2022 Land Rover Defender vs 2021 Lexus GX

The 2021 Lexus GX 460’s styling was a testament to its long tenure on the market. Retaining the same basic body shell from a decade ago, it had undergone several updates over the years. The GX adopted Lexus’ signature spindle grille in 2014, which was further refined in 2020 with a new textured insert and triple-beam LED headlights. The 2021 model didn’t introduce any new styling changes, but it did make silver 18-inch wheels standard on the Premium trim level, with 19-inch wheels available as an option. Despite not being originally designed around the spindle grille, the GX’s styling remained coherent and distinctive, appealing to SUV shoppers with its tough, aggressive look. However, the interior did not meet modern luxury SUV standards, with wood trim that felt like molded plastic and an abundance of actual plastic. Standard leather upholstery was a plus, with semi-aniline leather available on the Luxury trim.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender maintained its distinctive exterior styling without major changes. Its boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood paid homage to the original Defender and the classic Series Land Rovers. The option for a white contrasting roof and steel wheels added to its retro appeal. Despite these nostalgic elements, the Defender’s design was thoroughly modern, with rounded corners for better aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights giving it a unique personality. The modern Defender was significantly larger than its predecessor, offering more interior space and better ergonomics. The interior design emphasized ruggedness without seeming cheesy, featuring bare metal and exposed screws alongside leather and suede upholstery. This mix of materials suggested durability, making the Defender’s interior more suitable for off-road adventures compared to traditional all-leather luxury SUVs.

The 2021 Lexus GX kept things simple with a single powertrain option: a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The GX 460’s performance was a throwback to an earlier era of SUVs. The V8 engine provided ample power for initial acceleration, with a 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds. However, the vehicle’s 5,130-pound weight was noticeable at higher speeds, requiring careful planning for merging and overtaking. Braking also required advance planning, and the GX exhibited significant body roll and low grip in corners. The ride quality was typical of a body-on-frame vehicle, lacking the refinement of modern unibody SUVs. Despite these drawbacks, the GX excelled in off-road capability, featuring a Torsen center differential, a standard 4WD system with a low range, and several driver aids like hill-descent control and hill-start assist. The optional Off-Road Package added further enhancements, including a transmission cooler, fuel-tank protector, multi-view camera system, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Select. The GX offered 8.1 inches of ground clearance and respectable approach, departure, and break-over angles. It also had a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered a range of powertrains, including a new V8 engine. Base models featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The mid-level option was a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain, producing 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. All models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard 4WD with a two-speed transfer case. The new V8 engine, producing 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque, could propel the Defender 90 from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 149 mph. V8 models also featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. Despite its off-road focus, the Defender was impressively comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and minimized noise from the 22-inch tires. The Defender’s off-road capabilities were bolstered by a 4WD system with low range, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance with the optional air suspension. The optional Terrain Response 2 system and All-Terrain Progress Control further enhanced its off-road prowess. The Defender also boasted an 8,201-pound maximum towing capacity.

The 2021 Lexus GX’s interior ergonomics reflected its age. The upright dashboard and high center console limited legroom, and the steering wheel’s odd angle, combined with the tall seating position, made it feel like driving a bus. The dashboard shape and boxy profile provided excellent outward visibility, but forward visibility was hindered by the tall hood. Storage space was limited, with small center-console storage bins, cupholders, and in-door bottle holders. The GX came standard with three rows of seating for seven, but the third row was best suited for children and difficult to access. The Lexus offered more first-row legroom on paper, but it wasn’t particularly generous. Cargo space was also limited, with only 64.7 cubic feet available with the second and third rows folded, significantly less than the Land Rover Discovery’s 73.0 cubic feet.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, which were surprisingly comfortable in the Defender 90 test vehicle. However, accessing them was challenging, and they didn’t leave much room for cargo. The four-door Defender 110 model provided more flexibility, with two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Three-row models offered 11.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, 35.4 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 70.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. Two-row versions had 18.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 51.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The Defender’s interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the shifter and climate-control knobs, and a spacious center-console storage bin that could be equipped with refrigeration. Optional exterior cargo solutions included a basket-style roof rack and cargo boxes mounted to the side pillars.

The 2021 Lexus GX was light on tech features, reflecting its decade-old design. Standard features included Bluetooth, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant connectivity, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not available. The infotainment system’s graphics were outdated, and the system offered limited functionality. However, Lexus included analog controls for most functions, providing a refreshing alternative to the screen-centric interfaces of many modern luxury SUVs.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all trims except the base model, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available for 2022. The user interface was well-designed, with easy-to-navigate menus and a distinctive color palette. However, the touchscreen required a firm touch to respond. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system, which was particularly useful for off-roading.

The 2021 Lexus GX 460 had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. It came standard with the Lexus Safety System+ bundle, which included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. However, the GX lacked some advanced safety features available in other Lexus and Toyota models, such as traffic-sign recognition and Lane Tracing Assist.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came standard with lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition with speed-limit adapter. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control were optional. Like many luxury brands, Land Rover did not include all driver-assist features as standard equipment. The Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, which was not unusual for luxury vehicles.