The Land Rover Defender is getting a baby brother soon, with a report from Autocar suggesting that the rugged SUV's lineup will expand to include a smaller 'Defender Sport' based on JLR's new EMA architecture. Think of it as a posh Ford Bronco Sport, but with batteries in place of an engine.

When the pint-sized Defender arrives at dealers in 2027, it will join the redesigned Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar, and Land Rover Discovery Sport, as all four of these SUVs will be underpinned by EMA. Each model is expected to be similar in size, and considering the compact dimensions of the current Evoque and Discovery Sport, the 'Defender Sport' should be no larger than 15 feet long, 6.5 feet wide, and around 6 feet tall. This would make it comparable to the Audi A4 e-tron and Mercedes EQB, while a bit shorter than the existing Defender 90 two-door.

According to Autocar, the smaller Defender will cost "significantly less" than the regular, full-size model, while offering the same rugged ethos as any Defender would. And speaking of the normal Defender, a new generation is expected to launch as soon as 2026. It will switch from its current D7 platform to JLR's newer MLA platform, which will support both hybrid and fully electric powertrains. It's already being used for the latest Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, with both models set to gain all-electric variants soon. This means we could still see a gas-powered Defender in the future, albeit with a hybrid system bolted on. But regardless of the gas model's existence, the first-ever Defender EV will be the main highlight of the model's next generation.

Image Credits: Land Rover