2023 Land Rover Defender vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was a standout in the Land Rover lineup, outselling the Discovery by a significant margin. Its boxy design, reminiscent of the old LR4, appealed to customers who preferred a classic Land Rover look over the Discovery's more Ford-like appearance. The Defender's design was characterized by its square-jawed face, rectangular hood and doors, and a sharply chopped tail, all contributing to its classic truck aesthetic. Tasteful nods to the original 1980s Defender, such as the dome and faux-metal step plates on the hood, added to its charm. The Defender was available in three body styles—90, 110, and 130—offering a range of options for buyers. Inside, the Defender prioritized function and durability, with a mix of rubbers and plastics designed to resist stains and wick moisture. Despite its high price, the interior was basic, with exposed screws and plain air vents, maintaining the Defender's hardcore character.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a true crossover built on the TNGA-K platform, sharing its underpinnings with the regular Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and Camry. It was larger than its competitors, with a length of 201.4 inches and a 116.1-inch wheelbase, offering a spacious interior. The Grand Highlander's design was more conservative, with a blockier style reminiscent of the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. It was available in three trims: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, with interior options ranging from Softex synthetic leather to real leather. The Grand Highlander excelled as a comfortable road-trip vehicle, with a well-built interior and ample cargo space. It offered a range of features, including a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat, heated front seats, and a large center console, making it a practical choice for families.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was a formidable off-road vehicle, with impressive grip, wheel articulation, and clearance. Its air suspension allowed it to tackle almost any path, although most owners would not use its full off-road capabilities. On the road, the Defender's performance was less refined, with excessive body roll, slow steering, and noticeable wind noise. The turbocharged inline-six and supercharged V8 engines provided strong performance, with the V8 delivering 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The six-cylinder engine, part of a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain, offered 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, while the turbocharged four-cylinder engine was less powerful at 296 hp and 295 lb-ft. Fuel economy varied, with the V8 returning 14/19/16 mpg, the six-cylinder 18/23/20, and the four-cylinder 17/20/18.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options: a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid with 245 combined net horsepower, and the Hybrid Max powertrain with 362 combined net horsepower and 400 combined net lb-ft of torque. The Hybrid Max provided impressive acceleration, with a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander was available with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, with the Hybrid Max offered only with AWD. While not a sports car, the Grand Highlander delivered adequate acceleration and solid braking. It featured three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—and additional modes for AWD-equipped models. The Grand Highlander's performance was more sedate than the Defender's, but it was a capable and comfortable vehicle for everyday driving.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was exceptional as an everyday SUV, offering unmatched seating configurations. The Defender 90 could seat six with a jump seat, while the 110 offered an optional third row, and the 130 had a standard third row for up to eight seats. The Defender's large glass and alpine lights provided excellent visibility, and the 130 featured a panoramic moonroof. Cargo space varied by model, with the 130 offering 77 cubic feet with seats folded, the 90 providing 58 cubic feet, and the 110 offering up to 79 cubic feet. The Defender was equipped with various features, including off-road tires, a metal roof rack, a console refrigerator, and a heated windshield, making it a versatile and practical choice.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its rivals, with a total cargo capacity of 97.5 cubic feet. It offered 57.9 cubic feet behind the second row and 20.6 cubic feet with all rows up. The Grand Highlander provided a spacious and comfortable interior, with good visibility and ample head, leg, and shoulder room in every row. It was a practical alternative to a minivan, offering a comfortable and well-built interior for families.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender featured two touchscreen infotainment systems running Pivi Pro software. The standard 10-inch screen was integrated into the dashboard, while the optional 11.4-inch screen offered greater legibility. Both screens were quick and easy to operate, with standard features including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a voice assistant, and navigation. The Defender S added heated 12-way power seats and a Meridian stereo, while the X trim included air suspension, a locking rear differential, and adaptive cruise control. Additional features included a head-up display, a 360-degree camera system, and configurable ambient lighting.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering a visually stunning interface. An intelligent assistant was available via a connected-services subscription, along with cloud-based navigation and live agent assistance. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an 11-speaker JBL stereo on the Limited and Platinum trims. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were available, along with a Wi-Fi Connect package for Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender had not been rated by U.S. safety organizations but received five stars in Euro NCAP crash testing. It was equipped with six airbags, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional features included a digital instrument panel, a head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, but it came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard. This suite included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control was also standard, with four following-distance settings.