2023 Land Rover Defender 130 Has 8 Seats, More Space, Uglier Looks
What's happening
Land Rover revealed the new longer Defender 130 variant.
Why it matters
It has 8 seats and more room for passengers and cargo.
What's next
It goes on sale later this year for $69,350.
Land Rover is further expanding its Defender lineup with the 2023 Defender 130, a longer model with eight seats and a lot more cargo space. The 130 name has been used on old Defenders before, but while those vintage models were pickups with long beds, the new Defender 130 is a hardtop SUV that's essentially a Defender 110 with a longer butt.
The Defender 130 is 13.4 inches longer than the Defender 110, all of which has been added at the rear of the SUV, not in the wheelbase. The closer you get to a dead-on side view, the worse the 130 looks. Because all of that extra length is behind the rear axle the SUV's proportions are thrown off, giving it a huge rear overhang made even more awkward by the presence of the spare tire. It still isn't as ungainly as the Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, at least. The Defender 130's approach and breakover angles are the same as the 110, but its 28.5-degree departure angle is 11.5 degrees worse than the 110. Air suspension is standard fitment on the Defender 130, and its other capabilities are the same as the rest of the Defender family.
Every Defender 130 has eight seats.
Aside from the extended rump the Defender 130 is nearly identical in design to the other Defenders. It ditches the Alpine windows on the roof edge that the Defender 90 and 110 have in favor of a gigantic panoramic sunroof that stretches all the way over the third row. Sedona Red is a fresh color option and the Defender 130 is offered with a new Extended Bright Pack that adds more Ceres Silver Satin paint to the lower body panels and other accents and Noble Chrome to the skid plates.
But the Defender 130 is really all about the interior. All of that extra length has gone to the third row, which has a three-across bench instead of the Defender 110's optional two-seat third row. With the rearmost seats up it has nearly 14 cubic feet of cargo space, besting the 110 by around 3 cubic feet, but fold the third rows and the 130 has almost 9 cubic feet more room. There's a lot more legroom and shoulder room in the 130's third row too, and the second row slides and folds for easy access. The third row seats are heated as standard and passengers get armrests, USB-C ports, climate control vents and stadium-style seating.
Rearmost passengers have a lot more space.
Standard on the Defender 130 is the curved 10.3-inch touchscreen that debuted on Defender V8 models and the high-end X trim level gets an even bigger 11.4-inch screen. Navigation with what3words functionality is new, and the Defender 130 also has a fancier air purification system and optional four-zone automatic climate control. Natural Light Oak is a new wood trim option and the leather is now available in Light Oyster or Vintage Tan, among other fresh color and trim options.
Every Defender 130 is powered by a mild-hybrid turbocharged inline-6 engine paired with standard all-wheel drive. The P300 model has 296 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque, which matches the smaller Defender's 4-cylinder engine in power but is 52 lb-ft stronger. The P400 version makes the same 395 hp and 406 lb-ft as in the other Defenders. Expect the awesome supercharged V8 to join the Defender 130 lineup later.
When the Defender 130 goes on sale later this year it will be available in S, SE, X-Dynamic SE, X and First Edition trims. The First Edition comes in three preset color combinations and comes standard with a bunch of nice features like 20-inch wheels and a Meridian sound system. Pricing for the entire lineup has yet to be released, but Land Rover says the Defender 130 S will start at $69,350 including a $1,350 destination charge, which feels like a pretty good deal. That's $6,400 more expensive than a Defender 110 S fitted with the optional $2,100 third row and $1,600 air suspension, but the 130 has the more powerful engine, more standard features and a lot more space. You just have to get past the looks.
