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Model-year record

2025 Land Rover Defender
Image: Wikimedia Commons contributor · See source file

2025 Land Rover Defender

See the complaints, recalls, crash rating, and fuel economy in the public record. Then check the mileage and history of the car you found.

This page shows records, not a buy or avoid call.

The same model year can include a well-kept car and a neglected one. Use these records to plan what to check. Use the specific-car check when you know the mileage.

Complaints filed

12

Reports to NHTSA, 2025

Safety recalls

2

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Not rated

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

18

EPA estimate

Known issues

Visibility/Wiper issues lead owner complaints (58% of 12 reports), followed by power train (17%).

Visibility/Wiper58% · 7 reports
Power Train17% · 2 reports
Fuel/Propulsion System8% · 1 report
Steering8% · 1 report
Unknown Or Other8% · 1 report

Share of all 12 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11750447, ODI 11736331, ODI 11736333, ODI 11736334, ODI 11726310.

Individual complaint reports(12)

Showing the 12 most recent reports
Visibility/WiperJul 2026 · ODI 11750447Details +

The windshield cracked the 1st week owned the car. Land Rover didn’t warranty the windshield and have to buy a new one for 2500. The second windshield got a rock chip and now it expanded into a crack over 3 days.

Reported
Jul 2026
Incident date
Jul 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11750447 at NHTSA →
Visibility/WiperMay 2026 · ODI 11736331Details +

I am now on my 4th windshield on my 2025 Land Rover Defender 110. I have had 5 chips/cracks on these windshields. Only 1 crack was from a rock that you might expect glass breakage, the others were all caused by small pebble sized road gravel that was more like insect splatter. Safelite was repairing 1 very small chip and the windshield cracked during this common repair. Clearly the provided glass is substandard and should be upgraded for all Land Rover Defenders. I now never drive this car without the thought of another windshield break that’s about to occur.

Reported
May 2026
Incident date
Nov 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11736331 at NHTSA →
Visibility/WiperMay 2026 · ODI 11736333Details +

I am now on my 4th windshield on my 2025 Land Rover Defender 110. I have had 5 chips/cracks on these windshields. Only 1 crack was from a rock that you might expect glass breakage, the others were all caused by small pebble sized road gravel that was more like insect splatter. Safelite was repairing 1 very small chip and the windshield cracked during this common repair. Clearly the provided glass is substandard and should be upgraded for all Land Rover Defenders. I now never drive this car without the thought of another windshield break that’s about to occur.

Reported
May 2026
Incident date
Dec 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11736333 at NHTSA →
Visibility/WiperMay 2026 · ODI 11736334Details +

I am now on my 4th windshield on my 2025 Land Rover Defender 110. I have had 5 chips/cracks on these windshields. Only 1 crack was from a rock that you might expect glass breakage, the others were all caused by small pebble sized road gravel that was more like insect splatter. Safelite was repairing 1 very small chip and the windshield cracked during this common repair. Clearly the provided glass is substandard and should be upgraded for all Land Rover Defenders. I now never drive this car without the thought of another windshield break that’s about to occur.

Reported
May 2026
Incident date
May 2026
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11736334 at NHTSA →
Visibility/WiperMar 2026 · ODI 11726310Details +

30 years of car ownership have never had a chipped or cracked windshield. 2025 Land Rover Defender has had 3 rock chips in a year and now a 20" crack from very minor impact from a pebble. This windshield has a design flaw and is extremely fragile.

Reported
Mar 2026
Incident date
Mar 2026
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11726310 at NHTSA →
Visibility/WiperMar 2026 · ODI 11721273Details +

Driving down the road and my windshield spontaneously cracked. No road debris, no rock, no trauma or accident.

Reported
Mar 2026
Incident date
Feb 2026
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11721273 at NHTSA →
SteeringFeb 2026 · ODI 11718508Details +

While driving on Back Rd in New Hampshire at approximately 30 mph on Saturday, Feb 14, the vehicle suddenly lost power steering assist and simultaneously shifted into neutral. I received warning messages and immediately lost propulsion. Luckily, there was no traffic on the road with me, but that is not always the case on this particular road. I had to manually steer the vehicle without power assist and muscle it to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was disabled in the road and required towing. The vehicle has approximately 5,400 miles and is a 2025 model year, purchased in late June of 2025. The dealer has indicated the likely cause is a failed DC-DC converter, and I have been told the part is on backorder with extended delays. I've look online at forums, and it sounds like this is a widespread known issue that effects Land Rover cars with model years of 2022 and potentially prior as well. This sudden loss of steering assist and propulsion created a safety hazard in traffic, and it is possible that Land Rover has known about this issue for awhile.

Reported
Feb 2026
Incident date
Feb 2026
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11718508 at NHTSA →
Power TrainFeb 2026 · ODI 11717995Details +

The DC converter went bad and within 30 seconds while driving on the highway I got a battery warning and then the car went into neutral and stopped and went into park and the car turned off in the middle of the road and couldn’t be moved at all. Luckily some cops came and protected the car from behind until a tow truck came. The part needed is out of stock and may not be in stock for months!

Reported
Feb 2026
Incident date
Jan 2026
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11717995 at NHTSA →
Unknown Or OtherJan 2026 · ODI 11709570Details +

I had the car while driving loss of power then engine light came on. Dealer twice checked and stated no issue until they tested and found that the replacement of the Hybrid battery system was issue. I've found this same issue with Converter system showing up with others on the facebook 'The New Defender Owners' group. It seems to be a larger issue JLR is not telling people about that has been issue over a couple years.

Reported
Jan 2026
Incident date
Oct 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11709570 at NHTSA →
Power TrainJan 2026 · ODI 11708566Details +

The transfer case on my new 2025 LR Defender 130 went out at 5,000 miles. This unit distributes power to the axles. I was told that if I continue to drive it, it could seize up, possibly leading to a loss of control of the vehicle. Land Rover is aware that they installed a bad batch of transfer cases on their new vehicles. They have the batch number(s), and have apparently issued a 'service bulletin,' but not a recall. Nor did they contact owners to let them know of this problem proactively. Given the potential danger in the failure of this unit, a recall is the only safe option.

Reported
Jan 2026
Incident date
Dec 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11708566 at NHTSA →
Fuel/Propulsion SystemSep 2025 · ODI 11690159 · fireDetails +

I was driving on [XXX] In Sarasota County, Florida, at approximately 70mph I witnessed flames coming from passenger rear portion of the car, I pulled over and jumped out at the interior was filled with smoke. In less than 15 minutes the car completely burned to nothing but black molten metal. The vehicle was purchased new, had been on order for over 5 months and had approximately 1,300 miles on it, and was only approximately 45 days in my possession. The vehicle was inspected by police and fire department, it has been towed to the local Land Rover dealer in Sarasota, Florida. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Reported
Sep 2025
Incident date
Sep 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
Fire
Open ODI 11690159 at NHTSA →
Visibility/WiperJul 2025 · ODI 11672321Details +

Front Windshield has cracked. Defender has less than 10K and has only been driven on city roads and highway. No offroad. Chip left of center occurred from pebble while driving on Freeway back February. Took vehicle to Safelite for repair within a week. Two months later Chip expanded into a lateral crack extending nearly two feet towards passenger side. Crack is now extending towards driverside almost 10" Land Rover claims Defender is made for offroad but there appears to be the windshield is structurally weak.

Reported
Jul 2025
Incident date
Apr 2025
Mileage
Not provided
Outcome flags
None reported
Open ODI 11672321 at NHTSA →

Recalls(2)

Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.

Air BagsDec 2026 · 26V389000Details +

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver’s air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended.

Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will apply a protective lubricant gel to the driver’s air bag connector terminals, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed August 7, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D120.

Open full NHTSA recall record →
EquipmentJun 2024 · 24E102000Details +

Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Land Rover Defender vehicles equipped with Raised Air Intake (RAI) aftermarket accessory equipment, with part number VPLEP0543. The raised air intake may not be secured properly, which can allow the intake to detach from the vehicle.

Risk: A detached raised air intake can fall off the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, remove and reinstall the RAI accessory, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed February 20, 2025. Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is N964.

Open full NHTSA recall record →

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

0 NHTSA investigations on record

No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.

Crash-test ratings

No NHTSA crash test is on record for this year. Some vehicles and model years were not tested or do not have a published NCAP result.

Fuel economy by trim

TrimEngineDrivetrainCityHwyCombined
Defender 90 MHEV3.0L 6-cyl4-Wheel Drive182119
Defender 902.0L 4-cyl4-Wheel Drive182119
Defender 130 P400 MHEV3.0L 6-cyl4-Wheel Drive182019
Defender 110 MHEV3.0L 6-cyl4-Wheel Drive182019
Defender 1102.0L 4-cyl4-Wheel Drive182019
Defender 130 P300 MHEV3.0L 6-cyl4-Wheel Drive172018
Defender 130 Outbound3.0L 6-cyl4-Wheel Drive161918
Defender 110 MHEV4.4L 8-cyl4-Wheel Drive151917
Defender 905.0L 8-cyl4-Wheel Drive151916
Defender 1305.0L 8-cyl4-Wheel Drive141916
Defender 1105.0L 8-cyl4-Wheel Drive141816

EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

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Compare the year-by-year record

Open another year for its own evidence-gated decision. TireKick does not crown a best year from raw complaint totals.

2025 Land Rover Defender: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2025 Land Rover Defender?

Owners filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the 2025 Land Rover Defender. This is raw owner-reported complaint volume with no production or exposure normalization, so it is not a reliability score or a best/worst-year ranking.

What are the most common problems on the 2025 Land Rover Defender?

The most-reported problem areas are Visibility/Wiper (58% of complaints) and power train (17%).

How many recalls does the 2025 Land Rover Defender have?

2 recalls have been issued that affect the 2025 Land Rover Defender, covering components such as air bags. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.

What gas mileage does the 2025 Land Rover Defender get?

The EPA rates the 2025 Land Rover Defender between 16 and 19 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.