There is a lot of knowledgeable folks on here. I’m looking at two virtually identical Defender X’s. One is a 2023, the other a late 2020. Virtually identical…same color and same options. Certified pre-owned, roughly same mileage.

Differences:
2020 is $13,500 cheaper
2023 CPO warranty until October 2027
2020 CPO warranty until December 2025 ($1,900 to extend additional year)

Only difference in options is the 2020 has optional Air Compressor (don’t care), 22” black 5 spoke wheels, and silver Lunch Box on right side.
2023 has the 19” wheels and nothing additional.

Is side carrier/lunch box removable??

Note: I do not really care for either one of these wheels and would switch to 20”s. That being said, the 22” wheels would be easier to sell.

I’m curious about your thoughts as I have heard sometimes it’s better to maybe get an earlier Defender because there were no supply chain issues then. Thanks!

 

Did you actually looked at the vehicle or are these internet searches? 2020 X should be fully optioned. 2023 not so much. 2020 X has full USB-C set in the second row, soft close doors, sunglasses storage, leather drivers steering wheel airbag cover, side door warning, 2nd row cooled seats, console fridge, clear view rear view mirror, headlight washers, adaptive cruise and front tow hook, towing package etc. check the option list or pictures and compare. Price difference is it's also cheaper.

 

Have not physically looked at them yet, but I have the build sheets and had the dealer take pics of certain options to verify that they are indeed installed. Thanks for the advice...the 2020 definitely came complete from the factory. I haven't dug as far into into the 2023 yet.

 

I’m not sure you’ll see the differences in the option sheet. The 2020 models (I have 1) didn’t suffer the later covid supply chain issues. So in productions post 2020 a lot of the standard features were missing … worth checking out.

 

I have a 2020 X, absolutely love it, and have had very few ****les (mostly software in 1st 12-18 mod). Otherwise bulletproof and I do drive it "as intended" off road. Usually the philosophy is "avoid year one of a LR model" but I haven't run into anything that would give me pause on a 2020.

If you can swing the additional $, I'd go for the 2023 just for the additional 2 years of warranty for additional 10-11K. If budget is the concern, get the 2020, save the 10K, and do the additional year to take it to 2026. That gives you two years to decide if it's a 'keeper' truck.

You can take off the side box, but it will leave 2 holes in the trim piece on the belt line under the window. So you need a new trim piece and then it has to get painted body color. Minor but worth mentioning.

PS may be easier to just wait and find one that has the wheels you want already... there are a ton of X's out there, and most of them do actually seem to have 20" 5098's (some have 22's).

A few minor things my 2020 X has that later ones maybe don't have:
- sunglasses holder up top in console in headliner (love this)
- the sensor in each door and warning light when you open the door and it tells you "a car is approaching" with a yellow warning light.
- seatback pockets made of different material.
- 2020 cupholder in console slightly different (2020 has a smaller and larger cup holder, in 2021 or so they are both the same size -- again minor)
- Instrument cluster graphics slightly different 2020 vs 2023 (miles on top on 2020, miles on bottom on 2023)

PS two deal breakers for me...
-- I'd make sure the 2023 has the full TFT digital dash cluster. (where the gauges are). I think X models are out there with the hybrid physical gauge / digital cluster and that seems dumb to me.
-- The Meridian stereo. I'd only get the top Meridian on an X -- I think it's 700w 14 speaker system. I would not settle for the slightly lesser 400w Meridian on an X (and some later ones got the lesser but still Meridian stereo)

 

@nashvegas Thanks for your complete reply. Great points! As far as waiting for the "One" with the right wheels...I get your point. There are a lot of X's out there, but many slowly get eliminated because of my "wants and needs" (must have Tow Hitch, Must have Meridian Surround System, must NOT have 7 seats etc). So in the end, if I find one that has everything I want except for the the wheels...those are easy to change.

Other than the Odometer location on the digital instrument cluster, is it otherwise the same screen and resolution? Configurable? The 2020 I am looking at has it and the 15 speaker Meridian Surround System btw

Wireless CarPlay in 2020's?
Over the Air updates in 2020's?

Thanks again, so much to learn!

 

All 2020 has OTA update as well as wireless CarPlay

 

If the 2020 X was ordered with the 22” wheels, it should have a “hidden” brake upgrade too. Bigger rotors and 6-piston vs 4-piston calipers.
We got lucky with our 23.5 and it was fully loaded (wasn’t missing the full digital gauges, clear sight mirror, or meridian surround as I’ve seen some models arrive at my dealership). Has the larger 11.4” pivi screen too.
What it is missing vs a 2020 is the soft close trunk, click and go plus usb on the seat backs, the sunglass holder (this is at least a decently cheap retrofit from powerfuluk, which I did), and the sensors/lights warning of approaching traffic when opening the doors.

 

I just noticed, there are no headlight washers on the new defender X vs the 2020?

 

I thought the washers were part of the cold climate pack, not standard. At least that’s how it was when I ordered mine (Canadian model)