It's getting close to the start of another model year! What are folks hearing for new features on Defender for 2025 (vs. the 2024)?

I'm hoping they bring back the option to "delete" panoramic roof. At the very least, please fix the roof blind for folks that do want the panoramic window. The current blind offering is a thoughtless step back from what older LRs provided, and the answer is right in front of JLR: LR 2/3/4 models had panoramic glass roofs, but the older models were considerate enough to give the driver and back seat passengers each their own (independently operated) blinds! Simple fix I'm sure - just do it. This let the back seat passenger open their skylight blind and stare up, while the driver may choose to keep the blind in place if sunlight was distracting.

Next guess: I think swapping out the battery in the 2.0L (to what the 3.0L has been using), may give that trim level some extra power and life. It's a good engine, and with a bit more juice from a bigger lithium battery, may be an improvement?

The consumer response is in: iPad controls were done to save money by car companies, and they are losing in the market for expensive SUVs. Defender fortunately never embraced the cheap-o iPad control model, and gave drivers a bunch of buttons, *****, and dials. But if the 2025 adds a few more physical controls (relieving the driver of "going to the iPad" for a feature), I think that's a good direction. Random thought: "break the mold" would be have a small iPad and put all the radio/music to that smaller screen, in addition to a few physical controls for station changes or music song searches. This would allow a passenger to be the DJ while the driver has their screen for whatever. Would separating the music allow one to change the station without any interference from a NAV direction? It would be centralizing a key feature, but disentangling it from the driver's other features like NAV that take priority (as they should) with a shared iPad screen. Just thinking....

Last hope: add to the cluster dial a gauge for battery life/health and oil (full/empty/temp). Wranglers show not only oil, but transmission fluid. Defender need not be that specific, but low on oil? Yea, maybe that's worth a quarter sized dial on the dash. As for battery, if it goes dead you're toast. Knowing ahead of time what that battery has left seems prudent, given all that's electronic on Defender.

Looking forward to what JLR brings to Defender for 2025 model year!

 

Lithium battery? They die faster.

 

How about more paint color options that aren't a shade of gray? Offer that 130 dark red color on the 110. How about a dark green color? Too bad Lexus already copied the old Defender Tan paint color and put it on their new GX.

I'll be ordering a 2025 to replace our chip-shortage 2023 that is missing many of the features I like on our 2021. And I need the 179 tax break that a new work vehicle provides.

 

I just placed an order last week. I wanted eiger grey and was told it’s being discontinued for 2025. There was one other color that’s being discontinued, if I remember correctly is hakuba silver but I can’t say for certain as eiger grey was what my heart was set on and I couldn't get it

I did ask what other changes are there are for 2025 and the salesperson didn’t know.

 

I was told over the weekend by my salesman that captain's chairs are going to be available on the 130 for the 25MY.

 

When you say captains chairs do you mean 2nd row captains chairs? Cause if so I need to get in line!

 

Yes, that is correct.

 

Did you place an order for a 2025 Defender? If it was for 2024, I'm guessing your dealer had another color car on the way and just gave a BS line to sell you what was en route.

 

I heard the same: the habuka silver is through 2024, but the 2025 will bring in something, likely similar; although IDK what that is going to be called, doubt it's far off. did you end up with a 2024? i thought the books on 2024 were "done" for now, as they await the 2025 orderings...

 

Anyone think the 90/110/130 defenders will get the 626hp BMW v8 for 2025MY (and not just the Octa?).

we are looking at a defender 130x. I own 6 V8 cars right now and will miss the sound (which I always modify exhaust as well), but I have 2 issues with the v8 in the 130: (1) for some reason it’s detuned to only 493hp and 450tq, which is barely more than the 400/406 the inline 6 makes (and 27hp less than that engine supercharged 5.0 in my 2010 jag XFR makes!) and (2) we want a Gondwana Stone color defender (X trim black hood ext) but the 130 V8 is only available in black or grey and I’ve owned enough black cars for a bit.

We are not in any rush, just in general need a 3 row vehicle at some point, so I guess it makes sense to wait until 2025 news is released before deciding. We’ll probably own this vehicle for 6-10 years.