2022 Land Rover Defender vs 2022 Nissan Rogue

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 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 more interior space and improved ergonomics.

Inside, the Defender balanced rugged character with modern comfort. The upright driving position of the original was replaced with a more comfortable setup, providing generous headroom and legroom. The interior design included bare metal and exposed screws for a rugged look, complemented by metal trim on the steering wheel. Even high-end models like the Defender 90 V8 mixed leather upholstery with suede, making it more practical for off-road adventures. Unlike the Range Rover, the Defender's interior seemed built to handle mud and dirt without concern.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue, redesigned in 2021, continued to sport a more mature look in 2022. It featured Nissan’s V-motion grille, multi-level LED headlights, and active grille shutters for improved airflow. The floating roof design and slightly bulging liftgate added to its sleek appearance. Inside, the Rogue followed a layered dash design trend, with contrasting colors and surfaces in some trims. The center console was a highlight, featuring an electronic gear selector lever, large cupholders, a wireless charging pad, and ample storage space.

The Rogue's interior was designed with practicality in mind, offering numerous storage options for both front and rear passengers. The second-row seat was a 60/40 split reclining bench, providing good legroom and space for two adults or three in a pinch. The cargo area was generous, with 31.6-36.5 cubic feet of space, expandable to 74.1 cubic feet with the second row folded. Fit and finish were exemplary, especially in the top-of-the-line Platinum model.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains. The base model had a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The mid-level option was a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain rated at 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The new-for-2022 V8 engine produced 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, propelling the Defender 90 from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 149 mph. All models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case.

The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. Despite its off-road capabilities, the Defender was impressively comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and minimized noise from the 22-inch tires. The Defender also excelled off-road, with a 4WD system, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance. It had an 8,201-pound maximum towing capacity.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue received a performance boost from its new 1.5-liter VC-Turbo engine, producing 201 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. This was an 11 percent increase in horsepower and a 24 percent increase in torque over the 2021 model. The engine featured Variable Compression technology, adjusting the compression ratio for better power or efficiency as needed. The Rogue's new CVT transmission had wider gear ratios, improving acceleration and responsiveness.

The Rogue's chassis and suspension handled the new engine's lively character well, delivering a smooth, controlled ride with minimal body roll. The electric power-assisted steering had good feel, and the 35.4-foot turning diameter was tight. The Rogue also boasted impressive fuel economy, with EPA estimates of 30 mpg city/37 mpg highway/33 mpg combined.

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 model came 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 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 rear seats folded. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a massive center-console storage bin.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue excelled in interior storage options, with bottle holders, cupholders, a glove compartment, a center console bin, a tray beneath the center console, and cubbies in the dash. Rear-seat passengers had storage options in the doors, seatbacks, and center armrest, along with USB-A and USB-C charge-only ports. The second-row seat was a 60/40 split reclining bench. The Rogue offered 31.6-36.5 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 74.1 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with 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. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system for off-roading.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue carried over its 2021 technology upgrade, featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 9-inch center infotainment touchscreen, and a 10.8-inch head-up display on upper trims. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with wireless Apple CarPlay available on higher trims. ProPilot Assist, Nissan’s hands-on driver-assist technology, was available and integrated with the navigation system on models with ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link.

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 had not published safety ratings for the Defender.

The 2022 Nissan Rogue featured the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of safety technologies across all trims. Standard features included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. ProPilot Assist was available, offering Level 2 advanced driver-assist capabilities. The Rogue received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS for the 2021 model.