2023 Land Rover Defender vs 2022 Kia Telluride

The 2022 Kia Telluride was a striking midsize SUV, boasting a muscular design and balanced proportions. Its trendy blacked-out wheels and trim added to its handsome appeal. For 2022, Kia made only minor changes to the grille pattern and updated the badges. The Telluride was available in LX, S, EX, and SX trims, with prices ranging from $32,790 to $44,590, plus a $1,225 destination charge. The interior was well-designed, with logical control arrangements, though the glossy plastic on the lower half of the cabin detracted from its overall look, especially in the SX Prestige trim with its Nappa leather upholstery and simulated suede headliner.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Defender was a standout with its boxy design reminiscent of the old LR4. The Defender's design was consistent, with a square-jawed face, rectangular hood and doors, and an abruptly chopped tail. Tasteful accents like the dome and faux-metal step plates on the hood, skylights along the roof, and body-color squares 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 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 was basic and barren, maintaining its hardcore character.

The 2022 Kia Telluride was remarkably satisfying to drive, despite its size and taller center of gravity. It featured a 291-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine with 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Telluride offered front-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive available for an additional cost. It had a Lock mode for evenly splitting power delivery to the front and rear axles, and eight inches of ground clearance. The Telluride performed well in snow and on muddy roads, thanks to its brake-based Torque Vectoring Cornering Control system and various driving modes. It returned an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in combined driving with AWD and had a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender excelled off-road, with its incredible grip, wheel articulation, and generous clearance. It featured permanent four-wheel drive and the Terrain Response 2 system, which adapted the powertrain and chassis to the chosen surface. The Defender's turbocharged inline-six and supercharged V8 engines provided impressive performance. The V8 produced 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque, while the six-cylinder engine offered 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The Defender's mild-hybrid powertrain seamlessly turned off and restarted the engine, and the electric supercharger provided quick response at low speeds. The V8 returned 14/19/16 mpg, while the six-cylinder achieved 18/23/20 mpg. The Defender's on-road performance was less impressive, with excessive body roll, slow steering, and noticeable wind noise.

The 2022 Kia Telluride balanced form and function with its upscale, organized, and appealing interior. It featured thoughtful details like overhead air vents, manual rear side window shades, rear smartphone storage pouches, USB ports in the front seatbacks, and accessible rear cupholders. The Telluride offered dual-zone automatic climate control for front-seat occupants and single-zone automatic climate control for rear passengers. The SX Prestige package added premium Nappa leather upholstery and a simulated suede headliner. All three rows of seats were comfortable for adults, and the Telluride provided ample storage space, with 21 cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row, 46 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 87 cubic feet with all rows folded.

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 featured a separate moonroof, air vents, cupholders, USB ports, and armrests. The Defender's large glass areas, including "alpine lights," provided excellent outward visibility. The 130 had 77 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row and second row folded, while the 90 offered 58 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The 110 provided 79 cubic feet with the second row folded and 69 cubic feet with all rows folded. The Defender also offered various off-road and convenience features, such as a metal roof rack, console refrigerator, heated windshield, and power-deployable side steps.

For 2022, the Kia Telluride came standard with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, including navigation and voice recognition technology. However, it lost the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality provided by the previous 8-inch display. The Telluride featured USB charging ports in all three rows, a wireless smartphone charging pad (except in the LX trim), and Kia Connect, a connected services platform with a one-year free trial. Kia Connect included features like 911 Connect, safe teen driving alerts, remote engine start, and home-to-car smart speaker integration. The Telluride also had standard Quiet Mode and Driver Talk functions, a 10-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system, a head-up display, and a surround-view monitoring system.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender offered 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. The Defender came standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a voice assistant, connected apps, and navigation. Heated front seats, a proximity key, and power-folding mirrors were also standard. Higher trims added features like heated 12-way power seats, a Meridian stereo, fog lights, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, and cooled front seats. The X trim included air suspension, a locking rear differential, an upgraded Terrain Response 2 system, adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, and a rearview mirror with a camera display.

The 2022 Kia Telluride included numerous standard driver assistance and collision avoidance technologies under the Kia Drive Wise umbrella. These features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and adaptive cruise control with curve speed reduction. The Telluride also had Highway Driving Assist, which combined adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assistance. New for 2022, the Smart Cruise Control-Curve system used GPS data to predict upcoming curves and automatically slow the Telluride. The Telluride also featured Safe Exit Assist and Blind-Spot View Monitor technology. It earned a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick" designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2023 Land Rover Defender had not been rated by U.S. safety organizations but scored five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing. It came with six airbags, which was fewer than expected. The Defender offered an optional digital instrument panel, a head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system. Standard safety features included lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. The Defender also offered automatic steering when reversing a trailer, but a self-steering highway assist was not available.