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Land Rover updates the Defender for 2025

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Land Rover has given the big Defender a series of minor updates for the 2025 model year, including some styling tweaks to the lights and new colour and wheel options.

I'm struggling, help me...

Yeah, you're not the only one. The visual changes to the Defender's exterior are incredibly small. Then again, the Defender has been a massive success, and its distinctive exterior style is a huge part of that, so perhaps Land Rover has played a smart game in not changing too much.

So what has actually changed?

There are changes to the materials used for the bumpers and inserts at the front, giving them a more textured look and that's true too of the side vents and the inserts on the bonnet. The headlights look basically the same in terms of shape, but they have a new LED lighting signature. There's a new gloss-black bar for the radiator grille, and a dark oval Land Rover badge.

Any changes at the back?

Only that the minimalist brake lights now have a dark tint. However, there are some new colour options - there's a metallic grey (Borasco Grey) which Land Rover says is inspired by the Borasco silver mine in California, with a fine and bright finish.

By contrast, Woolstone Green is inspired by Woolstone waterfall in the UK. “The deep green finish recognises the British outdoors with warm undertones energised by medium aluminium and coarse yellow mica accents,” says Land Rover.

There is also a new 22-inch alloy wheel option, with a diamond-turned dark grey finish.

What about the cabin?

There's a new 13.1-inch touchscreen, two inches up on the previous version, and the position of the dash-mounted gear lever has moved slightly.

There's a new storage area in the centre console between the front seats with a sliding top, which has a deeper storage section beneath it. There are also removable side pockets, and a new cable-routing design that means you can charge up phones and tablets without having messy cables everywhere. If you don't want that, then there's still the option of a three-seat layout with a central 'jump seat.'

Any tech or engineering changes?

Yes, there's the option of a new Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control, which replaces the old All Terrain Progress Control system. Land Rover says that this “allows the driver to set a desired comfort level when negotiating rough terrain, so they can concentrate on steering the vehicle - improving composure off-road while reducing driver effort. The system automatically adjusts the speed to maintain the desired level of comfort over undulating surfaces, for unruffled off-road driving.”

You'll also notice a new pod behind the steering wheel, which is home to a new set of driver attention monitoring sensors.

There are some new accessories too, including a winch capable of hauling 4,500kg, while the longer, eight-seat, Defender 130 is now available with an integrated air compressor option - perfect for topping up tyre pressures after driving with reduced pressures on soft sand, for example.

What about engine options?

It's as before really, which means that the big seller for the Irish market will remain the plug-in hybrid P400e version.

The ultra-high-performance Octa model, with its 635hp V8 engine and uprated suspension and steering remains on sale too (with some new model-specific colour options), but good luck spotting any of those on Irish roads, while the mild-hybrid petrol and diesel versions will also be of minimal interest here unless buyers really can't do without the seven-seat option.

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Published on May 28, 2025
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