The modern Defender was first introduced to the world in 2019, three years after its legendary predecessor was discontinued. It was the first model wearing the “Defender” badge to not be directly derived from the original Series Land Rover of 1948.

JLR took a very different route in the reimagination of its iconic classic, especially when compared to its German and American counterparts. The L663 Defender, which we reviewed in 90 and 130 guises when they were first launched, is clearly a very modern automobile.

One that has cues most definitely inspired by its cult classic. But seven years on, even a modernised icon needs a little nip-and-tuck. Although this particular version is perhaps a little more than just a little nip-and-tuck.

That’s because this is no ordinary facelifted L663 Defender – this particular unit is the Trophy, a limited-run special that has several edition-specific trims and touches. More on that in a bit.

But First, What is the Trophy?

JLR has never shied away from letting people loose behind the wheels of their rugged 4x4s. In 1981, the first Land Rover vehicles were used in the Camel Trophy, which was an off-road and adventure challenge that’d see participants drive said vehicles through all kinds of rugged terrain all over the world.

This continued till 1998, with the last team vehicle being the Freelander. Then in 2003, the G4 Challenge was launched. It was the spiritual successor to the Camel Trophy, and was largely very similar in terms of challenges participants have to deal with. The G4 Challenge was also eventually cancelled in 2008, as a result of the financial crisis back then.

This Defender PHEV obviously pays homage to the original Trophy cars, wearing the distinctive Sand Glow hue that participants cars were finished in.

So How is It Different from the Standard car?

The general facelift L663 formula remains unchanged in the Trophy-ification. Minor revisions have been made to its front fascia in said facelift, most noticeably in the headlight department. This new car also has all-new taillights, which are now flush with the rear fascia panel.

This was apparently done after feedback from Defender owners, who highlighted that the previous “sunken-in” design often leads to grime, dirt and dust build-up when they take their cars off-road. Where you once saw checker-plating on the car, has now been replaced with a more modern, but equally rugged-looking panel.

Trophy-specific touches include bespoke badging throughout the vehicle, 20-inch Gloss Black wheels fitted with all-terrain tyres, a massive intake snorkel, a roof rack and gear carriers on either side of the vehicle.

You also get a choice of two colours – there’s Deep Sandglow Yellow, and Keswick Green.

Utility with Luxury

It sounds a bit like a contradiction, but modern Defenders have always straddled this line very well. There’s no doubt it was built to be tough, and yet it has just enough soft-touch materials and tech for it to not feel sparse and barren (looking at you Suzuki Jimny).

All of your infotainment needs are taken care of by JLR’s own Pivi Pro6 system. In Defender guise, this means a 13.1” touchscreen that sits proud of the dashboard. Like the OG L663, most of your drive and climate control functions are still done through various buttons and knobs.

A refreshing change from all of the modern cars with all of their sub-menus. In general, build quality is excellent, with robust feeling materials used literally everywhere. The seats are proper comfortable as well, offering superior padding and support, ensuring a certain calm whilst you are bashing through rough terrain off-road (like we did back in Taiwan with Defender).

Being a literal box on wheels also means there’s great all-round space and visibility. Therefore, you will have no issues placing the car even through tight spaces, and passengers will also not complain about the space on offer. The icing on top of the Defender cake? The included Alpine lights which not only serves as a visual link to the old Defenders, but also allows additional sunlight into the cabin.

Retro Icon, Thoroughly Modern Bones

The very latest Defender is sold in Singapore with three different engine options. A six-cylinder isn’t offered here now, and one of the three motors come from outside the JLR group. The Defender PHEV, which is what this is, has a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

We actually sampled this powertrain in a Defender before (read it here), and whilst it wasn’t necessarily a slouch, with good amounts of torque in a usable bit of its powerband, it could do with a little extra pep.

And that is exactly what you get with the included PHEV system. Power remains the same – at 296 bhp, but torque has increased rather dramatically – it now makes 625Nm, 225Nm more than the engine is capable of alone.

This means the go of what feels like a six or eight-cylinder motor, but without the thirst of either. At least, without the thirst of either when its 19.2kWh battery pack has some juice in it. JLR seems to have programmed the vehicle to retain a usable amount of power even when it shows an indicated 0 kilometres of electric range, as power doesn’t seem to drastically taper off even with no charge.

Smooth and Well Integrated

Whilst some PHEV systems can feel a little clunky, the powertrain in the Defender feels well-integrated – there isn’t a noticeable transition when the car toggles between ICE and EV. However, when you run out of usable electric range the fuel consumption does plummet.

We averaged around 7.5km/l when driven as a parallel hybrid – this drops to 8.9km/l once the pack is flat. Still, this is unlikely to faze Defender owners, since fuel economy probably isn’t at the top of any of their priority lists.

The powertrain isn’t the only thing that feels smooth – the ride quality is excellent too. This is mostly down to its air suspension system, allowing the car to absorb bumps and rough surfaces with ease. There is noticeable body roll through corners, which you sort of expect in a big SUV.

Though it is worth noting that the sensation of the lean feels far more dramatic than its actual loss of composure.

Almost At Home Everywhere

Despite all of its rugged additions, the Defender Trophy PHEV never feels one-dimensional. Yes, the knobbly off-road tyres, snorkel and roof rack make it look ready to disappear into the wilderness at a moment’s notice, but beneath all of that is still a genuinely refined luxury SUV. It cruises quietly, rides comfortably and offers all the technology and practicality you would expect from a modern premium car.

That duality is what makes the Defender formula work so well. In Taiwan, we experienced its off-road capabilities firsthand through muddy trails and dense forests near Kaohsiung. Back in Singapore, it slips just as naturally into daily life. You just need to be mindful of its 2.1m height.

Instead, the Defender Trophy PHEV feels like a car engineered for every environment imaginable. It can climb through rugged terrain one day, then clean up effortlessly for an evening in the city the next. Few cars on sale today blend luxury, utility, off-road capability and electrified efficiency into one package quite as convincingly as this!

Here are our reviews of the pre-facelift 90 and 130!