2026 Land Rover Defender vs 2026 BMW X3
Overview | |
MSRP$51,300 | MSRP$63,500 |
Listings187 | Listings59 |
Ratings & Reviews | |
User Reviews | User Reviews |
Expert reviews6.7 out of 10 | Expert reviews8.2 out of 10 |
Pros
Cons
| Pros
Cons
|
2026 BMW X3 Reviews SummaryBMW offers the 2026 X3 in two flavors: 30 xDrive and M50. The latter is tuned for performance, but the base X3 30 xDrive is so good that you might be happy trading the M50’s outright speed and sheer capability for significant savings. BMW redesigned this compact luxury crossover in 2025, and the only tweaks for 2026 make the base model look and feel a little more upscale inside. Verdict: For this review, we evaluated the BMW X3 M50. It was terrific, but with a sticker price more than $15,000 higher than the rewarding X3 30 xDrive, it’s hard to justify the extra money. | |
2026 Land Rover Defender Reviews SummaryAs 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. | |
No video found | No video found |
Popular Features & Specs | |
Engine2.0L 255 hp I4 | Engine2.0L 296 hp I4 |
Drive TrainAWD | Drive TrainAWD |
Seating Capacity5 | Seating Capacity7 |
Horsepower255 hp @ 4700 rpm | Horsepower296 hp @ 5500 rpm |
MPG City27 | MPG City18 |
MPG Highway33 | MPG Highway22 |
Engine | |
Engine Name2.0L 255 hp I4 | Engine Name2.0L 296 hp I4 |
Torque295 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm | Torque295 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm |
Horsepower255 hp @ 4700 rpm | Horsepower296 hp @ 5500 rpm |
DrivetrainAWD | DrivetrainAWD |
Fuel Economy | |
MPG City27 | MPG City18 |
MPG Highway33 | MPG Highway22 |
Interior | |
Seating Capacity5 | Seating Capacity7 |
Key Features | |
Navigation SystemOptional | Navigation SystemStandard |
Sunroof/Moonroof | Sunroof/MoonroofStandard |
Safety | |
Front Crash Overall4 | Front Crash Overall |
Side Crash Overall5 | Side Crash Overall |
Dimensions & Capacity | |
Cargo Space31.5 cu ft | Cargo Space34.0 cu ft |
Curb Weight4176 lbs | Curb Weight4830 lbs |
Height65.4 in | Height77.4 in |
Length187.2 in | Length197.5 in |
Width83.9 in | Width82.9 in |
Wheelbase112.8 in | Wheelbase119.0 in |
Maximum Payload1107 lbs | Maximum Payload2015 lbs |
Number of doors4 | Number of doors4 |
Maximum Towing Capacity4001 lbs | Maximum Towing Capacity7715 lbs |
Overview | ||
MSRP | $51,300 | $63,500 |
Listings | ||
Ratings & Reviews | ||
User reviews | ||
Expert reviews | 6.7 out of 10Read full review | 8.2 out of 10Read full review |
Pros & cons | Pros
Cons
| Pros
Cons
|
Summary | BMW offers the 2026 X3 in two flavors: 30 xDrive and M50. The latter is tuned for performance, but the base X3 30 xDrive is so good that you might be happy trading the M50’s outright speed and sheer capability for significant savings. BMW redesigned this compact luxury crossover in 2025, and the only tweaks for 2026 make the base model look and feel a little more upscale inside. Verdict: For this review, we evaluated the BMW X3 M50. It was terrific, but with a sticker price more than $15,000 higher than the rewarding X3 30 xDrive, it’s hard to justify the extra money. | 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. |
Video | No video found | No video found |
Popular Features & Specs | ||
Engine | 2.0L 255 hp I4 | 2.0L 296 hp I4 |
Drive Train | AWD | AWD |
Seating Capacity | 5 | 7 |
Horsepower | 255 hp @ 4700 rpm | 296 hp @ 5500 rpm |
MPG City | 27 | 18 |
MPG Highway | 33 | 22 |
Engine | ||
Engine Name | 2.0L 255 hp I4 | 2.0L 296 hp I4 |
Torque | 295 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm | 295 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm |
Horsepower | 255 hp @ 4700 rpm | 296 hp @ 5500 rpm |
Drivetrain | AWD | AWD |
Fuel Economy | ||
MPG City | 27 | 18 |
MPG Highway | 33 | 22 |
Interior | ||
Seating Capacity | 5 | 7 |
Key Features | ||
Navigation System | Optional | Standard |
Sunroof/Moonroof | Standard | |
Safety | ||
Front Crash Overall | 4 | |
Side Crash Overall | 5 | |
Dimensions & Capacity | ||
Cargo Space | 31.5 cu ft | 34.0 cu ft |
Curb Weight | 4176 lbs | 4830 lbs |
Height | 65.4 in | 77.4 in |
Length | 187.2 in | 197.5 in |
Width | 83.9 in | 82.9 in |
Wheelbase | 112.8 in | 119.0 in |
Maximum Payload | 1107 lbs | 2015 lbs |
Number of doors | 4 | 4 |
Maximum Towing Capacity | 4001 lbs | 7715 lbs |
By: CarGurus + AI
At CarGurus, our team of experienced automotive writers remain at the heart of our content operation, conducting hands-on car tests and writing insightful guides that are backed by years of industry experience. To complement this, we are harnessing AI to make our content offering more diverse and more helpful to shoppers than ever. To achieve this, our AI systems are based exclusively on CarGurus content, ratings and data, so that what we produce is both unique to CarGurus, and uniquely helpful to car shoppers.
