2022 Land Rover Defender vs 2022 Kia EV6

The 2022 Kia EV6 presented a sporty and sleek design, reminiscent of a Ford Mustang Mach-E, with a lower and wider stance that gave it a visually appealing presence. Its short highback tail featured a lip spoiler doubling as a lightbar, while the wheels were pushed to the farthest corners of the chassis, creating a body with pronounced hips. The EV6's voluptuous curves, similar to those on a Porsche 911, added both style and stability. The headlights, with their squinting, V-shaped pattern, mirrored the black trim below, which mimicked sealed air intakes. The car's wedgy profile, with an angled roofline and twin ducts in the rear spoiler, combined with a smooth lower body, especially in matte silver paint, made it a striking vehicle.

The interior of the EV6 was equally impressive, featuring dual 12-inch screens on a linear dash, a floating centre console, and seats covered in faux suede and leather. Ambient lighting flowed around the dash, creating a futuristic atmosphere. The hockey-puck shifter and digital controls distinguished the EV6 from basic Kia models, emphasizing a car-first, computer-second aesthetic. This design approach made the EV6 an enjoyable vehicle to drive, with its industrial design capturing attention and highlighting the importance of cars and their creators.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare wheel, and flat hood, visually connecting it to the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. Despite these retro elements, the Defender's design was thoroughly modern, with rounded corners for improved aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights giving it a unique personality. The modern Defender was larger than its predecessor, offering more interior space and better ergonomics.

Inside, the Defender balanced rugged character with modern comfort. While many luxury automakers covered surfaces in leather, wood, and plastic, Land Rover left some bare metal and exposed screws for a different look, complemented by metal trim on the steering wheel. The Defender 90 V8 test car featured a mix of leather and suede upholstery, designed to handle mud and dirt better than traditional all-leather interiors. This approach made the Defender a vehicle that could be taken off-road without worrying about ruining the interior, maintaining Land Rover's reputation for ruggedness.

The 2022 Kia EV6, particularly in its GT-Line e-AWD configuration, delivered impressive performance with its dual electric motors producing 320 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque. The 77.4 kWh battery, mounted low in the chassis, allowed the EV6 to accelerate to 60 mph in a claimed 4.6 seconds, providing a thrilling driving experience. The upcoming GT trim promised even more power with 576 hp and a 0-60 time of less than 3.5 seconds. The EV6's torque was effectively managed, providing seamless power delivery, whether on pavement or snow, and the regenerative braking system offered more than eight settings for deceleration control.

However, the EV6's performance was somewhat marred by its disappointing driving range in cold weather. During a weeklong test in below-freezing temperatures, the EV6's range fell short of expectations, delivering only 65 percent of Kia's 441-kilometre estimate. Charging the battery was efficient, with the EV6 accepting up to 240 kW, but real-world charging times were longer than Kia's claims. Despite its performance prowess, the EV6's energy consumption in cold weather was a drawback, making daily home charging a necessity.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered a range of powertrains, including a new V8 engine producing 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, capable of propelling the Defender 90 from zero to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds. The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. While the V8 provided exhilarating acceleration, it felt less poised than the six-cylinder model during cornering.

Despite its off-road capabilities, the Defender was comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and minimized noise from the 22-inch tires. The Defender's boxy shape was less susceptible to crosswinds than a Jeep Wrangler, and it maintained good on-road driving dynamics. Off-road, the Defender lived up to Land Rover's reputation, with a 4WD system, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and ample ground clearance. The optional Terrain Response 2 system and All-Terrain Progress Control further enhanced its off-road prowess, while a 3,500-kilogram towing capacity added to its versatility.

The 2022 Kia EV6 featured innovative design elements, such as door handles that popped out when approached with the key, paddle shifters, and a twisting rotary shifter. The climate controls and stereo shortcuts were combined in a thin touchscreen, which could be frustrating to use while driving. The EV6 offered generous legroom and headroom, with reclining rear seats and air vents, creating an open and airy cabin. However, the cargo space was limited, with 690 litres behind the seats and 1,322 litres when folded. The towing capacity was rated at 1,043 kilograms, and the onboard power generator added practicality.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender provided versatile interior space with 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, although accessing them in the two-door Defender 90 was challenging. The four-door Defender 110 offered more cargo space, with up to 1,875 litres available. The interior design emphasized functionality, with easy-to-reach controls and a large centre-console storage bin. Optional features included a basket-style roof rack and cargo boxes for additional storage, catering to the Defender's rugged image.

The 2022 Kia EV6's infotainment system was user-friendly, with quick settings adjustments and connectivity options, although wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a wired connection. The instrument panel displayed live feeds of blind spots, and the 360-degree surround-view cameras provided clear visuals. The head-up display used augmented reality for navigation, and the highest trim featured a 14-speaker Meridian stereo and remote parking assist.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with the Pivi Pro infotainment system, featuring a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all but the base model, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available. The interface was easy to navigate, although the screen required a firm touch. A surround-view camera system was standard, with optional features like a 14-speaker Meridian audio system and head-up display.

The 2022 Kia EV6 lacked published safety ratings but offered impressive standard safety features, including forward collision avoidance assist, lane keep assist, and driver attention warning. Higher trims added blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and 360 cameras.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard driver-assist tech like lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control was optional. The Defender had no published safety ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA, which was common for luxury vehicles.