2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its iconic design, with no major exterior changes. Its boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare wheel, and flat hood paid homage to the original Defender and classic Series Land Rovers. The option for a white contrasting roof and steel wheels added a retro touch. Despite these nods to the past, the Defender's design was thoroughly modern, with rounded corners for improved aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights that gave it a unique personality. The modern Defender was larger than its predecessor, offering more interior space and better ergonomics. The interior design emphasized ruggedness, with bare metal and exposed screws complementing the mix of leather and suede upholstery, making it more practical for off-road adventures.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport embraced a "modernist" and "reductive" design philosophy, focusing on clean and simple lines. While it offered limited flashy options, such as Firenze Red paint and diamond-turned 23-inch wheels, our test vehicle in Eiger Grey with silver wheels and a Black Exterior Pack exuded understated luxury. Inside, the Deep Garnet over Ebony theme, combined with aluminum and shiny black trim, created a sophisticated atmosphere. The Range Rover Sport's design featured premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED taillights, enhancing its aerodynamic profile. The interior boasted a luxurious, high-tech appearance, with sustainable Ultrafabrics and Windsor leather upholstery, providing a decadent and fragrant cabin experience.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered a range of powertrains, including a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. The highlight was the new-for-2022 V8 engine, delivering 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, propelling the Defender 90 from zero to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, with a top speed of 240 km/h. The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. Despite its off-road capabilities, the Defender was comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps and minimized noise from its 22-inch tires. It offered a 3,500-kilogram towing capacity and impressive off-road features, including a 4WD system with low range, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 29 centimetres of ground clearance.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport aimed to balance refinement and driver-focused engagement. It offered a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six engine with mild-hybrid technology, producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain was available in the Autobiography model, delivering 434 hp and 406 lb-ft. The sold-out SV Edition One featured a 523-hp twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine. The Range Rover Sport's 395-hp inline-six provided ample power, accelerating to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and an Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, with a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms. The SUV's new architecture increased torsional stiffness by 35%, and its adaptive damping air suspension adjusted up to 500 times per second for improved ride comfort and handling. While the Range Rover Sport excelled in off-road conditions, it struggled to match the agility of sport-tuned SUVs from competitors like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz on twisty roads.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered versatile interior configurations, with 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats in the Defender 90 model. While accessing the rear seats in the two-door version was challenging, they provided surprising comfort. The four-door Defender 110 model offered more options, including two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Cargo space varied, with up to 1,875 litres available in two-row versions. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a spacious centre-console storage bin. Optional features included a basket-style roof rack and cargo boxes for additional storage.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained the Range Rover Command Driving Position, offering a tall and airy feel. The air suspension could kneel for easier entry and exit, and the front seats provided comfort with 20-way power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The rear seat, while improved, remained tight for taller passengers, with narrow door openings and hard front seatback panels. The cargo area offered 903 litres of space, expandable to 1,500 litres with the rear seats folded. The power liftgate and air suspension controls facilitated loading, and the SUV featured a full-size spare tire and storage solutions to prevent items from rolling around.

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 most trims, with an optional 11.4-inch touchscreen. The user interface was intuitive, though 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 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport boasted a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio. While the screens were generally intuitive, the Pivi Pro system could be confusing and frustrating. The SUV offered impressive Meridian audio systems with up to 29 speakers and 1,430 watts of power, along with a next-generation Active Noise Cancellation system. A wireless smartphone charging pad was also included.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with standard driver-assist features like lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control was optional. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available for the Defender, which is common for luxury vehicles.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was equipped with numerous safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist. It also had automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. Remote Park Assist was available, allowing the SUV to park itself while the driver directed it using a smartphone app. The adaptive cruise control with steering assist was slow to respond and not as smooth as expected, while the steering assist technology was dissatisfactory, especially on highway curves.