Land Rover Defender updated to bolster JLR's best-selling car - but can you spot what's changed?

Land Rover Defender updated to bolster JLR's best-selling car - but can you spot what's changed?
By: dailymail Posted On: May 28, 2025 View: 46

Land Rover's Defender has been on sale in Britain for five years, so a significant mid-life facelift is overdue.

This is especially the case with the luxury 4X4 becoming JLR's (formerly Jaguar Land Rover) best-selling product of all.

Last year, it delivered 115,400 Defenders globally, dwarfing the sales figures for the Range Rover (77,000) and Range Rover Sport (79,800).

With it selling Defenders as quickly as it can make them, JLR appears to have taken a 'less is more' approach to its '26MY' (model year) tweaks, which is far from the wholesale update most cars receive midway through their lifecycle.

In fact, it's difficult to see what's changed at all...

Here's what's different and how it will impact prices.

Land Rover has upgraded its best-selling car, the Defender. But can you spot the subtle changes?

It's fair to say that Land Rover has taken a subtle approach to upgrading its volume-selling product.

Defender has been treated to a series of very minor styling tweaks and cabin updates.

From the outside, there's no change to the familiar boxy silhouette that has proven a big hit with customers who've been snapping them up in record numbers since 2020.

A new headlight design, fog lights as standard and smoke-tinted rear light clusters - combined with a gloss black grille bar - are the only minimal changes to the exterior.

Instead, it's inside where arguably the biggest upgrade comes. 

2020 Land Rover Defender
2025 Land Rover Defender
Slide me
The minor tweaks include a new headlight design with a smaller centre section
The 26MY also boasts smoked rear light clusters in the very minor changes introduced

The cabin is now dominated by a larger 13.1-inch touchscreen - an increase in display size over the outgoing 11.4-inch unit.

Sitting above the gear selector and temperature control panel in the centre console, it uses the PiviPro system and should make the screen easier to tinker with on the move. 

There are other necessary update to the cabin, including the addition of an infrared camera behind the steering column, which powers the driver attention monitoring system.

This triggers audio and visual alerts to the person behind the wheel when the camera detects their eyes are away from the road for dangerous periods of time as a part of a mandated safety requirement for new models under the European Union's latest GSR2 legislation.

While the EU rules do not currently apply for UK-sold models, minsters recently suggested they will be adopted in Britain soon. 

A host of new paint options have also been launched and Defender - for the first time - will also benefit from adaptive off-road cruise control, though as an optional extra that customers will need to spec.

The cabin is now dominated by a larger 13.1-inch touchscreen - an increase in display size over the outgoing 11.4-inch unit
The larger screen should make adjustments on the move easier to make for the driver
Land Rover has also added a new safety feature in the cabin as part of a mandated EU rule
Customers will continue to be able to get their hands on the shorter Defender90 three-door, the five-door 110 and Defender 130 (pictured) with the option of seven or eight seats

Mark Cameron, managing director of Defender, said: 'More than five years after its introduction, Defender has become an enduring success. 

'With production at full capacity to meet demand, the latest changes are part of our continuous commitment to make adventures even more satisfying. 

'Fresh design enhancements, new colours and an expanded range of accessories follow Defender’s comprehensive upgrade last year, ensuring our iconic 4X4 is better than ever.'

There is a price increase for 2025... 

While Land Rover hasn't revealed information about powertrain options, it is likely to retain the combination of diesel, plug-in hybrid and supercharged V8 petrol engines.

Customers will continue to be able to get their hands on the shorter Defender90 three-door, the five-door 110 and seven or eight-seat Defender 130.

Prices for the updated Defender start from £57,135 thanks to the arrival of a new entry Defender90 S.

However, pricing has increased over 25MY vehicle, with a like-for-like X-Dynamic SE rising by almost £2,000 from £59,790 to £61,740.

Defender will continue to be produced exclusively at its Nitra plant in Slovakia, meaning it won't benefit from the trade agreement between the US and UK over reduced tariffs on imported vehicles.

This is Money has asked JLR if it intends to increase the cost of Defender for the US market in preparation for the 27.5 per cent levies on EU-made vehicles scheduled for introduction on 9 July, but it refrained from commenting on the tariff impact on pricing. 

Shortly after the tariffs - which then included the UK - were originally announced on President Donald Trump's self-proclaimed Liberation Day back in April, JLR chose to pause shipments of cars to America.

However, it restarted exports to the US at the beginning of this month.

Announcing the company's highest full-year profits in a decade earlier in May, chief executive Adrian Mardell said he 'cannot discount' launching production operations in America, despite the UK-US trade deal. 

Read this on dailymail
  Contact Us
  Follow Us
Site Map
Get Site Map
  About

Read the latest local and international news from trusted sources in one place.