2022 Land Rover Defender vs 2023 Lexus GX

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 the original, offering more interior space and improved ergonomics. The interior design emphasized rugged character with bare metal and exposed screws, along with a mix of leather and suede upholstery that seemed more practical for off-road use.

In contrast, the 2023 Lexus GX had a massive spindle grille, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and a total height of 74.2 inches, giving it a strong visual presence. The GX Black Line Special Edition returned for 2023 with limited units and exclusive paint colors. The GX’s dimensions seemed to shrink when viewed from the side, with a short 109.8-inch wheelbase and minimal overhangs, making it look engineered for off-road capability. The interior, however, was disappointing with a lot of plastic material, which belied its luxury badge. Despite this, the GX offered luxury touches like heated and cooled front seats, a power-retracting steering wheel, and impressive leather upholstery.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain with 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, and a new-for-2022 V8 engine producing 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. The V8 could accelerate the Defender 90 from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 149 mph. All models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and had standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case. The Defender was impressively comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and minimized noise from the massive 22-inch tires. It also had a maximum towing capacity of 8,201 pounds and excellent off-road capabilities, including a 4WD system with low range, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance with the optional air suspension.

The 2023 Lexus GX was defined by its 4.6-liter V8 engine, producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. While it didn’t win many battles on paper, the V8 provided a satisfying linear power delivery and a distinctive sound. The GX had a 6,500-pound towing capacity but lagged behind other SUVs in fuel economy, with EPA estimates of 15 mpg city, 19 highway, and 16 combined. The GX’s weight made it roll through corners, but the roll was predictable and controllable. The steering was vague off-center, but the brakes were strong and solid. The GX featured a Torsen torque-sensing limited-slip differential and a standard 4WD system with a 40:60 front:rear split, adjustable based on wheel slip, making it user-friendly in various conditions.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, which were surprisingly comfortable but challenging to access in the two-door Defender 90. 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 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 shelf, a spacious center-console storage bin, and optional roof racks and cargo boxes for additional storage.

The 2023 Lexus GX had plenty of cubby space for small items, with a deep center console bin, a handy space ahead of the shifter for a phone, and conveniently placed cupholders. The GX retained hard buttons for controls, which was a blessing for those put off by touchscreens. The center console lid had sliding mechanisms for adjustable armrests, and the second row was comfortable with captain’s chairs or a three-across bench seat. However, the third row was too tight for regular use, even for children. The GX had a side-hinged trunk door that required muscle to open and offered only 11.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. With the third row folded, it offered 46.7 cubic feet, and with both the second and third rows folded, it had 64.7 cubic feet of cargo space.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with a standard Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring 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. The graphics and menu layouts were well-designed, but the screen required a strong poke to respond. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system, which was useful for off-roading.

The 2023 Lexus GX had a 10.3-inch touchscreen that was a significant improvement over the old system, with integrations like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. The Lexus Remote Touch Interface was still present but unnecessary due to the improved touchscreen. The GX came with three years of Lexus Enform Remote and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium stereo. However, the touchscreen lagged, and the graphics were not as crisp as those in competing models. The GX excelled in off-road capability, with a real 4WD system, downhill assist, hill-start assist, traction control, stability control, and the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. The Off-Road Package added features like a multi-terrain monitor, transmission cooler, fuel-tank protection, crawl control, and a multi-terrain select 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 Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, which was not unusual for luxury vehicles.

The 2023 Lexus GX had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it was originally engineered for the 2010 model year. Despite this, it came equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, including automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, and automatic high beams. The GX’s safety features were significantly newer than its body design.