The Verdict
Worst problem area
Visibility & Lighting
Visibility & Lighting leads by volume: 7 of 13 complaints (54%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Fuel System include more fire reports (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 27 in 2024 to 13 in 2025.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 13
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $4,050–$4,850
- Combined MPG
- 16–19
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | vs. 2025 Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 3,850–4,850 | 3,850–4,850 | 4,050–4,850 | 3,850–4,850 | 4,050–4,550 | |
| Combined MPG | 16–20 | 16–20 | 16–19 | 16–20 | 17–19 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 14–18 / 19–23 | 14–18 / 18–22 | 14–18 / 18–21 | 14–18 / 18–23 | 15–18 / 18–22 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 444–563 | 453–563 | 465–574 | 448–574 | 457–534 | |
| Complaints filed | 93 | 27 | 13 | 6 | 0 | |
| Recalls issued | 10 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 7 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2025 Land Rover Defender have?
2 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2025 Land Rover Defender?
Visibility & Lighting: 7 of 13 NHTSA complaints (54%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2025 Land Rover Defender get?
EPA rates it 16–19 MPG combined across 11 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2025 Land Rover Defender?
EPA estimates $4,050–$4,850 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (11)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg (high) | 20 mpg | 19 mpg (high) | $4,050 (low) | 474 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S8) | 4 | 2.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg (high) | 21 mpg (high) | 19 mpg (high) | $4,050 (low) | 465 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 5.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 15 mpg | 19 mpg | 16 mpg (low) | $4,850 (high) | 550 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 5.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 14 mpg (low) | 18 mpg (low) | 16 mpg (low) | $4,850 (high) | 574 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 5.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 14 mpg (low) | 19 mpg | 16 mpg (low) | $4,850 (high) | 567 g/mi |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg (high) | 20 mpg | 19 mpg (high) | $4,050 (low) | 479 g/mi |
| Configuration 7 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg (high) | 21 mpg (high) | 19 mpg (high) | $4,050 (low) | 468 g/mi |
| Configuration 8 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 17 mpg | 20 mpg | 18 mpg | $4,300 | 491 g/mi |
| Configuration 9 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 18 mpg (high) | 20 mpg | 19 mpg (high) | $4,050 (low) | 474 g/mi |
| Configuration 10 | Automatic (S8) | 6 | 3.0L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 16 mpg | 19 mpg | 18 mpg | $4,300 | 509 g/mi |
Show 1 more configuration
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 11 | Automatic (S8) | 8 | 4.4L | 4-Wheel Drive | Premium | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 15 mpg | 19 mpg | 17 mpg | $4,550 | 534 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (2)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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. Owner letters were mailed August 3, 2026. Owners may contact Land Rover's customer service at 800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is D120.
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS; EQUIPMENT
- Defect
- 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.