2021 Toyota Venza vs 2020 Land Rover Defender

The 2020 Land Rover Defender brought back the boxy, rugged design that many enthusiasts had missed since the 2016 LR4. Its squared-off edges, rising roofline, and roundish headlights were reminiscent of classic Land Rovers. The Defender's design was both familiar and functional, with short overhangs and skid plates for off-road adventures. Despite some modern touches like plastic step plates and a three-piece ladder, the Defender retained its utilitarian charm. The interior was basic and industrial, with cloth seats and exposed screws, emphasizing durability over luxury. The Defender's design inspired a sense of adventure, making it a fun vehicle to configure and drive.

In contrast, the 2021 Toyota Venza had a more refined and elegant appearance, often compared to a Lexus. Its sleek profile and premium design elements set it apart from other Toyota SUVs. The Venza was available in three trim levels: LE, XLE, and Limited, each offering a range of standard features. The interior was well-appointed, with a focus on comfort and convenience. The Venza's cabin featured premium materials, a deep center console, and a user-friendly infotainment system. While it lacked the ruggedness of the Defender, the Venza's design was more suited for urban and suburban environments.

The 2020 Land Rover Defender justified its price with impressive performance. It offered a choice between a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine with 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six with 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. The latter was a mild hybrid, providing smooth and consistent power delivery. The Defender's off-road capabilities were exceptional, thanks to its Terrain Response 2 system and adjustable-height suspension. It could tackle steep inclines, deep water, and rough terrain with ease. On-road, the Defender was quiet and comfortable, though its handling was reminiscent of older SUVs, with slow steering and noticeable body lean.

The 2021 Toyota Venza, on the other hand, came standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a lithium-ion battery pack and electric motors. This hybrid system delivered a combined 219 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque. While not as powerful as some competitors, the Venza's acceleration was smooth and adequate for everyday driving. Its handling was confident and predictable, making it easy to drive. The Venza excelled in fuel efficiency, achieving an EPA-estimated 40 mpg on the highway, 37 mpg in the city, and 39 mpg combined. This made it one of the most fuel-efficient SUVs in its class.

The 2020 Land Rover Defender was designed for versatility and durability. Its interior was spacious, with generous headroom and legroom in the first and second rows. The Defender 90, a two-door model arriving in 2021, could seat up to six people with an optional jump seat. The four-door Defender 110 offered an optional third row, increasing seating capacity to seven. Cargo space varied depending on the configuration, with the Defender 90 offering up to 58 cubic feet and the Defender 110 providing up to 79 cubic feet. The Defender's rugged design extended to its towing capacity, which was an impressive 8,200 pounds.

The 2021 Toyota Venza prioritized comfort and practicality. Its interior featured premium materials and a well-designed center stack with capacitive buttons for climate and infotainment controls. The Venza's seats were comfortable, with ample space for both front and rear passengers. While it had less cargo space than some competitors, its 55.1 cubic feet of maximum cargo capacity was sufficient for most daily needs. The Venza's interior was more refined than the RAV4, with elegant appointments and a focus on comfort.

The 2020 Land Rover Defender featured the new Pivi Pro infotainment system, a significant improvement over previous Jaguar Land Rover systems. It included two SIM cards for streaming data and over-the-air software updates. The system's interface was more user-friendly, though some elements, like map zoom icons, were still small. The Defender also offered advanced off-road capabilities, with cameras that provided views of the ground underneath the front hood and a rearview mirror that doubled as a screen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, LED headlights, and a 360-degree camera system. Higher trims added luxury features like a heated steering wheel and a 14-speaker Meridian stereo.

The 2021 Toyota Venza came with an 8-inch infotainment system on the LE and XLE trims, while the Limited trim featured a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen. The Entune system was standard across all trims, offering Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Venza also included a Wi-Fi hotspot, a six-speaker audio system, and a nine-speaker JBL premium audio system on higher trims. Toyota's connected services, such as Safety Connect and Remote Connect, were also standard. The Venza's infotainment system was functional, though not as intuitive as some competitors.

The 2020 Land Rover Defender came with a range of standard safety features, including forward emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and 360-degree cameras. However, it lacked knee airbags and rear side airbags, with only six airbags in total. The Defender had not been rated by any U.S. crash testing agency.

The 2021 Toyota Venza was equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite, which included a pre-collision warning system with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and road sign assist. The Venza also had eight airbags, a rearview camera, hill start assist, parking distance sensors, and tire pressure monitoring. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard, with an upgrade to automatic braking available on higher trims. The Venza's safety features were comprehensive and performed well during testing.