests in row two don a 40/20/40 backrest split and carry three riders comfortably thanks in part to the high roof line providing better-than-average head space.  

Expect all the modern electronic trappings within this retro exterior including a reconfigurable, 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and sizeable 13.1-inch multi-purpose information screen centering the dash. Wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play interaction with the sound/screen system comes standard as does a single wireless Smartphone charger.  

The graceful, uncluttered dash travels from end-to-end in a traditional straight line rather than a serpentine route within our ebony black color theme. A long topside horizontal grab bar extends from the passenger door towards the middle, serving as the top portion of a long shelf with a curved underbelly; a handy site for multiple storage opportunities. The flat, square, touch-sensitive screen attaches onto this structure at the midway point. Easy-clean, removable rubber mats adorn the floor and cargo bed.  

The smooth, largely button-free dash design requires many asks of the multi-purpose, swippable, touch-sensitive screen which takes a bit of practice to digest and decipher nesting. Terrain response comprises ten drive mode selections summoned via a 4x4 icon within the screen’s broad menu, defaulting to ‘Auto’ when the ignition gets summoned. Off-road modes include: rock crawl, wade, sand, mud ruts, and grass/gravel.  

An electronic push-button start/stop button resides below the screen far enough as not to compete with the steering column/wheel within a plank extension gently angling at 45-degrees and also housing the electronic transmission shifter. The vertical handle, easily grasped by the right hand, requires a gentle tug down when engaging drive and up for reverse. Park necessitates a push of a topside faceplate button.  

To its right, two multi-function illuminated framed circular dials provide multiple HVAC functions including dual zone temperature selection in tandem with multiple backlit icons. Press an illuminated fan-speed icon and these dials control fan speed settings. This entire plate fades to black once the engine system beds for the night. To the far right, one of the few small dials used to activate volume and on/off sound system functions. 

This drop-down plate also includes an electronic push button when/if summoning the off-road friendly ‘low-range’ push button. The transmission must engage within ‘Neutral’ when selecting the 4-low option. Messages within the instrument panel remind drivers of the switch.  

The transmission shifter’s lower dash locale opens up extra room between front buckets for storage, a type-C USB plug port, dual side by side beverage holders and wireless Smartphone cove where the phone rests upon its side. Towards the back, a deep bin with a top hinged at the back flips open and close to store items out of sight.  

With second-row seats prone, expect a usable 34 cubic feet of space uninhibited by the hybrid battery pack stowed under seats. Some manufacturers locate the battery pack below the cargo region impeding volume.  

Land Rover 2024 U.S. calendar year sales totaled 87,714, a healthy 33 percent increase from the proceeding 12-month cycle. With sister Brit Brand Jaguar tossed into the mix, total sales reached 119,860. The combined total represents less than a one percent share of the U.S. Market (.80 percent), a relatively modest boast; more than EV-specific Rivian Automotive but less than Volvo-Polestar.  

Back in 2008, both Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) merged into a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited, a major Indian auto manufacturer, when Ford Motor Company sold the pair after eight years of ownership. In a nod towards globalization, Tata Motors assembles Defender in Slovakia.  

2025 Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE  

Price as tested: $85,023 

Engine: 3.6-liter six-cylinder  

Total System Horsepower: 395 

Wheelbase: 119.0 inches 

Overall Length: 197.5 inches 

Overall Height: 77.4 inches 

Overall Width: 79.1 inches  

Ground Clearance: 11.5 inches 

Powertrain Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles  

Fuel economy: 18 mpg City/20 mpg Highway 

Assembly: Nitra, Slovakia