2023 Land Rover Defender vs 2022 Honda Passport

The 2022 Honda Passport's new styling closely resembled the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck, especially from the doors forward. This similarity was due to both vehicles sharing the same platform, which Honda also used for the Odyssey minivan and the Pilot three-row SUV. Essentially, the Passport was a shorter version of the Pilot without a third-row seat and with different styling.

Honda aimed to give the Passport a tougher look with its new nose design, which was applied across all three trim levels: EX-L, TrailSport, and Elite. The TrailSport trim, new for 2022, was designed to appeal to off-road enthusiasts, although it was more about aesthetics than actual capability. The TrailSport featured standard all-wheel drive, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and traction management driving modes for various conditions. Prices ranged from $37,870 to $45,430, with the TrailSport model we tested priced at $44,095.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender outsold the Land Rover Discovery by more than four to one, thanks to its boxy design reminiscent of the old LR4. The Defender's design was characterized by its square-jawed face, rectangular hood and doors, and abruptly chopped tail, giving it a classic truck look. Tasteful accents like the dome and faux-metal step plates on the hood, skylights along the roof, and the body-color square separating the side glass paid homage to the original 1980s Defender.

The Defender was available in three body styles: 90 (short two-door), 110 (medium-length four-door), and 130 (extended-length four-door). The 110 and 130 shared the same wheelbase, but the 130 was stretched in the rear. The Defender's interior was functional and durable, with most surfaces coated in rubbers and plastics designed to resist moisture and stains. Despite its high price, the Defender's interior remained basic and barren, maintaining its hardcore character. The Defender 110 V8 Carpathian Edition we tested had an MSRP of around $120,000.

The 2022 Honda Passport retained its 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The SUV offered front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 engine was smooth and felt stronger than its power ratings suggested, working well with the nine-speed automatic. The EPA rated the Passport at 22 mpg combined for FWD and 21 mpg for AWD. Our TrailSport test vehicle averaged 21.3 mpg.

The Passport's AWD system, i-VTM4, featured mechanical torque vectoring and could deliver up to 70 percent of the engine's power to a single rear wheel when necessary. While the Passport performed well on twisty roads, its off-road capabilities were limited. The SUV offered a firm, communicative ride and surprisingly athletic handling, making it excellent for everyday driving. However, the brakes could heat up and vibrate when descending mountain grades, which was concerning given the Passport's 5,000-pound towing capacity.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender excelled off-road, with its Terrain Response 2 system adapting the powertrain and chassis to various surfaces. The Defender's permanent four-wheel drive (4WD) and air suspension provided excellent grip, wheel articulation, and clearance. However, on-road performance was less impressive, with excessive body roll, slow and imprecise steering, and noticeable wind noise. The Defender's braking also felt uneasy due to long pedal travel.

The Defender offered turbocharged inline-six and supercharged V8 engines. The V8 produced 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque, making the Defender quick and powerful. The six-cylinder engine, part of a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain, delivered 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The four-cylinder engine, with 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, was less impressive. Fuel economy ratings were 17/20/18 mpg for the four-cylinder, 18/23/20 mpg for the six-cylinder, and 14/19/16 mpg for the V8.

The 2022 Honda Passport offered easy entry and exit, thanks to its large doors and low step-in height. The front seats were large and comfortable, with leather upholstery and heated front seats as standard. The Elite trim added ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats. The rear passengers enjoyed ample legroom, headroom, and a slightly elevated seating position, with large side windows providing an open and airy feel.

The Passport provided plenty of storage, including a massive center console storage bin, front door panel shelving, and rear door panel cupholders. Cargo space was generous, with 41.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. The Passport's simple utility and comfort made it easy to live with and a great companion for road trips.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender offered unmatched seating configurations, with the Defender 90 seating six with a jump seat, the 110 offering an optional third row, and the 130 seating up to eight with a standard third row. The third-row passengers enjoyed a separate moonroof, air vents, cupholders, USB ports, and armrests. The Defender's large glass areas, including alpine lights, provided excellent outward visibility.

Cargo space varied by model, with the Defender 130 offering 77 cubic feet with the third and second rows folded, and 14 cubic feet with all rows upright. The Defender 90 had 16 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 58 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The four-door 110 offered 34 cubic feet behind the second row and 79 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Defender's versatility extended to off-road and all-season tires, a metal roof rack, a console refrigerator, a heated windshield, and various other features.

The 2022 Honda Passport's infotainment system included an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. The TrailSport trim added a navigation system, while the Elite trim featured a 10-speaker premium sound system and HondaLink connected services, including a WiFi hotspot. The system's interface included shortcut buttons and a stereo volume knob, but lacked a tuning knob. Apple CarPlay was preferred over the clunky navigation system.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender featured two touchscreen infotainment systems running Pivi Pro software. The standard 10-inch screen was wide and integrated into the dashboard, while the optional 11.4-inch screen was larger and more legible. Both screens were quick and easy to operate. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a voice assistant, connected apps, and navigation. Higher trims added heated 12-way power seats, a Meridian stereo, fog lights, surround sound, auto-dimming mirrors, and more.

The 2022 Honda Passport came with the Honda Sensing suite of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Additional features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, a rear-seat reminder system, and a seatbelt reminder system. However, some functions, like lane-departure warning and lane-centering assist, were less refined and could be annoying. The Passport received five-star ratings from the NHTSA, except for front passenger protection in a frontal-impact collision and rollover resistance, which earned four stars. The IIHS gave the Passport top ratings in most respects, with an Acceptable rating for front-passenger protection in a small overlap collision.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender had not been rated by U.S. agencies but received five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing. The Defender came with six airbags, which seemed insufficient. Optional safety features included a digital instrument panel with full-screen maps, a head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system. Standard features included lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Automatic steering for trailer reversing was available, but a self-steering highway assist was not.