2022 Land Rover Defender vs 2021 Honda CR-V

The 2021 Honda CR-V had a design that blended into the crowded compact crossover market. Its styling was nearly identical to its competitors, with only minor details like the grille and some chromed plastic features setting it apart. The CR-V was available in eight colors, but most were shades of gray, black, or white, with vibrant colors like Aegean Blue Metallic and Radiant Red Metallic being rare and limited to higher trims. Inside, the CR-V offered black, gray, and ivory cloth or leather, with higher trims featuring wood panels and more chrome for a more upscale appearance. However, competitors like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offered more distinctive styling.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood, visually tying it to the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. Despite these retro callbacks, the Defender had a thoroughly modern design with rounded corners for aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights. The interior was spacious and ergonomic, with a comfortable driving position and good outward visibility. The design emphasized the Defender's rugged character, with bare metal and exposed screws in the door, along with a mix of leather and suede upholstery. The Defender's interior was functional and stylish, making it suitable for both off-road adventures and everyday driving.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was not designed for high-performance driving but offered smooth and steady acceleration with its 190-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in about 7.8 seconds, which was competitive within its class. The CR-V featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that provided predictable cornering and a decent driving experience. Front-wheel drive was standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. The CR-V's suspension setup included a MacPherson strut in the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear, ensuring decent handling and ride quality.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrain options: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower, a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain with 395 horsepower, and a new-for-2022 V8 engine producing 518 horsepower. The V8 engine could accelerate the Defender 90 from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 149 mph. All Defender models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and had standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case. The Defender's suspension absorbed bumps well, and it was comfortable on the pavement despite its off-road capabilities. The Defender also had impressive off-road features, including a 4WD system with low range, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance.

The 2021 Honda CR-V was designed to fit five people comfortably and carry their gear. It offered 102.9 cubic feet of passenger volume and 75.8 cubic feet of total cargo volume with the rear seats folded. The CR-V's tailgate options varied by trim, with the Touring trim featuring a hands-free power tailgate. Roof rails were standard only on the top-of-the-line Touring trim. The CR-V's interior was practical and spacious, making it a good choice for families.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, with the Defender 90 model providing a bit of a challenge for accessing the rear seats but offering more cargo space when folded. The four-door Defender 110 model was available in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. The Defender's interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a spacious center-console storage bin. Optional features included a basket-style roof rack and cargo boxes that mounted to the side pillars, enhancing the Defender's cargo-carrying capabilities.

The 2021 Honda CR-V's base LX trim had a 5-inch color screen with Bluetooth connectivity, while other trims featured a 7-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The audio system varied by trim, with the Touring trim offering a 300-watt system with a subwoofer. Charging ports were available throughout the CR-V, with the Touring trim adding a wireless phone charger.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came standard with the Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all trims except the base model, with an 11.4-inch touchscreen newly available for 2022. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system, enhancing the Defender's technology offerings.

The 2021 Honda CR-V excelled in safety, earning a five-star NHTSA overall crash test rating and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It featured the Honda Sensing system, which included advanced safety features like a multi-angle rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and auto high-beam headlamps. The only feature not standard on the base LX trim was the blind spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard driver-assist tech like lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control were optional. The IIHS and NHTSA had not published safety ratings for the Defender, which was not unusual for luxury vehicles.