2024 Land Rover Defender vs 2025 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2024 Land Rover Defender presented a unique blend of classic and modern design elements. Its boxy profile and angular headlights paid homage to its heritage while aligning with contemporary Land Rover aesthetics. Inside, the Defender diverged from its siblings, offering a rugged and adventure-ready cabin reminiscent of a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco, yet with more refined materials. The Defender was available in three body styles: the two-door 90, the four-door 110, and the extended-wheelbase four-door 130, each with various trims. Our test drive of the Defender 110 S, featuring the County visual package, highlighted its retro appeal with white wheels and vintage graphics, though it also catered to those preferring modern styling with aggressive packs.

The Defender's interior was a harmonious mix of luxury and practicality, with soft-touch materials, grip handles, and rubberized floors. It accommodated between five and eight passengers, depending on the configuration. The Defender 110 offered an optional third row, best for children, while the Defender 130 increased seating capacity to eight, though space remained limited. Cargo capacity varied by model, with the Defender 130 providing up to 76.1 cubic feet with seats folded. The Defender 110 offered 78.8 cubic feet in its two-row version, while the two-door Defender 90 provided up to 58.3 cubic feet. The cargo area featured hard plastic surfaces, enhancing practicality and ease of cleaning.

The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder, redesigned for its fifth generation, showcased a robust and adventurous exterior, particularly in the Rock Creek trim. Equipped with 3-Peak Mud-and-Snow-rated tires and standard AWD, it excelled in challenging conditions, such as the snowstorm during our test near Mount Rainier National Park. The Pathfinder's V-Motion grille, stacked LED lighting, and metal roof rack emphasized its rugged appeal. Despite its unibody construction, the Rock Creek trim lacked additional ground clearance and skid plates, limiting its off-road capabilities compared to true body-on-frame SUVs.

Inside, the Pathfinder offered a comfortable and spacious environment, accommodating up to seven passengers. The Rock Creek trim featured leatherette-and-cloth upholstery with bright orange "Rock Creek" logos, while higher trims offered full leather and quilted semi-aniline leather options. The Pathfinder's EZ Flex Seating System allowed easy access to the third row without removing car seats. Cargo capacity reached 80.5 cubic feet with all seats folded, and the Rock Creek trim included captain's chairs and a removable center console for added versatility.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender offered a range of powertrains, starting with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the P300, producing 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Our P400 test model featured a mild-hybrid turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, delivering 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. Two supercharged 5.0-liter V8 options, the P500 and P525, provided 493 hp and 518 hp, respectively. All engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time active 4WD. The Defender's towing capacity varied, with the six-cylinder and eight-cylinder models capable of towing up to 7,716 pounds, while the four-cylinder version could tow up to 5,500 pounds. The Defender excelled in off-road performance, with features like adaptive air suspension, Terrain Response 2, and all-terrain progress control enhancing its capabilities.

The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder featured a single engine option: a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6. The S, SV, SL, and Platinum trims produced 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque, while the Rock Creek trim offered 295 hp and 270 lb-ft with premium fuel. A nine-speed automatic transmission replaced the previous CVT, providing smooth and decisive shifts. The Pathfinder's towing capacity reached 6,000 pounds with the Platinum and Rock Creek trims, thanks to a standard transmission oil cooler. The Pathfinder's ride was soft, suitable for light off-roading, but less composed on twisty roads compared to dedicated off-road platforms. Fuel economy for the Rock Creek trim was 20 mpg city, 23 highway, and 21 combined, with other 4WD trims offering slightly better efficiency.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender balanced luxury and functionality, featuring soft-touch materials, grip handles, and rubberized floors. Seating capacity ranged from five to eight passengers, with the Defender 110 offering an optional third row and the Defender 130 accommodating up to eight. Cargo capacity varied, with the Defender 130 providing up to 76.1 cubic feet with seats folded. The Defender 110 offered 78.8 cubic feet in its two-row version, while the two-door Defender 90 provided up to 58.3 cubic feet. The cargo area featured hard plastic surfaces, enhancing practicality and ease of cleaning.

The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder offered ample interior space, accommodating up to seven passengers. The Rock Creek trim featured leatherette-and-cloth upholstery with bright orange "Rock Creek" logos, while higher trims offered full leather and quilted semi-aniline leather options. The Pathfinder's EZ Flex Seating System allowed easy access to the third row without removing car seats. Cargo capacity reached 80.5 cubic feet with all seats folded, and the Rock Creek trim included captain's chairs and a removable center console for added versatility.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender came equipped with a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument panel and an 11.4-inch touchscreen. The touchscreen, though smaller than some competitors, was simple and utilitarian, featuring navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, satellite radio, HD radio, and a 10-speaker Meridian stereo system. The straightforward setup, aided by home buttons, provided a blend of refinement and utility.

The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder lagged behind in technology, featuring an older interface compared to other Nissans. The 8-inch screen in lower trims and 9-inch in higher trims were smaller than competitors. The Pathfinder included a 6-speaker stereo, with a 13-speaker Bose system available on higher trims. NissanConnect supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with wireless projection limited to Apple devices on the 9-inch screen. Voice recognition, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM were standard, while navigation was available only on higher trims. A 12.3-inch TFT driver-information display and head-up display were exclusive to the Platinum trim.

The 2024 Land Rover Defender offered a comprehensive suite of standard driver assistance features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Additional safety tech included traffic sign recognition, automatic high beams, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a 360-degree parking camera system. However, the lane-departure and lane-keeping assist features were overly sensitive. As of this writing, the Defender had not been crash-tested by the IIHS or NHTSA.

The 2025 Nissan Pathfinder received a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. It came equipped with a robust array of standard driver assistance systems, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and rear automatic braking. Adaptive cruise control and ProPilot Assist were standard on all but the base S trim. Traffic sign recognition was available on higher trims.