2023 Land Rover Defender vs 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

In Canada, the 2023 Land Rover Defender had a distinct appeal, outselling the Land Rover Discovery by a significant margin. Despite being similar in size and price, the Defender's boxy design reminiscent of the old LR4 attracted customers who largely ignored the Discovery. The Defender's design was a nod to its heritage, with its square-jawed face, rectangular hood, and doors set parallel to the ground, creating a classic truck aesthetic. Tasteful accents like the dome and faux-metal step plates on the hood, skylights along the roof, and the body-colour square separating the side glass paid homage to the original 1980s Defender. The vehicle was available in three body styles: the short two-door 90, the medium-length four-door 110, and the extended-length four-door 130, offering unparalleled choice in the SUV market.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, built on the TNGA-K platform, was a true crossover, sharing its underpinnings with the regular Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and Camry. It was larger than its competitors, with a length of 5,115 millimetres and a 2,950 mm wheelbase, offering a spacious interior. The Grand Highlander's design was more conservative yet blockier than the smaller Highlander, drawing inspiration from rugged vehicles like the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. It featured a trapezoidal grille with a smaller horizontal slit between narrow headlights, resembling Toyota's off-roading SUV, the 4Runner. The Grand Highlander was available in three trims: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, with interior options ranging from black Softex synthetic leather to real leather in higher trims.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was renowned for its off-road prowess, with features like permanent four-wheel drive and the Terrain Response 2 system, which adapted the vehicle's powertrain and chassis to various surfaces. However, on-road performance was less impressive, with excessive body roll, slow steering, and noticeable wind noise. The Defender offered a range of engines, including a turbocharged inline-six and a supercharged V8, with the latter delivering 518 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The six-cylinder engine, part of a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain, provided 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, while the turbocharged four-cylinder engine offered 296 hp and 295 lb-ft. Fuel economy varied, with the V8 returning 16.4/12.7/14.7 litres per 100 kilometres in city/highway/combined driving.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options: a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder with 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid with 245 combined net horsepower, and the Hybrid Max powertrain with 362 horsepower and 400 combined net pound-feet of torque. All powertrains came with all-wheel drive in Canada. The Grand Highlander excelled in acceleration, particularly with the Hybrid Max, achieving a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. While the Grand Highlander was larger and less maneuverable than the smaller Highlander, it offered solid brakes and adequate acceleration. Toyota provided three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—with additional modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender was exceptional as an everyday SUV, offering unmatched seating configurations. The Defender 90 could seat six with a jump seat, while the 110 and 130 models offered optional third rows, accommodating up to eight passengers. The Defender 130 provided 2,180 litres of cargo space with the third row and second row folded, while the 110 offered 2,237 litres. The Defender featured large glass areas for excellent visibility and optional features like a console refrigerator, heated windshield, and power-deployable side steps.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its primary rivals, with a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres. It offered 1,640 litres of space behind the second-row seats and 583 litres with all three rows up. The Grand Highlander provided ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in every row, making it comfortable for adults in the third row. Its spacious interior and good outward visibility made it a practical choice for families.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender featured two touchscreen infotainment systems running Pivi Pro, with a standard 10-inch screen and an optional 11.4-inch touchscreen. Both screens offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a voice assistant, and connected apps. The Defender 110 S included heated 12-way power seats with leather and a Meridian sound system. Higher trims added features like air suspension, a locking rear differential, and a head-up display.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering dual-device Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. An intelligent assistant and cloud-based navigation were available via a connected-services subscription. The Grand Highlander Limited and Platinum trims featured an 11-speaker JBL stereo, providing a balanced audio experience. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were also available.

The 2023 Land Rover Defender received a five-star rating in Euro NCAP crash testing, praised for its solid structure. It came with six airbags, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. Optional features included a digital instrument panel, head-up display, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, but it included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 as standard. This suite featured automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was also standard.