2022 Chevrolet Suburban vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive exterior styling, with a boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood that visually tied it to the original version and the classic Series Land Rovers. Despite these retro callbacks, the design was thoroughly modern, featuring rounded corners for better aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights that gave the Defender a unique personality. The modern Defender was also much larger than its predecessor, offering improved interior space and ergonomics. The interior design emphasized rugged character without seeming cheesy, featuring a mix of leather upholstery and suede, bare metal, and exposed screws for a different kind of look.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban shared its exterior styling with the shorter Tahoe SUV and the Silverado 1500 pickup, giving it a supersized appearance with a tall hood, long proportions, and large wheels. The Suburban was available in six trims, each offering different grille, fascia, and wheel designs for customization. Our RST test vehicle featured a Cherry Red Tintcoat exterior and 22-inch bright-machined black-painted wheels, giving it a sporty look. Inside, the Suburban offered a spacious cabin that ranged from economically comfortable on the base LS trim to downright plush on the top-spec High Country. However, the predominantly black interior of our RST tester felt a bit dark despite the nice touches like chrome sill plates and red seat stitching.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain rated at 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, and a new-for-2022 V8 engine producing 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. All models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case. The V8 engine could get the Defender 90 from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 149 mph. The Defender was impressively comfortable on the pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and effectively blocked noise from the massive 22-inch tires. The Defender also lived up to Land Rover’s off-road reputation, with features like a 4WD system with low range, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered three engines: a 5.3-liter V8 producing 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, a 6.2-liter V8 producing 420 hp and 460 lb-ft, and a new-for-2022 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-six producing 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift control. The Suburban's maximum towing capacity was 8,300 pounds. Our RST test vehicle had the 6.2-liter V8, which provided noticeable extra power and acceleration. The Suburban's independent rear suspension improved ride and handling, and the vehicle performed well during an 80-mile tow test, making for a stress-free and reassuring excursion.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, which were surprisingly comfortable in the Defender 90 test vehicle. However, accessing them was a bit of a chore, and they didn’t leave much room for cargo space. The four-door Defender 110 model was available in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Three-row models had 11.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, 35.4 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded, and 70.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. Two-row versions had 18.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 51.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a center-console storage bin that could be equipped with refrigeration.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered ample space for passengers and cargo. With the optional front-row bench seat, the Suburban could hold up to nine occupants. Most Suburbans offered seven- or eight-passenger seating, with the third row being quite livable for adults. The Suburban had 41.5 cubic feet of space behind the third row, expanding to 144.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded flat. The second-row seats could slide forward or backward up to 5.5 inches, and both the second and third rows folded flat with the pull of a lever or push of a button. The Suburban also featured an optional power-sliding center console and a hidden storage drawer. However, its size and mass made it challenging to maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with a standard Pivi Pro infotainment system, including 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, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available for 2022. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban offered a surprising level of tech on most trim levels. New for 2022 on the LT trim level and above was a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and Google built-in, which included Google Maps, Google Assistant, and Google Play Store access. The Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System with an 8-inch touchscreen was standard on the LS, while a 10.2-inch Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium System was standard on the LT and above. Wireless device charging and a WiFi hotspot were also standard on the LT and above. The Suburban LS came with a basic six-speaker audio system, while the LT had a nine-speaker Bose audio system. The Premier and High Country trims featured a Bose 10-speaker Surround with CenterPoint audio system.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with standard driver-assist tech, including 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 hadn’t published safety ratings for the Defender.

The 2022 Chevrolet Suburban came with newly standard safety features as part of its Chevy Safety Assist suite, including automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, front pedestrian braking, rear park assist, following distance indicator, automatic high-beam headlights, and an HD rear-vision camera. For 2022, front park assist, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-departure warning were added to the list of standard features. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, HD surround vision, rear pedestrian alert, reverse automatic braking, lane-changing assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display. The NHTSA gave the Suburban an overall rating of four out of five stars.