Defender 4x4’s upcoming smaller relative will feature similarly tough looks and fully electric power On sale 2027 Price from £50,000 (est)
Darren Moss darren.moss@haymarket.com
IMAGINE A LAND Rover Defender that’s been put in the wash and shrunk.The resulting model should keep much of the off-road prowess and tough styling that’s made the Defender a global icon among SUVs, but with more compact dimensions and a lower price.That’s what we’re expecting from the upcoming Defender Sport.
As its name suggests, the Defender Sport will be a more compact version of the full-size Defender. Its design will be inspired by that of its rugged relative, too, with squared-off bodywork, purposeful body cladding around the lower edges, and a tall, boxy roof to make it practical inside and give its occupants good visibility around the car.
Like the Defender, the Sport is expected to offer a wide range of outdoors-themed accessories, such as roof racks for carrying bikes or kayaks, and even a portable washer for cleaning off your gear after a day of adventurous activities.
Where the Defender Sport will differ significantly from its larger sibling is in the way it’s powered.That’s because the smaller Defender will be based on the same underpinnings as the next-generation Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar and Land Rover Discovery Sport – cars that are all intended to have an electric version from the outset.This makes sense, with the Defender Sport planned to go on sale only three years before the proposed ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK. It also fits with Jaguar Land Rover’s plan to have an electric model in each of its product lines by 2030.
The regular Defender cannot be fully electrified because of the older underpinnings it sits on; instead, that car will remain available with plug-in hybrid power until around 2035.
Little is known about what size of battery the electric Defender Sport will have, but it’s expected to feature at least two motors to allow for four-wheel drive, and offer a range of at least 250 miles between charges.The Defender Sport’s batteries will be made by parent company Tata at a new facility it’s constructing in the UK.
In terms of charging, the Defender Sport will be capable of utilising the fastest charging points, likely at a maximum rate of 350kW.That means a 10-80% top-up could be completed in the time it takes to stop for a coffee.
By the time the Defender Sport goes on sale in 2027, its rivals will include a new off-road-focused SUV from Audi that’s expected to arrive in 2025, as well as the Mercedes-Benz
