2026 Land Rover Defender vs 2025 BMW X7

The X7 is BMW’s flagship SUV, providing more space, luxury, and seats for new car buyers looking for a bigger utility vehicle but wanting to stay in the BMW fold. It arrived for the 2019 model year, received a substantial update for 2023, and continues into the 2025 model year without major changes. Its diverse competitive set includes the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Land Rover Range Rover, Lexus LX, Infiniti QX80, and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.

Verdict: BMW loyalists will find more of what they love about the brand, while the X7’s superb driving dynamics and reasonable pricing (for this high-end segment, that is) should give customers of rival brands something to think about.

As the rest of the lineup has trended toward luxury, the Land Rover Defender has stayed true to the brand’s roots of tough off-roaders ideal for the military and farmers alike. That’s mainly because Land Rover put off updates for decades, but a redesigned Defender that’s more passenger car than farm implement arrived for 2020, bringing the nameplate back to the U.S. Changes for 2026 include subtle styling changes, a larger touchscreen, and new color and accessory options.

Verdict: The Defender offers an unmatched combination of off-road capability and everyday civility.