Land Rover Defender Trophy PHEV – With Rally Heritage As Standard.

Land Rover Defender Trophy PHEV – With Rally Heritage As Standard.

The amazing Land Rover Defender made history at the 2026 Dakar Rally, claiming victory in the Stock category on its debut. Over two weeks of punishing desert terrain, the Defender D7X-R delivered multiple stage wins along with a clean sweep of podium finishes. This marks an exciting new chapter for the Defender in motorsport, reinforcing it as the ultimate expression of strength and resilience.

Unmatched Durability.

The Defender’s unique monocoque chassis and reinforced steel subframe offer a formidable combination of lightweight rigidity and unmatched durability. Designed to withstand the most punishing terrain, the Defender’s suspension systems distribute impact effectively, helping to reduce wear whilst maintaining stability over rugged surfaces. The Defender’s solid stance and impressive ground clearance create an iconic silhouette that stands out from the crowd, while its raised bonnet, sculpted grille and flush tail lights define its unmistakable character.

Defender Trophy Limited Edition.

The new Defender Trophy takes inspiration from the legendary Camel Trophy events which were held from 1980 to 2000. This gruelling event was a famous annual international off-road driving competition, affectionately known as the “Olympics of 4X4”. The event concluded in 2000 due to restrictions on tobacco sponsorship (originally backed by Camel cigarettes) and changing corporate strategies at the time. The Defender Trophy is a modified variant of the 110 X-Dynamic SE and is available exclusively in Deep Sandglow Yellow (similar to the original trophy colour), as well as Keswick Green – both of which can be specified with or without satin paint protection film. Exclusive Trophy Edition 20” Style 9013 “Faux Steelie” wheels are standard, along with Trophy bodywork decals, black wheel arch protection, front under shield and rear scuff plate. Sandglow Yellow models have standard-fit Ebony Windsor Leather seat trim and a Sandglow Yellow cross-car beam, while Keswick Green models come with Ebony or Light Cloud Windsor Leather interior trim, and a Keswick Green cross-car beam.

Recently Revised

The Defender’s recent revisions were introduced to keep it fresh in the face of growing competition, as the Defender went mostly unchanged from its 2020 launch. Exterior changes include updated headlights and taillights that are now flush with the bodywork, along with revised front and rear aprons, and a black grille bar. The Defender’s generously-appointed cabin now features a larger touchscreen (increased from 11.4 inches to 13.1 inches in size), with the centre interior controls and gear selector angled slightly to accommodate the larger size. Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control also became available, and a new Driver Attention Monitor was added as standard.

Recognisable Silhouette.

Impressive proportions and a reassuringly recognisable silhouette help define the new Defender Trophy’s arresting look. Compact and upright, the Defender’s front profile features a raised bonnet, sculpted grille and precise detailing, while from behind, it looks both utterly modern and perfectly planted. Solid shoulders and powerful squared-off wheel arches give the Defender a purposeful stance, whilst short overhangs and impressive ground clearance give credence to the vehicle’s capabilities. With its floating pillars, alpine lights and side-opening tailgate (with an externally-mounted full-size spare wheel), the Defender Trophy has a unique personality and outstanding character. The interior features durable materials in areas that need it most – such as the rubber flooring, which is incredibly tough and easy to clean, with a chequer finisher adding to the compelling cabin design. Land Rover’s impressive and seamless Pivi Pro in-car infotainment system enables you to do 80 percent of most tasks with just one or two taps on the home screen – even with a gloved hand.

Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain. 

The Defender Trophy is only available with a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) powertrain, while a host of optional accessories (such as a raised air intake, extended mud flaps, and a side-mounted storage box, for example) are available for ultimate personalisation. With an overall length of 5,018mm (including the spare wheel on the back door), and a width of 2,008mm (with mirrors folded), along with a maximum height of 1,967mm, the Defender Trophy exudes terrific road presence. However, it is the wheelbase measurement of 3,022mm that is important in terms of interior spaciousness. Other important figures of interest to potential buyers will be the approach angle of 30.1-degrees, a departure angle of 37.7-degrees, and a ramp angle of 22.0-degrees – highlighting the Defender’s outstanding go-anywhere ability. Additionally, a ride height of 218mm is also beneficial to drivers going off road, as is the ability to wade through water up to a depth of 900mm. The Defender Trophy comes with 5 seats as standard, with the option of a ‘Jump Seat’ located between the driver and passenger seats in order to accommodate a sixth occupant when necessary. When not in use, the middle seat can be folded down in order to use the cup holders incorporated within. The PHEV powertrain combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 19.2kWh battery, resulting in an all-electric range of up to 43kms. As is the case with all PHEVs, you do have to plug it in as often as possible in order to achieve maximum fuel efficiency. Charging the battery at a 7.4kW wall box home charger will take around 2.5 hours (10-100%), while charging via a domestic socket will take up to 9.5 hours. Additionally, the vehicle has the ability to be rapid-charged (up to 50kW) at a DC charge point, cutting the time to charge from 10% to 80% to just 30 minutes.

Spacious Cabin.

In the spacious cabin of the Defender Trophy there is plenty of head and shoulder room for all occupants.  The cabin looks ultra-modern, rugged, versatile, and supremely comfortable, with high-quality materials used throughout. The standard 696-litre boot capacity can be expanded to 1,759-litres when the rear seats are folded down, and this takes into account the space allocated to make way for the 19.2wkWh battery. In traditional Land Rover fashion, there are lots of useful storage spaces dotted around the cabin, and there is a fantastic view out of the windows – irrespective of where you are seated within the vehicle. The new 13.1” central touchscreen is easy to use, as are the dual-purpose rotary dials for the heating & ventilation, and many more functions besides.

Test Vehicle.

My Land Rover Defender Trophy test vehicle was finished in iconic Deep Sandglow Yellow paintwork, which perfectly complimented the black bonnet (with Trophy decal) and black roof, along with an array of gloss black lower body trim, wheel arch trim and door mirror covers, as well as distinctive 20” gloss black wheels. The Defender Trophy definitely has the ability to turn heads everywhere it goes, as its visual impact is hard to ignore. With a hefty combined power output of 300PS and 625Nm of torque, it is fair to say that the Defender Trophy never feels short of power, despite its size and weight. In fact, with so much power on tap, the 0-100km/h sprint can be completed in a respectable 7.6-seconds, on its way to an electronically-limited top speed of 191km/h (where permitted). The petrol/electric combination in the Trophy PHEV means it has the potential to consume as little as 6.0-litres of petrol for every 100km driven on a WLTP combined driving cycle, with its official Co2 emissions figure of 135-156g/km resulting in annual road tax of just €280. The instantly-available pulling power of the electric motors will be of immense benefit when venturing off-road or when towing a braked trailer up to 3,000kg. The silence of the Defender PHEV in EV mode is incredible and, when the four-cylinder petrol engine kicks into life, it is barely noticeable. On-road driving progress is smooth and relaxed, and its sumptuous cabin conveys the very best in occupant comfort, with cutting-edge safety systems providing peace of mind on every journey. However, when the going gets tough, the Defender delivers exceptionally composed and adaptable off-road road manners, blending high-tech electronic control with rugged mechanical capability. The driving position behind the multi-function steering wheel is terrific, and is a world apart from the original Defender from years gone by. The overall feeling within the cabin is one of quality, refinement, prestige and comfort, and it truly is a wonderful place to spend time in. The Defender has unrivalled handling prowess and its excellent steering set-up is yet another highlight. The Terrain Response 2 system in the new Defender consists of drive modes for Ruts, Grass, Gravel, Snow, Mud, Sand and Rocks, along with a Wading Mode – all of which are easily accessed via a rotary dial. Key standard features include dual-zone climate control, Ebony Windsor Leather Seats, a 20” full-size spare wheel (tailgate door-mounted), all-season tyres, LED headlights with Auto High Beam Assist, Meridian Sound System, keyless entry, Open Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking, cruise control with speed limiter, front passenger seat & rear seat ISOFIX, exposed rear recovery eyes, Trailer Stability Assist, 3D surround camera, and a 360-degree parking aid, along with a host of advanced driver assistance systems, convenience features and cutting-edge infotainment tech.

Verdict, Pricing & Warranty.

The new Land Rover Defender Trophy PHEV is refined, versatile and is full of off-road tech which makes it capable of handling every adverse situation imaginable. It is truly iconic yet ultra-modern, luxurious and magnificent to drive, and it wears its Trophy badge with pride. Pricing starts from €130,200 (excluding delivery & related charges. Every new Land Rover comes complete with the reassurance of a 5 Year/150,000km manufacturer’s warranty, along with service-activated roadside assistance for 3 years.

Visit www.landrover.ie for further information.