Land Rover Defender vs Hyundai Ioniq 9

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.

Although the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 isn’t the first three-row electric SUV through the door, it may be the best choice for most shoppers. With a starting price of $60,555 and qualifying for a $7,500 federal EV tax credit, it’s more affordable than a Tesla Model X or a Rivian R1S, and its standard 110.3-kWh battery pack provides a long range compared to a base-model Kia EV9.

Verdict: The Hyundai Ioniq 9 isn’t a perfect vehicle but it offers terrific passenger space, good tech, and family-friendly features. Shoppers may find its design polarizing (you could easily say the same about the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the Ioniq 6), but families interested in electric vehicles will do well to test drive this new option.