2022 Land Rover Defender vs 2022 Honda Odyssey

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was a top recommendation for families due to its practical design and features. Its sliding side doors made loading toddlers into rear-facing seats a breeze, and the comfortable third-row seat accommodated additional passengers like grandparents or carpool kids with ease. The Odyssey also boasted significant cargo space, rivaling that of a Chevrolet Suburban when the third-row seat was folded and the second-row seats were removed. Despite the minivan stigma, the Odyssey had a sense of style, especially in the Elite trim with its dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive, boxy profile, reminiscent of the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. It featured modern touches like rounded corners for better aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights. The Defender's interior was spacious and ergonomic, with a comfortable driving position and good outward visibility. The rugged character was emphasized with bare metal and exposed screws, while the mix of leather and suede upholstery in the high-end Defender 90 V8 test car added a practical touch for off-road adventures.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It was front-wheel drive only, with an EPA fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg in combined driving. During a test drive in Southern California, the Odyssey averaged 22.6 mpg. While the Odyssey was enjoyable to drive, with quick acceleration and responsive handling, its brakes tended to overheat on long descents, leading to pedal vibration and audible grumbling.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains: 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 5.0-liter V8 engine producing 518 horsepower. The V8 could accelerate the Defender 90 from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. All models featured a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The Defender was comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and minimized noise from the 22-inch tires. It also excelled off-road, with features like a 4WD system with low range, good approach and departure angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey offered easy access with wide-opening doors and a low ride height. Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, and numerous storage spaces. The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for flexible configurations, and the third-row seat was comfortable for adults. The Odyssey provided 32.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 88.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 144.9 cubic feet with the second row removed.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender had 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats in the Defender 90, which were comfortable but challenging to access. The four-door Defender 110 offered more cargo space, with up to 70.4 cubic feet in the three-row model and 51.7 cubic feet in the two-row version. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a sizable center-console storage bin. Optional exterior cargo solutions included a basket-style roof rack and side-mounted cargo boxes.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment display, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Higher trims added navigation, WiFi hotspot access, CabinWatch, and CabinTalk. The rear-seat entertainment system included a 10.2-inch display and wireless headphones. However, the Odyssey's infotainment system was considered outdated, with a small screen and a navigation system that required specific voice commands.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured a standard Pivi Pro infotainment system with a 10-inch touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all but the base model, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available. The interface was user-friendly, though the screen required a firm touch. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came standard with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. The Odyssey earned a five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control were optional. The Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA.