2021 Ford Explorer vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2021 Ford Explorer was a quintessential example of Ford’s consistent family styling across its SUV lineup. From the Escape and Edge up to the Explorer and Expedition, Ford maintained a cohesive design philosophy. The Explorer stood out, albeit slightly difficult to differentiate from the Edge at a quick glance, with a sporty, distinctive exterior characterized by raked belt lines and squinting front visages. Buyers could choose from a variety of trim levels—base, XLT, Limited, Limited Hybrid, Explorer ST, and Platinum—each offering unique exterior enhancements like black or chrome grilles. The price spectrum ranged from $32,925 to $52,730, with corresponding improvements in exterior and interior luxuries as one ascended the trim ladder.

The interior of the Explorer housed three rows of seating across all trims. The base model offered cloth upholstery, but even these seats were fairly comfortable, though adults would find the third row cramped. The dashboard design was clean and functional, featuring an 8-inch LCD touchscreen alongside sizable knobs and buttons for the audio and climate systems. The rotary gearshift was a notable feature, freeing up storage space within the center console, which included a covered bin and cupholders. Predominantly, the XLT trim was the most popular, accounting for an expected 56% of sales, offering enhanced equipment like a powered front passenger seat and a more refined instrument panel. Leather upholstery was available starting from the Limited trim and standard on higher trims like the ST and Platinum.

In contrast to Ford's modern styling, the 2022 Land Rover Defender maintained a nostalgic homage to the original Defender with its boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood. Yet, it seamlessly blended these elements with a contemporary design, showcasing rounded corners for aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights for a modern touch. Available styling options, such as a contrasting white roof and steel wheels, upped the retro factor further.

Inside, the Defender was notably more spacious and ergonomically advanced compared to its predecessor, offering a comfortable driving position with ample headroom and legroom. The rugged interior design included exposed metal and screws, alongside elegant metal trim for the steering wheel, providing a unique aesthetic. The Defender 90 V8 boasted a mix of leather and suede upholstery, blending luxury with practicality. Unlike the more delicate Range Rover interiors, the Defender was built to handle off-road conditions without compromising on interior quality.

The 2021 Ford Explorer, at its lightest, weighed 4,345 pounds, making its base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine's 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque impressive. The powertrain outperformed competitors like the Kia Telluride's 291 hp and 262 lb-ft V6, though the latter was slightly lighter. Each Explorer trim featured a 10-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift capability.

Explorer's power options included a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 in higher trims, delivering 365 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, while the sport-oriented ST trim ramped it up to 400 hp and 415 lb-ft. The Explorer Limited Hybrid combined a V6 with a hybrid drivetrain for 310 hp and 331 lb-ft. Despite its impressive figures, the Explorer was more about towing than performance excitement, with a capacity between 5,000 and 5,600 pounds depending on configuration. However, it was overshadowed in towing by competitors like the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition, which could tow up to 9,300 pounds.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered impressive powertrains, beginning with the base 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine at 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Mid-level options included a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid, delivering 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The star of the lineup was the new 518 hp V8, generating 461 lb-ft of torque, propelling the Defender 90 from zero to 60 mph in a swift 4.9 seconds.

All models featured a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with standard 4WD and a two-speed transfer case. The V8 variant, with its unique suspension tuning and electronic active rear differential, offered sportier handling, albeit at the cost of some composure compared to the six-cylinder model. On-road performance was commendable, with the suspension effectively absorbing bumps, and overall noise isolation from the 22-inch tires was excellent. Off-road, the Defender lived up to Land Rover's reputation, featuring a 4WD system with low range, impressive approach and departure angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance with optional air suspension. Additionally, it boasted an 8,201-pound towing capacity, surpassing many luxury SUV competitors.

The 2021 Ford Explorer's base model offered seating for seven, while other trims, which had second-row captain’s chairs, seated six. The second-row legroom, at 39 inches, was competitive, slightly trailing vehicles like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. Despite deploying the third row, the Explorer retained 21 cubic feet of cargo space. However, with all seats folded, the total cargo space was 81 cubic feet, which was modest compared to rivals and even smaller SUVs like the Dodge Journey.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender provided versatile configurations, with the two-door Defender 90 offering a surprising level of rear seat comfort, though accessing them was a challenge. The four-door Defender 110 model came in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Cargo capacities were 11.4 cubic feet with all seats up in the three-row version, expanding to 70.4 cubic feet with rear seats down. The two-row model offered 18.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats, and 51.7 cubic feet folded, surpassing the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in space.

Land Rover's interior was functionally designed, with climate control knobs and the shifter on a dashboard shelf, maximizing storage beneath. The Defender's large center-console storage bin, potentially equipped with refrigeration, added practicality. The optional roof rack and side-mounted cargo boxes further enhanced its storage capabilities, making it suitable for outdoor adventures.

The 2021 Ford Explorer came equipped with an impressive tech suite, starting from the base trim. Standard features included an 8-inch touchscreen with AM/FM radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, Ford’s Sync 3 system, and a six-speaker audio setup. Higher trims like the Limited offered a 12-speaker B&O audio system and an upgradeable 10.1-inch touchscreen. Furthermore, the ST trim added a 110-volt AC power outlet, available in the Limited as an option.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender's Pivi Pro infotainment system was equally advanced, featuring a 10-inch touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Its 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster came standard on all trims except the base model, and an optional 11.4-inch touchscreen enhanced the 2022 lineup. The interface was user-friendly with visually appealing graphics, though it required firm touch inputs.

Optional tech features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, a head-up display, and a surround-view camera system, invaluable for off-roading and navigating tight spaces.

The 2021 Ford Explorer earned the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, with exceptional crash test scores and an acceptable rating for adaptive headlights. It featured an extensive list of standard safety technologies via the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, including auto high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic brake support. Higher trims added advanced driver-assistance features like adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane centering, and speed sign recognition.

For the 2022 Land Rover Defender, standard safety tech included lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition. Optional features encompassed blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. The Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, a common situation for luxury vehicles, but it was engineered with an extensive array of safety features typical of the brand’s ethos.