Last updated: 2026-10-10

RELIABILITY SCORE: 59/100 (MIXED)

2025 Land Rover Defender 110 Reliability Report

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 rates well below other 2025 SUVs, with windshield cracking and sudden loss of drive power the main complaints.

Full Breakdown Compare Models

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

N/A

Est. Repair Cost

N/A

Annual Fuel Cost

$3,650–$4,300

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint SeverityN/A

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs40/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact88/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue DiversityN/A

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Caution

Rates weaker than the 2024 and 2026 years, with windshields that crack easily and two reports of drive power failing without warning.

Top Issues to Watch

VISIBILITY/WIPER (3)
POWER TRAIN (2)
STEERING (1)

Should You Buy the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110?

Standing is mixed. Against other 2025 SUVs, this Defender 110 sits well below average, and among its six scored model years it is one of the weaker ones. The 2024 and 2026 model years both rate better.

Windshields draw the most complaints. Chips grow into long cracks within weeks or months, even after professional repair, and one windshield cracked with no impact at all. The power train reports are more serious. A transfer case failed at about 5,000 miles, with a warning it could seize. In another, a DC converter fault brought a battery warning, then the vehicle shifted to neutral and shut off in traffic. The replacement part was out of stock for months. One report involves the longer Defender 130. Federal recall records list one recall covering equipment and structure.

Consider the 2024 first, though it has had longer to collect complaints. The 2026 shows no complaints or recalls, but it has had less time on the road. On any 2025, ask for windshield replacement history, power train repair records, and proof the recall was completed.

Compared to the 2026 Land Rover Defender 110, which scored 5 points higher. See also the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 for an earlier comparison.

Pros

+Low recall count
+Low complaint frequency

Cons

−Below-average reliability score
−VISIBILITY/WIPER: Windshields chip and crack far more easily than owners expect (3 complaints)
−POWER TRAIN: Drive power can fail without warning, and both reported failures leave the... (2 complaints)

Compare 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 With

2025 Jeep Wrangler

Reliability: 74/100

Good

2025 Toyota 4Runner

Reliability: 81/100

Excellent

2025 Ford Bronco

Reliability: 61/100

Good

2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Reliability: 75/100

Good

2025 Ford Explorer

Reliability: 72/100

Good

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK

1 manufacturer recall issued

Other

HIGH RISK

VISIBILITY/WIPER (3)
POWER TRAIN (2)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

recall on record

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

complaints

LowAvgHigh

Very Low

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2025 Land Rover Defender 110 Recall Details

1 recall has been issued for the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

24E1020002024-12-06

EQUIPMENT, STRUCTURE

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.

Consequence

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.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2025 Land Rover Defender 110? Check its history first

Visibility/wiper problems lead owner complaints about the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

Accidents
Open Recalls
Title History
Odometer Rollback

2025 Land Rover Defender 110 NHTSA Safety Ratings

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Rollover risk: 0.0%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Not Available)Advanced Belt Feature (Not Available)Seat Belt Pretensioners (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row, 3rd row)Seat Belt Load Limiters (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row, 3rd row)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Not Available)Seat Belt Reminder System (Not Available)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Head Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row, 3rd row)Torso and/or Pelvis Protection (Driver, Front Passenger)Knee (Not Available)Additional Air Bags (N/A)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)Unattended Child Reminder Direct Sensing System (No)LATCH Locations (2nd row)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Not Available)

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Land Rover Defender 110Repair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

16–19 MPG

Fuel cost: $3,650–$4,300/yr

Fuel only

14–18 city / 18–20 hwy MPG

Hybrid

17–19 MPG

Fuel cost: $3,650–$4,050/yr

Fuel only

15–18 city / 19–20 hwy MPG

Based on EPA fuel-cost estimates. Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2025 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Defender 110 2.0L 4-cyl	4-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	18	20	19	$3,650
Defender 110 5.0L 8-cyl	4-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	14	18	16	$4,300

Hybrid trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Defender 110 MHEV 3.0L 6-cyl	4-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	18	20	19	$3,650
Defender 110 MHEV 4.4L 8-cyl	4-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	15	19	17	$4,050

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2025 Land Rover Defender 110.

Inspect the whole windshield in bright light for chips, star breaks, and cracks, including old repaired chips.
Ask for glass repair or replacement records and check whether any repaired chip has started spreading.
Drive at highway speed for at least 20 minutes and watch for a battery warning on the dash.
Check service records for transfer case or DC converter replacement and confirm the work was completed.
Ask a Land Rover dealer to review this VIN's service history for transfer case or DC converter work.

2025 Land Rover Defender 110 Common Problems by Component

8 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

VISIBILITY/WIPER (3)POWER TRAIN (2)STEERING (1)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (1)FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1)

VISIBILITY/WIPER

3 complaints

Windshields chip and crack far more easily than owners expect. Small pebbles leave rock chips, and minor chips grow into long lateral cracks within weeks or months, sometimes after a professional chip repair. One report describes a crack spreading nearly two feet across the glass. Another describes the windshield cracking while driving with no debris or impact at all. These failures appear on low-mileage vehicles driven only on city streets and highways, not off road. A spreading crack in the driver's view limits visibility.

3 complaints total

POWER TRAIN

2 complaints

Drive power can fail without warning, and both reported failures leave the vehicle unsafe to drive. A transfer case fails at about 5,000 miles, and the owner is warned it could seize and cause loss of control. In a separate failure, a DC converter fault triggers a battery warning on the highway, then the vehicle shifts into neutral, goes into park, and shuts off in traffic. It cannot be moved until towed. The replacement part is reported out of stock for months. One of these reports involves the longer Defender 130.

2 complaints total

STEERING

1 complaint

2026-02-14

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.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER (1 complaints)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

2025-10-15

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.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1 complaints)

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaintSafety-related

2025-09-26Fire reported

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)

Best & Worst Land Rover Defender 110 Years

Best Land Rover Defender 110 Years to Buy

Based on reliability index score

Top Pick

Good

Land Rover Defender 110 Years to Avoid

No Land Rover Defender 110 years are statistical outliers in our data.

Scores stay between 57 and 64 across 6 scored model years.

See full Land Rover Defender 110 years-to-avoid analysis

Land Rover Defender 110 Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Land Rover Defender 110 reliability scores by year
Year	Score	Rating
2021	59/100	Mixed
2022	59/100	Mixed
2023	57/100	Mixed
2024	64/100	Good
2025	59/100	Mixed
2026	64/100	Good

Land Rover Defender 110 Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026	64/100	+5	Good	0	0
2025(selected)	59/100	-5	Mixed	1	8
2024	64/100	+7	Good	4	16
2023	57/100	-2	Mixed	7	70
2022	59/100	0	Mixed	4	61
2021	59/100	—	Mixed	7	32

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 reliable?

Its standing is mixed. Compared with other 2025 SUVs it is well below average, and it ranks among the weaker of the Defender 110's six scored model years. Owners filed 8 complaints, and the 2024 and 2026 model years both rate better.

What are the most common problems with the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110?

Windshield damage leads, with three complaints about chips turning into long cracks. Power train failures follow, with two reports of drive power lost without warning. Owners also filed one fire-related complaint, and federal records show one recall covering equipment and structure.

Does the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 have windshield problems?

Yes, owners report windshields that chip and crack far more easily than expected. Small pebbles leave chips that spread into long cracks, sometimes after a professional repair. One windshield cracked while driving with no impact. Reports come from low-mileage vehicles used on city streets and highways.

Can the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 lose drive power?

Owners report it can. One transfer case failed at about 5,000 miles, with a warning that it could seize. Another owner saw a battery warning on the highway before the vehicle went into neutral, then park, and shut off in traffic. It needed a tow.

Is the 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 more reliable than the 2025?

It rates better. The 2024 has more complaints, 16, and 4 recalls, but it has also been on the road longer. The 2025 stands among the weaker years in the Defender 110 lineup, so the 2024 is worth comparing, with its recall records checked.

Don’t buy a 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 does best on recall impact (88/100) and worst on repair costs (40/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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