Toyota and Land Rover are popular brands around the world for manufacturing durable, powerful, and reliable cars. Toyota Land Cruiser is the best seller in the SUV category, also Toyota is the best seller in sedans, pick-ups, and hatchbacks which have been around for many years.
The Land Cruiser and the new Defender differ in every aspect like performance, engine, interior, and exterior. The Land Cruiser was introduced in 1951 while the Defender was introduced in 1983, therefore, the Land Cruiser has been around for many more years compared to the Land Rover Defender. Toyota and Land Rover are famous for their production of a variety of functional, everyday cars.
But if you want an adventure-ready option, larger than life, you might be interested in the Land Cruiser or the Defender. You will get to know the differences between these 2 SUVs.
4×4 icons the Land Cruiser and Defender are known for their off-roading prowess. Versions of the Land Cruiser are the light-duty (Prado 120, 150, 250), station wagon (50, 80,100, 200, 300), and heavy-duty (BJ, FJ, J20, J40, J70), while the (L316 and L663) is available in 90, 110, and 130. With any of these models, you are guaranteed to get to your destination regardless of the weather or terrain.
N.B: Prices are reflective of average BE FORWARD prices as of June 2022.
Toyota Land Cruiser Land Rover Defender
Capacity/Doors 5 doors/ 5-8 seater 3-5 doors / 5-7 seater
Torque 427 Nm - 544 Nm 550 Nm
Top Speed 180 Kph 191 Kph
0-100 km/h 7.1 sec - 12.8 sec 10.2 sec - 18.6 sec
Max Power 381 hp - 437 hp 399 hp
Engine 3.4L – 3.5L 2.0L – 3.0L
Fuel Tank Capacity 100L 89L
Key Features Heated/Ventilated Front Seats,
Moonroof, Three-Zone Climate
Control, Rear-Seat ControlsBlind Spot Monitoring, Lane
Departure Warnings, Accident
Avoidance System, Child Seat
Anchors, Front, and Rear
Head Airbags, Pre-Collision
Safety System
Fuel Consumption 6.5 Km/L – 11.5 Km/L 7.22Km/L – 9.3Km/L
Length x Width x Height 4.98×1.98×1.92 m 4.94×1.99×1.97 m
BE FORWARD PRICE USD 6,700 – 189,390 USD 32,980 – 97,760
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Interior & Exterior Comparision
Toyota Land Cruiser
Price
| 1978 | $ 11,160 |
| 1990 | $ 15,450 – $ 23,000 |
| 2022 | $ 37,450 – $ 159,380 |
| 2023 | $ 49,760 – $ 156,240 |
The Land Cruiser is a series of full capability SUV and 4WD vehicles manufactured by Toyota. Toyota Land Cruiser has been in production since 1951 as the first generation and identified as BJ and FJ later on followed by J20/J30, J40, J70, J50, J60, J80, J100, J200 and now we are on J300. Toyota Land Cruiser has been produced in a station wagon, hardtops, convertible body styles, and cab chassis.
The Land Cruiser’s reliability and longevity have led to vast popularity, and it is the best-selling body-on-frame, 4WD vehicle, especially in Australia.
Interior
(a) Capacity
The interior of the Land Cruiser changed according to the model but the J300 series (new model) has a cockpit that looks modern with an advanced infotainment system and well-designed cluster. The overall cabin is spacious and attractive which offers more comfort and luxury when cruising whether off-road or on-road.
Inside the cabin, there are several storage facilities for storing items such as smartphones, beverages, handbags, and goggles. In the driver’s and passenger cabin, you will find 2 cup holders, a center box, a glovebox, and door panel storage, and in the back row, you will find a door storage panel and front seat jacket pocket.
(b) Cargo Space
The Land Cruiser offers 16.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind its 3rd – row, 41.4 cubic feet with the 3rd – row folded, and 82.8 cubic feet with all back seats folded. That’s huge for a luxury large SUV.
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Exterior
The Land Cruiser’s exterior appearance looks different in each model or generation but the LC300 series has an attractive and superb exterior appearance that’s attractive compared to the previous generation. The front appearance is attached with a front grille which offers a greater look and is well-designed.
Toyota Land Cruiser 2024
Toyota unveiled the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser 250 on the 18th of April 2024.
The 250 is released with Toyota emphasizing that they want to place it where it originally belonged (in between the symbolic 300 series and the universal 70 series) with a slogan ‘back to the basics. The 250 series is a light-duty SUV that offers “ease of handling and strong off-road performance”.
The 250 series is built on the GA-F platform that it shares with the 300 series.
It is available with two optional powerplants:
- A turbocharged 2.8-liter (1GD-FTV) 4-cylinder direct injection diesel engine paired with an 8-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission. There is also a mild hybrid model of this engine
- A 2.7-liter (2TR-FE) 4-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a 6-speed Super ECT transmission.
- A hybrid system that pairs a turbocharged 2.4-liter (T24-FTS) engine with a large motor that sits between the engine and an 8-speed transmission, and a nickel-metal hydride battery pack.
Driving Performance
- The GA-F platform that it shares with the 300 series provides off-road performance and ease of handling, on-road driving making it a practical and reliable choice for customers.
- The standard drivetrain is a full-time 4WD that fully transfers power to all four wheels utilizing the TORSEN®*4 LSD*5 on the center differential with its rear electric diff-lock providing powerful off-road driving performance on the beaten path.
- It also comes with a Multi-Terrain Select off-road support technology with six selectable modes depending on the road condition and a Multi-Terrain Monitor with four cameras that assist the driver in seeing around the vehicle with the Multi-Terrain Select in operation.
Safety Features
Active safety is managed by an improved and more advanced Toyota Safety Sense as standard.
- Pre-collision Safety System: Can now detect motorcyclists, pedestrians, and cyclists (daytime).
- Proactive Driving Assist (PDA): It supports by gently braking or steering to avoid hitting pedestrians, cyclists, or other vehicles.
Toyota Teammate
- A function in the suite of advanced driving support technologies that support detection, operation, and judgment. It assists in reducing driver fatigue in heavy traffic and enables the driver to be alert to the surroundings to realize safe driving.
Other safety and security equipment
- It’s fitted with front and rear dash cams. Video captured by these cameras while driving is saved to built-in memory and can later be played back or transferred to a portable memory device.
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Land Rover Defender
Price
| 1991 | $ 12,750 |
| 2020 | $ 43,055 – $ 66,250 |
| 20022 | $ 52,623 – $ 79,130 |
| 2023 | $ 59,247 – $ 73,893 |
The latest Defender might look more important than the old Land Rover Defender, but in reality, it is a totally modern, sophisticated, and high-tech off-roader vehicle with an exceptional look and appearance. The new Defender is available in 110 body styles on all variants and in 2-door 90 and 4-door advanced-duty off-roading equipment.
The old Defender 130 is a no-frills 4×4 icon available in SWB, LWB, and single and double cab pickup while the latest 2020 model is available in SWB, LWB, and extended LWB.
The old Defender is suitable for off-roading adventures, fieldwork, and farm activities while the new is suitable for daily urban activities, cruising, and off-roading adventures with family.
Interior
(a) Capacity
The new Land Rover Defender comes with a package of luxury and convenience features together such as heated-and-cooled front seats, leather-and-cloth upholstery, an adjustable air suspension, three-zone automatic climate control, and adaptive cruise control.
The interior is spacious and luxurious in the new Defender. In the first-row cabin, there is the glove box, a large storage shelf with plenty of room for snacks, a center box, phone, keys while in the mid-row you get door pocket panel storage, and 2 cup holders at the center console.
The new Defender comes with the latest Land Rover’s PIVI Pro infotainment suite with a large 10-inch touchscreen.
(b) Cargo Space
The new 4-door Defender has 78.8 cubic feet with the back seats folded down and 34 cubic feet of space behind its 2nd-row seat used which is suitable for the luxury SUV class. The new Defender 110 with the optional third-row, with all back seats folded, has 69 cubic feet and behind the 2nd-row has 34.6 cubic feet.
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Exterior
The new Defender’s exterior is without match. Its unique shape instantly demonstrates the vehicle’s character.
Engine, Performance & Fuel Consumption
Toyota Land Cruiser
(a) Engine & Performance
Pros
- Powerful and reliable
- Suitable for on-road and off-road use
- Spacious and comfortable
Cons
- Expensive to buy and maintain
- Inefficient on fuel
The latest Land Cruiser LC J300 series comes fitted with only 3 optional V6 engines available both in petrol and diesel. The engines are; 1GR-FE 4.0L (GRJ300), V35A-FTS 3.4L twin-turbo V6 (VJA300) petrol engine, and F33A-FTV 3.3L twin-turbo V6 (FJA300) diesel engine. These engines are paired to a 6-speed automatic for a 1GR-FE 4.0L (GRJ300), or a 10-speed AWR10L65 automatic for a 3.4L VJA300/3.3L FJA300.
The previous version of the LC J200 series comes fitted with 1GR-FE V6 4.0L, 1UR-FE 4.6L V8, 2UZ-FE 4.7L V8, 3UR-FE 5.7L V8 petrol engine, and 1VD-FTV 4.5L turbocharged V8 diesel engine. These engines are supported by a 6-speed automatic, 8-speed automatic, 5-speed automatic, or 5-speed manual.
(b) Fuel Consumption
The Land Cruiser’s fuel economy is around 7.5 km/L in urban, and 11.2km/L combined but depending on the model and year of manufacture.
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Land Rover Defender
(a) Engin & Performance
Pros
- Incredibly stunning
- Great offroader
- Reliable
Cons
- Expensive
- Tiny third-row seat
The new Land Rover Defender comes fitted with a standard turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The new Land Rover Defender is also available with a 3.0L I6 engine which combines the 48-volt hybrid system and an electric supercharger.
The new Defender powered by a V8 engine with a maximum power output of 518-hp supercharged is the best choice for a person who prefers a more performance vehicle and Land Rover state can hurry the Defender to 0-100 Kph in just 4.9 seconds. Every version comes with 4WD and locking differentials for navigating treacherous terrain.
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(b) Fuel Consumption
Regardless of what’s the size of the engine under the hood the fuel economy for the different Defender variants is fairly alike—the new Defender 90 model with the 4-cylinder reach approximately 8.92Km/L highway and 7.65Km/L city. For the 6-cylinder engine Defender’s city rating drops to 7.22Km/L but the highway rating goes up to 9.3Km/L. The new Defender 110 model with the 6-cylinder engine has the same estimates as the 6-cylinder 90.
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Final Verdict
Off-roading can be fun and challenging but all this depends on your choice of vehicle. For mid-age to senior adults, whenever the subject of serious off-roading springs up, the Land Cruiser and Defender will most likely come into the frame. These are two off-roading 4×4 icons that have been around and tried and tested for years to earn a reputation for notoriety come mud, sand, water, dust, or ice.
Toyota has a capable full SUV with enough power and comfortability such as the Toyota Land Cruiser the same as the new Land Rover Defender.
The Land Cruiser and the new Defender are some of those vehicles that are limitless in almost every detail. Both have good performance and comfortability, but the latest Land Cruiser seems to have higher performance, cargo space, and comfortability. Both vehicles have almost similar fuel consumption, but the Land Cruiser has a large fuel tank capacity which reduces trips to the fuel station.
The Land Cruiser and the new Defender are competent and reliable. Out of the 2, the Land Cruiser is more practical and family-friendly the same as the new Defender. The Land Cruiser is ideal for those who can splurge on refinement and afford simplicity.
Both vehicles the Land Cruiser and the new Defender status speak for themselves. All cars are available in our BE FORWARD store.
The latest models have used technology and safety breakthroughs to make the cars even better. Investing in any of these models is a wise decision.
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I am a car enthusiast and experienced freelance car writer with over 5 years in automotive journalism. Recognized for delivering engaging and informative content across diverse websites and blogs, prominently featured on platforms like BE FORWARD. A passion for cars, coupled with a proven track record of insightful articles, showcasing a deep understanding of the industry.
With over 5 years of writing expertise in the automotive domain, I specialize in comprehensive coverage of car-related topics. My portfolio spans engaging reviews, up-to-date news, and in-depth features, showcasing a versatile understanding of the automotive landscape. This experience reflects my commitment to delivering insightful content that captivates readers across a broad spectrum of car enthusiasts and general audiences.
My favorite car is the Range Rover Sport for its luxurious design, powerful performance, and unparalleled comfort on and off-road.
