2021 Subaru Crosstrek vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek was a clever adaptation of the Impreza hatchback, designed to meet the growing demand for crossovers. It featured rugged looks, standard all-wheel drive (AWD), and a tall driving position. The Crosstrek stood out visually with black body cladding, model-specific 17-inch wheels, and a taller ride height offering 8.7 inches of ground clearance. These changes gave it a more SUV-like character and a vibrant color palette, including the eye-catching Plasma Yellow Pearl. The interior, while functional, was somewhat plain, with some questionable design choices like the clashing color accents in the Sport trim.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood, paying homage to its classic predecessors. Despite these retro elements, the Defender was thoroughly modern, with rounded corners for better aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights. The interior was spacious and ergonomically designed, offering more headroom and legroom than the original. The rugged character was emphasized with bare metal and exposed screws, mixed with leather and suede upholstery. The Defender's design made it both stylish and practical, suitable for off-road adventures without compromising on comfort.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered two gasoline powertrains. The Sport and Limited trims featured a new 2.5-liter boxer-four engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. The base and Premium trims continued with a 2.0-liter boxer-four engine, delivering 152 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission was standard on Base and Premium trims, while a continuously variable transmission (CVT) was optional. The Sport and Limited trims were CVT-only. All trims came with standard AWD, torque vectoring, and X-Mode for better handling on loose surfaces. Despite its SUV-like stance, the Crosstrek handled predictably on pavement, with a comfortable ride and low wind noise. However, the new 2.5-liter engine didn't significantly improve acceleration, and the CVT's droning was noticeable.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains. The base model had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The mid-level option was a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain, producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The new V8 engine, generating 518 hp and 461 lb-ft, could accelerate the Defender 90 from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. All models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive (4WD) with a two-speed transfer case. The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique suspension tuning for sportier handling. Despite its off-road capabilities, the Defender was comfortable on pavement, with a smooth ride and minimal noise from its 22-inch tires. The Defender also offered 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 with optional air suspension.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek offered the same front and rear legroom as the Impreza hatchback, with slightly more rear headroom. It provided 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 55.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. While competitive in passenger space, it lagged behind some rivals in cargo capacity. The Crosstrek featured a rear-seat reminder system, a handy cubby hole with USB and auxiliary ports, and decent-sized bottle holders in the doors. However, it lacked USB ports for rear-seat passengers. The driving position was higher than the Impreza's, but visibility was good thanks to large side windows and a car-like front fascia.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, which were comfortable but challenging to access in the two-door Defender 90. The four-door Defender 110 was available in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Three-row models provided 11.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, 35.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 70.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. Two-row versions offered 18.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 51.7 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Defender's interior emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard, a spacious center-console storage bin, and optional roof racks and cargo boxes for additional storage.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek featured the Starlink infotainment system with a standard 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, and Bluetooth. Premium and Sport trims added WiFi, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a single-disc CD player. The top Limited trim had an 8-inch touchscreen with navigation, which was also optional on lower trims. The Crosstrek included large analog knobs and buttons for audio and climate control, and chunky steering wheel buttons for EyeSight driver-assistance features.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came 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. An 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available for 2022. The Defender's interface was user-friendly, with well-designed graphics and menu layouts. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system for off-roading.

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal and rollover crash tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the 2020 model, virtually identical to the 2021 version, a "Top Safety Pick" rating. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control with lane centering, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. Optional features included reverse automatic braking, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with standard driver-assist features such as lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition with speed-limit adapter. 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.