Land Rover's mighty Defender has received a round of subtle but meaningful updates for 2025. While it might take a trained eye to spot the changes on the outside, the more significant updates lie in the tech department, including a much larger touchscreen and a new driver monitoring system.
Exterior Updates: Blink and You Might Miss Them
The design tweaks are minimal. There's a new lighting signature up front, with the LED DRLs inside the headlamp now slightly smaller. At the rear, the tail lamps receive a smoked finish, while fog lamps are now standard across the range.
You also get a new gloss black bar across the grille, and the bumpers are now painted in either satin grey or silver. The bonnet and fender inserts have a fresh textured finish, and interestingly, the wheel centre caps now read 'Defender' instead of 'Land Rover' — a small detail, but one that might please badge purists.
New colour options include the eye-catching Patagonia White Matte, exclusive to the Defender Octa and V8 variants. There are also new 22-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels that aim to keep things looking rugged yet expensive.
New Accessories: Built for the Trail
Off-road enthusiasts get more to play with. The updated Defender now offers a new expedition roof rack, crossbars, and underbody protection. The Defender Octa can also be optioned with a 4,500 kg-rated winch, now neatly concealed under a carbon-fibre cover.
For those using their Defender 130 to cross continents or at least badly paved districts, there's now an integrated air compressor. It allows for on-the-go tyre pressure adjustments, useful whether you're lowering PSI for sand dunes or just trying to park at a crowded mall.
Interior and Tech: Bigger Screen, Smarter Systems
Inside, the biggest talking point is the new 13.1-inch touchscreen that replaces the old 11.4-inch unit. It fills up the dashboard more cohesively and offers better integration with Land Rover's latest infotainment suite.
There's also a new driver-facing infrared camera mounted on the steering column. This system keeps track of the driver's attention using eye movement and facial cues. If it senses inattention, it can trigger audio or visual warnings. While this may sound a bit Orwellian, it's part of the European Union's GSR2 safety mandate. Fortunately, the alerts can be adjusted or turned off if they start to get too naggy.
Another notable addition is an optional off-road adaptive cruise control system. It manages throttle and braking in rough terrain, helping reduce driver fatigue during slow, technical off-road crawls.
Engines and Body Styles: No Changes Here
Mechanically, the Defender remains unchanged for 2025. It's still available in 90, 110, and 130 body styles, and in India, it continues to be offered with five powertrain options:
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2.0-litre petrol
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2.0-litre plug-in hybrid
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3.0-litre diesel
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4.4-litre V8 (BMW-sourced, with mild hybrid tech)
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5.0-litre supercharged V8 (offered on high-performance variants like the Defender Octa)
Power outputs range from around 296 bhp to 525 bhp, with torque figures going up to 625 Nm on the big V8s. All variants continue with Land Rover's proven all-wheel-drive system and Terrain Response off-road modes.
Launch Timeline and Price in India
The updated Defender is already on sale in global markets like the UK. For India, a launch is expected shortly, with bookings likely to open in the coming weeks.
The Defender range in India currently starts at ₹1.05 crore and goes up to ₹2.79 crore (ex-showroom). Expect the updated models to carry a slight premium depending on trim and spec.
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