Solving the Defender storage puzzle…
Classic Land Rover Defenders are brilliant at many things, but making the most of their interior space is not always one of them. Despite their boxy shape, they have a knack for hiding useful storage in some places while wasting it in others. The real challenge is not how much space there is on paper, but how much of it is actually useful when you're out on the road, heading off on an adventure or just tackling everyday jobs. In this article, we'll dig into the Defender's key storage zones, from the front cabin to the rear loadspace. We'll also look at why owners of a 90 or 110 should think differently about storage, because what works in one Defender does not always work in another.
Front cabin dead space
Defender drivers will know the cabin can often be a cramped space, particularly if you have a truck cab or the post 2007 Defender which actually contrives to give the front passengers less room!
Here’s some easy wins when it comes to improving space and organisation in the Land Rover Defender
The MUD Tunnel Tray is a simple upgrade that tackles one of the biggest causes of cabin clutter: small everyday items. Phones, charging cables, sunglasses, documents and handheld radios all need a home, and without dedicated storage they quickly end up scattered around the vehicle. Positioned in an otherwise underused area, the Tunnel Tray creates a convenient and easy-to-reach storage space that helps keep essential items organised and close at hand. Better still, it can be fitted in under 10 minutes, making it a quick and practical improvement for any Defender owner looking to bring a little more order to their cabin. Note the tunnel tray will only fit the pre 2007 Defender.
The MUD Roof Console is a simple but effective way to make better use of the space inside a Defender. Mounted overhead, it turns otherwise unused space into convenient storage for smaller everyday items such as maps, sunglasses, phones and other essentials that can easily get lost around the cabin. It also provides a neat location for mounting additional switches, making it a popular upgrade for owners running extra lighting, accessories or electrical equipment. Designed to fit neatly into the vehicle, the Roof Console is supplied complete with a fitting kit and installation instructions for straightforward installation.
Storage nets are one of the simplest and most versatile ways to add extra storage to a Defender. Their flexibility means you can fit them almost anywhere, allowing you to make use of spaces that would otherwise go unused. Whether mounted to door cards, cubby boxes, sun visors or other areas around the cabin, they provide a handy place to keep everyday items close at hand. Perfect for maps, phones, torches, gloves, tools and other small essentials, storage nets help keep clutter under control while letting you customise your vehicle's storage layout to suit the way you use it.
The Puma Glovebox is a simple, practical upgrade that makes better use of the space in later Defenders, giving you a more useful place to keep everyday bits like documents, sunglasses and other small items you want within easy reach. It’s also a clever one, as it uses the existing dashboard plastics so the upgrade is neatly hidden and doesn’t really change the look of the interior. It’s a simple solution and gives you a traditional glovebox like you’ve had in every other car you’ve ever owned!
Cubby Boxes
The area around the cubby box is often one of the most overlooked sources of wasted space in a Defender. While the standard cubby box or letter tray provides some storage, it rarely makes the most of the room available between the seats. Upgrading to a Chubby Box is an easy way to unlock extra storage capacity without sacrificing valuable cabin space. With a larger internal volume and a higher lid that doubles as a more comfortable armrest, it transforms an underutilised area into a genuinely useful storage solution. For Defender owners looking to improve both practicality and comfort, it's one of the most worthwhile upgrades you can make.
We also offer a couple of different products to further enhance your Cubby/Chubby
The MUD Cubby Box Tray is one of those deceptively simple upgrades that quickly becomes indispensable, turning the deep cubby box into a far more organised and practical storage space by keeping small bits n bobs exactly where you need them and not lost to the dark recess of the cubby box forever! Fits in 10 minutes! (note it is designed to fit the factory cubby box and may need adapting to fit aftermarket cubby/chubby boxes).
The MUD Cubby Box Bin is a straightforward little addition that slots neatly onto the cubby box and gives you a handy place to keep rubbish and small bits of clutter out of the way, helping to keep the cabin tidier without any fuss. Perfect for Station wagon owners or if you’ve fitted a Bulkhead removal bar and have dead to fill!
The Cubby Box Locker is an ideal solution for those who do not have the space to fit a larger cubby box. Designed to provide secure storage for valuables and personal items, it offers a practical and discreet locking compartment within your vehicle. A sliding version is available for station wagons, while a hinged version is designed specifically for vans and hard-top models, ensuring a suitable fit for different vehicle configurations.
Rear loadspace, Cargo Control and PALS
If you’ve got a 90 or 110 Station Wagon, you’ll know that storage space is always at a premium and you have to be fairly selective about what comes with you. Vans, on the other hand, offer a bit more room to play with, but that doesn’t automatically mean things stay organised. This is where systems like cargo track and PALS panels really come into their own, helping you secure loose items properly so they don’t end up sliding around the load space or becoming unwanted projectiles on the move. Equally the genuine land rover organisers are helpful for all Defender owners as they can simply be folded away when not in use.
Cargo control is a key part of what we do, and we’re one of the biggest stockists in the UK. Our cargo track systems can be fitted inside or outside the vehicle, giving you a straightforward way to secure loads wherever they need to go. We also carry a wide range of loops, bolts and fittings, so you can tie down anything from small items like soap dispensers to larger kit such as mountain bikes, keeping everything in place while you’re on the move.
MUD PALS panels are a way of turning the inside of a Defender into something a bit more organised and customisable, using a webbing grid that lets you mount storage pouches onto the inside of your Defender rear door. Instead of being stuck with fixed pockets or awkward cubbies, you get a flexible surface that you can set up around the way you actually use the vehicle. MOLLE pouches are what bring the PALS panel to life. They attach to the PALS webbing and can be moved, swapped or repositioned whenever you want, so you’re not locked into one layout. Whether it’s tools, a first aid kit, radios or smaller bits of kit that usually end up rolling around, you can keep everything in easy reach and set up the interior in a way that actually works for your day-to-day use or for bigger overlanding trips.
Land Rover’s genuine range of flexible organisers are a really handy addition for both new and older Defender models. They fold away when you’re not using them, so they’re easy to stash out of sight, then quickly set up when you need a bit more order in the vehicle. Once in place, they do a great job of keeping loose kit under control, stopping everything from sliding around the cabin or loadspace. It’s a simple way of giving everyday bits and pieces a proper home in the car.
