2023 Toyota RAV4 vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2022 Land Rover Defender didn't witness significant exterior styling changes, but it retained its distinctive and iconic presence. Its boxy silhouette, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood maintained a visual connection to the original Defender and preceding classic Series Land Rovers. For those seeking a retro touch, there was an option to spec a white contrasting roof and steel wheels. Despite these nostalgic design elements, the 2022 Defender showcased a thoroughly modern layout with rounded corners for improved aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights that gave it a unique character. The modern Defender was also much larger than its predecessor, improving interior space and ergonomics significantly.

The original Defender had a reputation for simplicity and was often praised in a romanticized manner. However, it was quite cramped with an upright driving position resembling more of a tractor than an SUV. The contemporary Defender provided generous headroom and legroom with a much more comfortable driving position that still offered excellent outward visibility.

Inside, the Defender's design played up its rugged character without seeming overdone. Land Rover used materials like bare metal and exposed screws in the door for a different look complemented by nice metal trim for the steering wheel. Even in higher-end models like the Defender 90 V8, the mix of leather upholstery and suede seemed poised to handle mud and dirt better than the traditional all-leather approach. This robust interior design encouraged users to take their Defenders off-road without worrying too much about damaging the interiors, unlike a Range Rover that might make one think twice before venturing into rough terrains.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota RAV4 was available in six trim levels, offering a wide range of options from the budget-friendly RAV4 LE to the luxurious RAV4 Limited. Our RAV4 Adventure test model exhibited a more aggressive design, shifting the Toyota badge downwards closer to the center of the grille, and adding blacked-out wheels, a faux skid plate, and evident black cladding around the wheel arches. However, this trim seemed more show than substance for off-road adventures unlike its TRD Off-Road sibling, which came with real skid plates and other rugged components.

The Adventure trim's interior had orange accents, including a stripe down the seats and contrasted stitching, along with orange plastic borders enhancing the otherwise basic center console. A frameless rearview mirror added a touch of premium feel to the interior. The RAV4 provided numerous seating configurations, including fabric seats for the lower trims and synthetic leather (SofTex) for the higher trims. The higher trims also offered heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats and dual-zone climate control.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured a range of powertrains, including a new V8 engine, alongside the carryover 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrains. The four-cylinder engine generated 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, while the inline-six delivered 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. All Defender models came with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard 4WD with a two-speed transfer case.

For those seeking more power, the new V8 engine produced an impressive 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, allowing the Defender 90 to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 149 mph. This powertrain came with specific enhancements like an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, unique transmission, and suspension tuning. While the V8 added a thrilling performance with a glorious exhaust note, it felt less poised in cornering compared to the six-cylinder model.

Despite its dedicated off-road design, the Defender was notably comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps akin to more luxury-oriented models. The Defender also handled crosswinds better than rivals like the Jeep Wrangler. Off-road, the Defender maintained Land Rover's renowned capabilities with features like a 4WD system with low range, excellent ground clearance, and the optional Terrain Response 2 system. Its towing capacity impressed at 8,201 pounds, surpassing many similarly sized luxury SUVs.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 provided a single engine choice for gasoline models, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder producing 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. While this engine was powerful enough for everyday driving, it didn't offer exhilarating performance, focusing more on efficiency and reliability. The Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims came with AWD by default, and other trims could be upgraded to AWD, adding Snow Mode functionality.

The RAV4 Adventure, although styled for ruggedness, couldn't match the TRD Off-Road version's off-road capabilities. It retained the same MacPherson independent front suspension and multi-link rear suspension as other RAV4s, while the TRD Off-Road featured 18-inch wheels with All-Terrain tires and a TRD-tuned suspension for better off-road performance.

In terms of interior space, the 2022 Land Rover Defender offered various configurations. All models had 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, which were surprisingly comfortable but challenging to access in the two-door Defender 90. This model prioritized classic styling and off-road nimbleness over cargo space. However, the four-door Defender 110 provided significantly more room. Two-row, five-seat models had 18.1 cubic feet of cargo space with rear seats up and 51.7 cubic feet with them folded. Three-row, seven-seat models had 11.4 cubic feet with all seats up, 35.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 70.4 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The Defender's interior design emphasized functionality, with strategically placed controls on a shelf extending from the dashboard and large caged storage below. The center-console storage bin was one of the largest found in any vehicle, and could even be equipped with refrigeration. There were also options for additional cargo solutions like a roof rack and cargo boxes mounted to the side pillars.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 was designed to seat five, offering 37.7 inches of headroom in the front row and 39.5 inches in the rear. It provided 41 inches of front legroom and 37.8 inches in the second row. The cargo space was competitive, with 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. This positioned the RAV4 mid-pack in terms of cargo capacity, beating rivals like the Mazda CX-5 but trailing behind the Honda CR-V.

The RAV4 also provided ample convenient storage options for the front passenger, including a shelf running the length of the glove compartment, large door pockets, and side-by-side center cupholders. The lever-style gear shifter complemented the vehicle's rugged appeal.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with a standard 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. Higher trims got a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen became newly available. The graphics and menu layouts were intuitively designed, though the screen required a firm touch to operate. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system, enhancing both on-road and off-road experiences.

For 2023, the Toyota RAV4 introduced a new infotainment system with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The base models featured an 8.0-inch touchscreen, while the Limited and TRD Off-Road trims upgraded to a 10.5-inch screen. Our RAV4 Adventure tester came with this upgraded system along with an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system. The vehicle also included a 7-inch driver-information display, with a 12.3-inch version available for Limited and TRD Off-Road trims.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard driver-assist technologies like lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition with speed limit adaptation. Optional features encompassed blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. However, the Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, a common occurrence for luxury brands.

In contrast, the 2023 Toyota RAV4 came with an extensive list of standard safety features across the lineup, including lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam LED headlights, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was standard starting from the XLE trim. The RAV4's safety suite, TSS 2.5, included Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

The 2023 RAV4 performed well in safety evaluations, earning a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, reflecting its robust crash-test performance and advanced safety features.