Land Rover Rolls Out Subtle Yet Functional Updates to the Defender Lineup

Land Rover has announced a series of updates to its Defender SUV for the latest model year, refining one of the brand’s most successful modern vehicles without making radical changes. The revisions span exterior styling, interior enhancements, and functional upgrades, particularly for off-road performance. Expect India to receive the updated Defender soon, most likely early next year. 

Among the most noticeable changes are the redesigned lighting elements. The Defender now features new front headlights with updated signature detailing and integrated fog lamps as standard. At the rear, the tail-lights have been revised with smoked lenses that sit flush with the bodywork, contributing to a cleaner visual profile.

The bumpers have received "optimised" surface treatments, though the brand has not detailed any structural or aerodynamic benefits. Bonnet inserts and side vents now sport a new textured finish, and the Defender-branded wheel caps have been refreshed with a gloss black finish.

A new 22-inch seven-spoke alloy wheel design has been added to the options list, along with additional exterior colour choices to provide more customisation across the model range.

Inside the cabin, the updates continue with a larger 13.1-inch touchscreen that serves as the focal point for the vehicle’s infotainment system. The centre console has also been redesigned for improved usability and aesthetics. Perhaps the most notable interior update is the introduction of adaptive off-road cruise control. This system, evolving from Land Rover’s earlier ‘All Terrain Progress Control’, allows drivers to set a desired comfort level while the vehicle autonomously manages throttle and braking over challenging terrain. The driver remains responsible only for steering input.

Performance variants such as the high-output Defender V8 OCTA, which produces 630 bhp, remain unchanged mechanically but benefit from the same range of exterior and interior updates, including additional paint options.