2023 Volkswagen ID.4 vs 2023 Land Rover Defender

The 2023 Land Rover Defender outsold the Land Rover Discovery by more than four to one. Despite being similar in size and price, the Defender's boxy design, reminiscent of the old LR4, attracted more customers. The Defender's design was characterized by its square-jawed face, rectangular hood and doors, and abruptly chopped tail, giving it a classic truck look. Tasteful accents like the dome and faux-metal step plates on the hood, skylights along the roof sides, and the body-color square 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), with the 110 and 130 sharing the same wheelbase but differing in rear length.

Inside, the Defender focused on function and durability, with most of the interior coated in rubbers and plastics designed to resist moisture and stains. Despite the optional Windsor leather, the interior remained basic and barren, with exposed screws and plain-looking air vents. The steering wheel resembled that of an old Toyota, and the overall build quality and fit were excellent. However, the Defender's high price did not match its interior opulence, with the tested Defender 110 V8 Carpathian Edition costing around $120,000. Despite this, the Defender remained the second most popular model in Land Rover's fleet, with around 20,000 units sold annually.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 received subtle styling changes, including gloss black trim on the front bumper and a more squared-off rear bumper design for improved aerodynamics. New wheel designs and colors, along with a rear VW logo that lit up, were also introduced. The ID.4, based on VW's MEB platform designed specifically for EVs, lacked the upright profile and added ground clearance of traditional SUVs, making it less distinguishable as an SUV. However, it offered a minimalist interior design with a feeling of quality, even in the base ID.4 Standard model, which featured leatherette upholstery with recycled fiber inserts.

The ID.4's interior space was more generous than other affordable EVs, with more front and rear legroom than the Chevrolet Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, and more headroom than the 2023 Kia Niro EV. It offered 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The ID.4 also provided some towing capability, with a quoted towing capacity of 2,200 pounds for RWD models and 2,700 pounds for AWD models. Small interior changes for 2023 included a conventional lid for the center console and a better spot for a phone, along with three-zone climate control with rear-seat controls and heated outboard rear seats.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender excelled off-road, with its uncanny grip, incredible wheel articulation, and generous clearance. The air suspension allowed the Defender to climb, clear, and navigate almost any path. However, most owners did not use the Terrain Response 2 system or the vehicle's full off-road capabilities. On the road, the Defender's performance was less impressive, with excessive body roll, slow and imprecise steering, and noticeable wind noise. The V8 model, with 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque, provided impressive acceleration, but the vehicle's top-heavy nature made it feel unstable. The six-cylinder engine, part of a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain, offered 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, providing a good balance of performance and fuel efficiency. The four-cylinder engine, with 296 hp and 295 lb-ft, was less desirable for highway driving.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 offered a new 62-kWh battery pack for the base Standard and S models, with RWD only. The Pro, Pro S, and Pro S Plus models retained the 82-kWh pack and were available with RWD or AWD. Single-motor RWD models produced 201 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque, while dual-motor AWD models offered 295 hp and 339 lb-ft, achieving 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds. The smaller battery pack reduced curb weight by 240 pounds, improving acceleration and handling. The ID.4's AWD models provided acceleration comparable to hot hatchbacks like the VW Golf GTI and Golf R, but with more body roll. The regenerative braking system allowed for energy recovery while decelerating, but VW did not pursue one-pedal driving, providing a more familiar experience for new EV drivers.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender offered unmatched seating configurations, with the two-door Defender 90 seating six with an optional jump seat. The larger Defender 110 had an optional third row, while the Defender 130 had a standard third row for up to eight seats. The 130 provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row and second row folded, but only 14 cubic feet with all rows upright. The Defender 90 offered 16 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 58 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The four-door Defender 110 provided 34 cubic feet behind the second row and 79 cubic feet with them folded. Buyers could equip their Defenders with various off-road accessories, including off-road or all-season tires, a metal roof rack, a console refrigerator, a heated windshield, a pressurized water rinse system, power-deployable side steps, a brush bar, and a winch.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 provided more interior space than other affordable EVs, with more front and rear legroom than the Chevrolet Bolt EV or Nissan Leaf, and more headroom than the 2023 Kia Niro EV. It offered 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 64.2 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The ID.4 also provided some towing capability, with a quoted towing capacity of 2,200 pounds for RWD models and 2,700 pounds for AWD models. Small interior changes for 2023 included a conventional lid for the center console and a better spot for a phone, along with three-zone climate control with rear-seat controls and heated outboard rear seats.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender featured two touchscreen infotainment systems running Pivi Pro software. The standard 10-inch screen was wide and integrated into the dashboard's metal bar, while the optional 11.4-inch touchscreen was an oversize square resting over the central dash. Both screens were quick and simple to operate, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a voice assistant, connected apps, and navigation as standard features. Heated front seats, a proximity key, and power-folding mirrors were also standard. Higher trims offered additional features like heated 12-way power seats, a Meridian stereo, fog lights, surround sound, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, auto high beams, 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 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 came standard with a 12.0-inch touchscreen, replacing the previous 10.0-inch screen on lower trims. The infotainment system received software updates for improved responsiveness, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the ID.Cockpit digital instrument cluster as standard features. The user interface included sharp graphics, smartphone-like icons, and natural-language voice recognition. However, the haptic touchpads on the dashboard and steering wheel, which replaced conventional buttons, were distracting and lacked physical feedback. The ID.4 also featured ID.Light, an ambient lighting system that changed color based on drive mode and provided navigation cues.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender had not been rated by U.S. government agencies or insurance organizations, but it received a five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash testing. The Defender was equipped with six airbags, which was considered low, as it lacked front knee airbags and rear side thorax airbags. Standard safety features included lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional features included a digital instrument panel with full-screen maps, a head-up display, a 360-degree camera system, and automatic steering when reversing a trailer. However, a self-steering highway assist was not offered.

The 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 received a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover crash tests. The 2022 model received the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating, with top scores in all crash tests and high ratings for front crash prevention. The ID.4 also came with a good complement of standard driver-assist features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear park distance control, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and VW's Travel Assist 2.0. For 2023, the ID.4 added standard Park Assist Plus automated parking, an automated lane-change feature for Travel Assist, and a 360-degree camera system.