{"id":3862,"date":"2026-01-06T04:02:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T12:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3862"},"modified":"2026-01-06T04:02:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T12:02:18","slug":"the-land-rover-defender-130-xs-interior-is-still-screwing-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/?p=3862","title":{"rendered":"The Land Rover Defender 130 X\u2019s Interior Is Still Screwing Around"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When Land Rover relaunched its all-new Defender model for the 2020 model year, no one expected it to be the utilitarian workhorse of an SUV the prior Defender built its reputation upon. But there were nods, or shall we say, screws, to its legendary progenitor.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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It\u2019s something you\u2019re reminded of from the moment you step into any Defender, the exposed screws dotting the doors and other areas of the cabin. For this 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 X<\/u> model in particular, the Gondwana Stone exposed-metal door panels and the Ebony Windsor leather trim screwed into them offer a dynamite-looking throwback touch.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one of the only loose screws, er, threads, that tie the two Defender generations together. Because at more than $100,000 all in as this 130 X is, the mission of the new-generation Defender is becoming far less about what it can do in the mud and guts on a gnarly English trail and more about how it gets you and your family safely and luxuriously to your next vacation destination. How well does the 130 X coddle its occupants? How well is it screwed together? We took a closer look inside to find out.<\/p>\n

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In the Cockpit and Front Row <\/h2>\n

There are a couple things we noticed from the jump as we climbed inside the 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 X. One of which is something any luxury vehicle at this price point should have\u2014doors that unlock as you approach. This is standard fare in vehicles at half the price. And while the SUV looks huge, it wasn\u2019t an issue to hop into its cockpit, but once in there, man, is it cramped. The center console area takes up a ton of space, and although that space is well used for the most part with two ample stowage areas, big cupholders, and a wireless charging pad, it impedes the driver\u2019s ability to stretch out.<\/p>\n

Other than that, there are plenty of options to adjust your seating position and lumbar support (no massaging seats, though, boo, but both driver and passenger seats are heated and cooled), and the power-adjustable wheel helps get you into a position of your liking. There are a couple of little cubby spots on either side of the steering wheel that also add a bit of function. We\u2019re not thrilled with the steering-wheel control button setup, but they do the job.<\/p>\n

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The gauge work is quality stuff and offers some adjustability, and there\u2019s a head-up display; these are good and helpful features. The 11.4-inch infotainment screen and Land Rover\u2019s Pivi Pro system are much improved from the first new-gen Defenders. We easily set up phone pairing, and it offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the reaction to screen inputs and getting to some areas were an issue at times (changing something as simple as a Sirius station proved a minor annoyance).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s potentially time for a software update, though we didn\u2019t think overall it was markedly worse than competing automaker systems in its execution or operation. (For the 2026 model year, Land Rover is upping the size of the Defender’s screen to 13.1 inches, with what it says is its \u201cfast and intuitive interface.\u201d)<\/p>\n

One bizarre feature we can\u2019t wait to see jettisoned, however, is the partial control of Defender\u2019s terrain-system adjustments by the otherwise HVAC dials. It all just ladders up to the infotainment screen in the end, so why not just put it all there? Strange. We sort of get it; it\u2019s a space thing and an analog dial thing, but it\u2019s time to decouple those functions. There\u2019s too much going on with the Defender\u2019s Terrain Response 2 system and all the other assorted suspension adjustments for them to not have their own special setup. As for the shifter, it\u2019s also a space-saving measure in positioning that functions decently as something of a pistol grip; it\u2019s better than some, not as good as others.<\/p>\n

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Look behind you in the rearview, and the Defender X is equipped with one of Land Rover\u2019s recent firsts, a feature it calls ClearSight, essentially a digital mirror that bypasses the cabin and its occupants so you can get clearer sight out of the back of the vehicle. Look up, and a huge panoramic, opening roof brightens the cabin. At night, you can choose from 10 lighting shades, and we really dig the Defender\u2019s puddle-lamp stamp. And when you want to kick out the jams, the Defender\u2019s 700-watt Meridian sound system obliges happily.<\/p>\n

The X model\u2019s upscale leather and other trim fit and finish are where this vehicle shines for the most part. The Ebony Windsor leather is monotone in approach, but it feels and even smells luxurious, and it extends throughout the cabin.<\/p>\n

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Second-Row Captain Command Center <\/h2>\n

We\u2019re fans of the captain\u2019s chair setup in bigger SUVs, and the 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 X has one of the most impressive examples we\u2019ve encountered recently. A $1,000 option, they\u2019re both heated and cooled and come with a winged headrest. Worth the money. Both passengers also have their own climate zone, USB-C port, and strangely placed in the floor but otherwise useful cupholders. They\u2019re not too far off the passenger seat as far as comfort and convenience go.<\/p>\n

Getting into the third row is easy enough, as well: Just jump in and split between them.<\/p>\n

Third Row, Cargo, and Tow <\/h2>\n

One of the Land Rover Defender 130 X\u2019s biggest pluses is its third-row setup. Not only is it easy to hop back there even for out of shape middle-aged dudes like your humble author, when you get back there, it\u2019s plenty comfortable, with more than a bit of room for kids of all ages. There are cupholders and power ports at each end, a sunroof above, the seats are heated, and there are air vents. Quality stuff.<\/p>\n

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Manually open the super-bulky, fridge-style, side-opening tailgate rear door (one of those holdover old-school setups), and you have a helpful 110-volt power supply and a button to lower the air suspension for easier cargo loading, hitching of a trailer, or leveling out the body when camping. There\u2019s a funky first-aid kit and of course tire-changing gear in case you catch a sharp rock in your rubber on the way to the lakeshore cabin.<\/p>\n

Fold down the seats of this (5+2 seat) Defender, and you can net as much as 87.1 cubic feet with both rows down, 47.5 with the second row down, and 14.8 with both rows up. Not earth-shattering numbers, but among the better in the class not named Tahoe or Navigator. If you want to tow, the Land Rover\u2019s 3.0-liter six-cylinder with 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, is capable of pulling up to 8,200 pounds, a top-shelf number.<\/p>\n

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Blow 100 Large on 130? <\/h2>\n

When it comes to getting yourself into a Land Rover Defender 130, it really boils down to what really matters to you, and of course, how much cash you want to drop. The X model looks great inside and out, is chock-full of just about everything you can get on a 130 short of the V-8 engine, and for $1,000, we\u2019d spring for the captain\u2019s chairs.<\/p>\n

But the more you spend on a vehicle this capable off-road, the less you\u2019re going to want to do anything extreme in it, so take that into account when asking your accountant if you can afford one.<\/p>\n

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When Land Rover relaunched its all-new Defender model for the 2020 model year, no one expected it to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[154],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interior-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3862","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3862"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3862\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3862"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3862"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/max2voyages.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3862"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}