How the Defender Became Land Rover’s Best-Selling Model

HuxleySci/Tech2025-07-234670

How the Defender Became Land Rover’s Best-Selling Model originally appeared on Autoblog.

Land Rover now sells more Defenders in a month than it used to sell in a year. By a wide margin, the Defender has become JLR's best-selling model, with over 115,000 units sold globally in 2024. In the first six months of 2025 alone, another 60,000 found homes around the world, putting it on track to beat the prior year's record. For comparison, the next best-selling JLR models were the Range Rover Sport (≈79,862 units in 2024, +19.7%) and the full-size Range Rover (≈76,715 units, +8.9%) – both impressive, yet still trailing the Defender's volume.

What's even more remarkable is the sustained sales strength year-on-year that the new Defender has enjoyed. Product lifecycles typically follow a surge after launch and then taper off, but Land Rover's reinvented icon isn't just selling well – it's redefining what sustained automotive success looks like in the modern era. In fact, Defender sales hit an all-time high in their fourth year – the highest in the model's 76-year history – defying the usual mid-life slump that most vehicles experience.

Despite a few naysayers when the new Defender was unveiled at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, what Land Rover introduced nearly six years ago has proven to be an incredible hit. Traditionalists and purists initially grumbled with terms like "Land Rover 'Offender'" thrown around by those who lamented the departure from the old no-frills formula. Yet time has vindicated Land Rover's bold redesign. The new Defender has become a runaway sales success, winning over both longtime loyalists and a whole new generation of buyers.

Before sampling the newly launched Defender Octa and the latest Defender Trophy Edition at an off-road event ahead of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, we sat down with JLR executives to understand the factors that have made the new Defender so popular.

From 'M' Shape to Ski Jump: Breaking the Traditional Sales Curve

In the car industry, most models enjoy a strong launch and early peak, then see declining sales by year 3 or 4 before a mid-cycle refresh gives a temporary bump – a pattern often visualized as a two-humped curve. But the Defender has broken this "M-shaped" sales curve. "Instead of this M-shape," explained Andy Hunt Cooke, Global Head of Communications for Defender, "our sales curve is actually more like a ski jump." In other words, Defender sales climbed early on and then kept climbing.

Land Rover has managed to keep the Defender fresh with every model year, continually improving what works. The strategy is essentially to take "the recipe that people really like already, and just make it slightly better" each year rather than letting the product go stale.

Sales data backs this up: even in its fourth year on sale, the Defender set a new annual sales record, building on its already impressive performance. This is unheard of in an industry where year-four is typically when a vehicle starts losing steam. JLR attributes this to tactical updates and expanded offerings that have kept consumer demand high.

View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article

The new Defender's appeal also transcends traditional SUV boundaries, drawing in a surprisingly broad customer base. The two-door Defender 90 has attracted buyers who previously drove sports cars – they see the short-wheelbase Defender as a fun, characterful alternative – whereas the three-row Defender 130 is finding favor with multi-child family households, especially in the U.S. This broad appeal has enabled Defender to conquest buyers across the automotive spectrum while also bringing back Land Rover loyalists who had long awaited a worthy successor to the original Defender.

Crucially, the Defender's success hasn't cannibalized its Range Rover siblings. On the contrary, Range Rover sales have remained robust (even growing nearly 9% last year) alongside Defender's rise. In other words, Defender is expanding JLR's total customer pool, not merely shuffling it.

The Customer-Centric Philosophy

At the heart of Defender's success lies an obsessive focus on customer feedback. As Jessica Martin, Global Product Manager for Defender, explained, "We spend so much time assessing what customers say, what they feed back to us. We've got different mechanisms – whether that's through focus groups, specific insight programs, retail feedback or surveys. We're constantly using that to optimize and move forward."

Rather than waiting four or five years for a big facelift, the Defender team makes incremental upgrades every year based on real-world input. "We know customers love what we already do, which is why we're gently iterating it year on year," Martin noted. This strategy has created an unprecedented loyalty loop – owners see that Land Rover keeps improving the Defender, giving them little reason to switch to another brand.

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

For example, the upcoming 2026 model year (MY) Defender brings a host of thoughtful enhancements. Powertrain options are upgraded; notably, a new 5.0-liter supercharged V8 (dubbed the P425) joins the 3.0-liter turbo inline-6 in the 90 and 110, boosting output from about 400 to 421 horsepower for more "pulling power."

The Defender's signature lighting is refreshed with crisp new LED headlight graphics and flush-fitting rear lamps with smoked lenses, giving a modern twist to its timeless look. Every Defender now gets a larger 13.1-inch infotainment touchscreen (up from 10–11.4 inches before) and a revised center console for a more upscale, user-friendly cabin.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

There is also new tech like adaptive off-road cruise control, which we tested around a rocky quarry that allows the Defender to automatically crawl at a set speed over rough terrain. Land Rover even responded to enthusiast requests by introducing larger accessory white steel wheels to fit models with big brake packages – fixing a long-standing annoyance that the previous wheel options posed for some owners.

Other MY2026 tweaks include new exterior colors (e.g. Borasco Grey, Keswick Green) and additional accessories like an integrated air compressor and new roof racks. All these changes are relatively small in isolation, but together they keep the Defender feeling fresh and finely tuned to customer desires.

This "evergreen" product strategy has paid off in loyalty. Defender owners are seeing meaningful improvements each year – more power, more tech, more personalization – without losing the core character they love. The result is that many are sticking with the model, upgrading to newer versions or special editions rather than drifting to competitors.

Special Editions Drive Excitement

The release of new special editions has further boosted the Defender's appeal. Take the recently introduced Defender Trophy Edition and the range-topping Defender Octa. The Trophy Edition, inspired by the legendary Camel Trophy off-road expeditions, sports a nostalgic Sandglow Yellow paint and a bundle of expedition accessories (roof rack, snorkel, skid plates, winch, etc.) for a factory-built adventure look.

Meanwhile, the Defender Octa serves as the halo model for the lineup. It's an exceptionally capable, high-performance Defender packing a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 626 bhp and 553 lb-ft of torque, plus advanced suspension and chassis upgrades. The Octa (and the stealthy new Octa Black Edition) can sprint 0–60 mph in under 4 seconds, supercar territory – all while remaining an immensely capable 4x4. By pushing the envelope, the Octa keeps the Defender in the spotlight and attracts attention from both hardcore off-roaders and luxury SUV buyers alike.

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

Related: Nobody Makes A Luxury Off-Roader As Cool As The New Defender Octa Black

The Defender's success extends beyond showrooms through savvy marketing partnerships, notably its sponsorship of the Oasis "Live '25" reunion tour. This alignment reinforces Defender's image as adventurous, culturally relevant, and quintessentially British, resonating strongly with fans and keeping the model highly visible internationally.

The Future of Automotive Success

The Defender's recent sales trajectory provides insights into shifting automotive industry dynamics. Traditional product cycles, defined by early peaks and mid-cycle refreshes, might be evolving as continuous innovation and incremental improvements become increasingly important to maintaining consumer interest.

This philosophy extends to future decisions as well. The next update for the US market could come in the form of a plug-in hybrid currently offered in other markets – but only if American buyers show genuine interest. Land Rover's willingness to adapt based on demand exemplifies the approach that has made the Defender a phenomenon.

By creating a vehicle that gets stronger with age, Land Rover has proven that the old rules of automotive success may be due for their own revolution. As the Defender continues its ski jump trajectory, it's rewriting what sustained success looks like in the modern era.