It was way back in 2019 when we first saw the all-new modern Land Rover Defender for the 21st century. While it still carried the boxy profile it became known for, the latest Defender ditched the body-on-frame construction for a unibody design. It also received better road manners and a comfier ride, which the classic Defender can only dream of having.

While some Land Rover purists lamented the loss of the Defender’s old-school charm, the all-new model became one of the brand’s most popular models to date. Heck, it became so popular that Land Rover made various special editions just to keep up with demand, and they even made a 130 Series, which has three rows of seats.

Land Rover has already released a refreshed version of the latest Defender back in 2025, but that doesn’t mean the brand is resting on its laurels. In fact, our spies managed to spot a lightly camouflaged prototype being tested somewhere in Europe.

Based on what our spies captured recently, the refreshed Defender will get what appears to be a redesigned bumper and front grille. While the camo livery still hides most of the changes, it seems the SUV will get a revamped front fascia to make it stand out from the pre-facelift version.

Also set to receive some changes is the rear. While the LED taillights and signature spare tire cover will be carried over, it looks like the rear bumper and the tailgate spoiler will get some much-needed changes. After all, the current Defender has been out in the market since 2019.

Last but not least, our spies also managed to find out that for the latest update, the Defender will be available with captain seats for the second row. This is surprising since this optional extra used to be available only for the 130 Series. With the individual seating option set to be available in other body styles like the 110 Series, customers will once again be spoiled for choice when it comes to amenities.

Engine options for the updated Defender will most likely be the same. That means a choice of turbo-gas, turbo-diesel, and plug-in hybrid options for the mighty Defender.

With Land Rover testing a lightly camouflaged Defender, it looks like we may still be a long way away before the brand reveals it in full. And since they revealed a slightly facelifted version last year, perhaps we can expect the latest update to debut sometime in 2027.