The Land Rover Defender is known as an off-road beast, ready to ford streams and navigate over mountains and deserts, on snow, dirt, sand and rocks. But it’s more than a capable off-roader – the Defender is refined and luxurious and equally at home in the city or the highway. Drawbacks are a high price, poor fuel economy, and a cabin that’s not quite as luxe as the price point may suggest.
Base Price: $95,000
As Tested: $108,278
Horsepower: 493
Mileage: 14 mpg city/18 mpg highway/16 mpg combined
The Defender was reintroduced for the 2020 model year. For 2025 Defender keeps its trademark boxy silhouette and upright stance. The new top-tier Octa trim is added, while the Carpathian Edition is discontinued.
The 2025 Defender comes in three body styles. The Defender 90 S is a two-door compact SUV with room for five in two rows of seating. The Defender 110 is a four-door model with room for five in two rows of seating, while the Defender 130 has three rows of seating for up to eight passengers. The Defender 130 Outbound eliminates the third row to leave plenty of cargo space.
There are numerous trims: S, X-Dynamic SE, Sedona Red Edition, X, V8, Outbound (Defender 130 model only), Octa (Defender 110 only) and Octa Edition One. Starting prices range from $56,900 to $167,800. All come standard with four-wheel drive.
There are five (!) available engines. The base set-up is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. There’s also a turbocharged and supercharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder mild hybrid engine that makes 395-horsepower and 406 pound-feet; a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 493 hp and 461 pound-feet; and a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine that cranks out 518 horses and 461 pound-feet. The new top-of-the-line Octa trim, which is only available with the Defender 110 body style, comes with a twin-turbo 4.4-liter mild hybrid V8 that churns out 626 horses and 553 pound-feet, and has many off-road features. All have an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The base engine has enough power for daily driving. If you’re serious about tackling rugged terrain, the six-cylinder or one of the V8s would probably be better.
Often, a vehicle suited for rugged adventures isn’t the most refined on pavement, but that’s not the case with the Defender. It’s quick with nimble handling and a smooth ride. My Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE test vehicle with a V8 can scoot from zero to 60 mph in just over five seconds and there’s plenty of power for merging and passing on the highway. The ride is comfortable, thanks to the air suspension and adaptive dampers. Steering and brakes are responsive, and the eight-speed shifts smoothly and quickly. However, there is some noticeable body roll when cornering. Still, the Defender does its job well as both a capable off-roader and premium luxury SUV.
Every Defender is ready for off-roading with full-time four-wheel drive, two-speed transfer case, hill descent control, and Terrain Response which lets you choose from different modes depending on the terrain. The available Terrain Response 2 system will automatically adjust to whatever driving surface you’re on. Want to ford a stream in the Defender? No problem. The available electronic air suspension can raise ground clearance to 11.5 inches, and the Defender can get through water that’s almost 3 feet deep.
Fuel economy is below average for a luxury midsize SUV, but not bad when compared with other off-road SUVs. EPA ratings for my Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE tester with the 5.0-liter V8 are 14 mpg city and 18 mpg highway with a combined rating of 16. I got 16 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
When properly equipped, the Defender can tow up to 8,200 pounds, which is excellent for a luxury midsize SUV.
The cabin has an open and airy feel, thanks to the Defender’s tall and boxy build. Most materials have a nice look and feel, but there are some hard plastics. Exposed rivets in the door panels and metal accents evoke its utilitarian heritage while many niceties and modern tech remind you that you’re in a luxury vehicle. Passengers enjoy decent leg- and headroom in both rows, even in the two-door Defender 90. And in the Defender 130, the third row is roomy enough for adults, and you can get a center jump seat in the first row if you want to accommodate three people up front. The cabin is also very quiet, which is not always the case in an off-road-tuned vehicle. Land Rover’s Pivi Pro infotainment system with its 11.4-inch touchscreen is on the dash.
Standard features include proximity keyless entry, push-button start, rearview camera, surround-view camera system, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, partial leather upholstery, power-adjustable and heated front seats, heated, leather-wrapped and power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, infotainment system with 11.4-inch touchscreen, navigation, 10-speaker Meridian premium audio system, satellite radio, HD Radio, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, wireless device charging, multiple USB ports, universal garage door opener, and a panoramic roof.
Available features include an Activity Key (a wristband that lets you unlock and lock the Defender without a key fob), head-up display, digital rearview mirror, three-zone automatic climate control, quad-zone automatic climate control, full leather upholstery, premium leather upholstery, leather and microsuede upholstery, 14-way adjustable front seats with driver memory settings, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, heated third-row seats, Wi-Fi hot spot, cabin air ionization ambient LED interior lighting, center console refrigerator,120-volt household-style power outlet, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic high-beam headlights, and a partial cloth roof.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, pedestrian detection, traffic-sign recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, and vehicle exit warning (alerts those exiting the Defender of other vehicles approaching from behind).
Land Rover’s Pivi Pro infotainment system looks good with its large 11.4-inch touchscreen and sharp graphics and is much better than the brand’s older systems. It includes navigation, climate controls and vehicle settings and supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The system usually responds quickly to inputs, but every so often, response times will lag. Software updates can be done over-the-air.
Cargo space is below average to good, depending on the body style. The Defender 90 has only 15.6 cubic feet of space behind the second row and 58.3 cubic feet with the second row folded. The Defender 110 has 34 cubes behind the second row and 78.8 cubes with the second row folded. The Defender 130 has 15.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 35.8 cubes behind the second row and 76.1 cubes with the second and third rows folded. The tailgate swings out to the right instead of opening straight up, and the door is heavy, due to the mounted spare tire. So you can get a workout opening and closing the big door!
The good:
Available in several body styles and configurations
Impressive off-road capability
Refined ride for driving on-road
Energetic, refined handling
Spacious cabin with room for adults in all rows
Many standard and available features and tech
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Price climbs quickly with packages and options
Cabin not as posh as some luxury brands
Below average fuel economy
Heavy hatch door that swings right
Pricing info:
My tester with the 5.0L V8 starts at $95,000. The Towing Pack is $1,295 and includes a tow hitch receiver and advanced tow assist. Carpathian Grey paint is $1,550. Three-zone climate control with rear cooling assist is $1,100. A head-up display is $1,000. Ebony Windsor leather seats with ebony interior is $750. Wi-Fi with data plan is $360. 22-inch full size spare wheel is $200. 22-inch style 5098 five-spoke Gloss Black wheels are $200. Air quality sensor is $100. Emergency pack is $75. The Premium Upgrade Interior Pack is $1,615 and includes a leather steering wheel, extended leather upgrade, 14-way heated and cooled memory front seats, and leather gearshift. The Extended Black Exterior Pack is $1,310. The Premium Interior Protection and Storage Pack is $720. The Black Wheel Protection and Storage Pack is $720. The Black Wheel Protection Pack is $575. The body-colored spare wheel cover is $400. Cabin Air Purification Plus is $375. The Handover Pack is $28. The destination fee is $1,625 bringing the grand total to $108,278.
Bottom line:
The 2025 Land Rover Defender is an off-road beast that’s also a refined luxury vehicle. It comes in several body styles to appeal to solo adventurers and couples to larger families, and the choice of five engines to suit different driving needs. Fuel economy isn’t great and the price can quickly climb with options, but the Defender can truly do it all and look good doing it.
