2021 Lexus RX vs 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, which debuted in 2005 and entered its second generation in 2014, received a significant refresh in 2018 that carried over into 2021. This refresh introduced the dual-screen center console, a hallmark of recent Land Rover interiors, and added a plug-in hybrid variant in 2020, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Range Rover Sport was available in several trims, including SE, HSE Silver, HST, HSE Dynamic, Autobiography, SVR, and SVR Carbon Edition, each offering a range of luxurious features from leather upholstery and dual-zone climate control to a 19-speaker Meridian sound system and power soft-close doors.

The 2021 Lexus RX showcased the modern design aesthetic of Lexus with its large grille, angular headlamps, and floating roof. The RX was available in five variants: RX, RX F Sport, RXL, RX Hybrid, and RXL Hybrid, each catering to different performance and seating needs. The RX received a design update in 2020, which included elongated headlights and a revised front end. Standard features included 18-inch aluminum wheels, LED lighting, and a rear spoiler, with available upgrades like 20-inch wheels and triple-beam LED headlights. The interior boasted standard carpeted floor mats, NuLuxe-trimmed seats, and power-adjustable front seats, with options for semi-aniline leather upholstery and heated second-row seats.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a variety of powertrain options. The base P360 mild-hybrid powertrain, available in the SE and SE Silver Edition, combined a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a 48-volt electrical system, producing 355 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The HST model featured the P400 powertrain, delivering 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The HSE Silver Edition could also be equipped with a plug-in hybrid or diesel powertrain, with the P400e plug-in hybrid generating 398 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 producing 254 hp and 443 lb-ft. The HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims boasted a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 518 hp and 461 lb-ft, while the SVR and SVR Carbon Edition had an even more powerful version of this engine, making 575 hp and 516 lb-ft. All models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time four-wheel drive, with a towing capacity of up to 7,716 pounds (except the SVR, which could tow 6,613 pounds).

The 2021 Lexus RX, RXL, and RX F-Sport were powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produced 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The RX Hybrid and RXL Hybrid combined a 3.5-liter V6 with three electric motors, resulting in 308 hp managed by an electronic continuously variable transmission (e-CVT). The front-wheel-drive RX 350 achieved 20 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined, while the all-wheel-drive versions and RXL models had slightly lower fuel economy. The RX Hybrid models managed up to 31 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. The RX F-Sport added adaptive variable suspension and sportier features, while the RX's top speed was limited to 124 mph, with a 0-60 mph time of 7.7 to 7.9 seconds depending on the drivetrain.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a maximum of 63.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 31.7 cubic feet with the second row in use. An optional third row increased seating capacity to seven but reduced cargo space to 10.8 cubic feet behind the third row. Both the first and second rows provided ample headroom and legroom, while the third row was best suited for children.

The 2021 Lexus RX provided functional interior space, seating five in the two-row RX 350, RX F-Sport, and RX 450h, and six or seven in the three-row RXL and RXL Hybrid. Front and second-row seats offered plenty of space, but the third row was tight. The RX had 18.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 56.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The three-row versions offered 7.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 23 cubic feet behind the second, and 58.5 cubic feet with both rows folded. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free liftgate available.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a dual-screen center console, with the lower screen handling climate controls and vehicle settings, and the upper screen managing the infotainment system. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but was not always intuitive and had a learning curve. The lower screen's dials controlled various functions, while the upper screen had reasonably sized icons for easy navigation.

The 2021 Lexus RX came standard with dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, voice recognition, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, HD Radio, a WiFi hot spot, six USB ports, and a nine-speaker sound system. Upgrades included a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless charging, navigation, and a 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound system. The touchpad controller for the infotainment system was not as refined as competitors' systems and took up valuable center console space. The RX did not offer wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came with standard driver assistance features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and front-and-rear parking sensors. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a surround-view parking camera, traffic sign recognition, driver drowsiness monitoring, and a head-up display.

The 2021 Lexus RX received the IIHS Top Safety Pick designation and scored well in crashworthiness tests. The NHTSA rated the RX 350, RX 350L, and RX 450h with four out of five stars overall. Standard safety features included a rearview camera, 10 airbags, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Lexus Safety System+ 2.0, which included a pre-collision system, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-trace assist, and road sign assist. The RX had two complete sets of LATCH connectors for child safety seats.