In the world of luxury off-roaders, few names resonate as deeply as the Land Rover Defender. It’s a vehicle rooted in rugged history, built originally for exploration, adventure or military use. Over the years, the Defender has evolved dramatically, transitioning from a rugged work car into a premium off-roader without losing its powerful performance. The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 is the largest and most spacious member of the Defender family, built for those who need a mix of size, style, and toughness.
With the Defender 130, Land Rover caters to both families and adventurers. The 130 may just be a better version of the Defender 110. Whether you’re heading off to the hills, navigating through Accra traffic, or embarking on a cross-country expedition, the 130 is a commanding companion that brings space and power into perfect harmony.
A Bold Design
The Defender 130 takes everything we love about the Defender 90 and 110 and amplifies it. At over five metres in length, the 130 is unmistakably large, but it wears its size well. It maintains the squared-off silhouette that defines the Defender family, with short overhangs and flush LED lighting. Land Rover has cleverly managed to extend the rear end without making the vehicle look out of proportion. The longer body adds not just room but presence, it’s bold and impossible to miss.
For 2025, the Defender 130 gets subtle exterior upgrades, including new alloy wheel designs, fresh paint options, and a revised grille that lends a slightly more premium appeal. Optional features like a panoramic sunroof, illuminated treadplates, and body-coloured wheel arches help elevate the aesthetic further, giving buyers the chance to make their Defender feel tailored and exclusive.
Performance
The 2025 Defender 130 offers several powertrain choices, but the standout is the P500, powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged V8. It delivers 493 horsepower and 610 Nm of torque, allowing this three-row SUV to hit 0–100 km/h in just under 5.7 seconds. That’s an impressive feat for a vehicle that weighs nearly 2.7 tonnes. There’s also a mild-hybrid 3.0-litre inline-six option available, which balances performance and fuel efficiency for more urban-focused drivers.
All versions come with Land Rover’s legendary Terrain Response system and full-time four-wheel drive. Whether you’re crawling over rocks, driving through heavy rain in Kumasi, or tackling sandy terrain along a beach, the Defender 130 handles it with confidence. An optional electronic air suspension makes the ride smooth and adaptable, allowing the 130 to switch between city cruiser and off-road warrior seamlessly.
Spacious Interior
It’s very clear that this SUV was designed with comfort in mind. The cabin is tastefully rugged, blending high-end materials with practical finishes. Good flooring, exposed screw heads, and grab handles give it an adventurous feel, while leather upholstery, wood veneer accents, and metal trims speak to Land Rover’s luxury roots.
The main highlight, of course, is the space. With three rows of seating and up to eight seats, the Defender 130 offers more passenger room than any Defender before it. Even the third row is suitable for adults, something few full-size SUVs manage well. The second row slides to improve legroom, and there’s ample headroom all around thanks to the upright design.
Cargo space is generous, with over 389 litres available behind the third row and more than 1,300 litres when it’s folded down.
Technology
The Defender 130 comes well-equipped. A 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system is now standard across the range, featuring crisp graphics, over-the-air updates, and intuitive navigation. It also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making smartphone integration seamless.
You also get a digital instrument cluster, a head-up display, and optional features like a 3D surround camera and ClearSight rear-view mirror, which uses a camera feed to help when visibility is blocked by cargo or passengers. USB-C ports are scattered throughout the cabin for everyone to stay charged, and there’s even a built-in cooler box in the centre console for keeping drinks chilled during long trips.
Safety and Driver Assistance
The Defender 130 comes with adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking as standard. There’s also trailer assist for towing, and off-road-focused aids like hill descent control and wade sensing, which warns you if water levels are too high.
If you’re a large family with a taste for adventure, or simply someone who wants one of the most capable and stylish large SUVs on the market, the Defender 130 is hard to beat. It’s a vehicle that works equally well in the city and the wild. You get comfort, capability, and charisma all wrapped into one robust package.
In Ghana, where road conditions vary from smooth highways to rugged trails, the Defender 130 makes sense as both a luxury lifestyle vehicle and a practical one. The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 is more than just a longer Defender. It’s a full-fledged luxury SUV that blends practicality with power.
