Compared: 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser vs. 2024 Land Rover Defender 110
These iconic off-road SUVs square off in the modern era.
Toyota | Land Rover
The storied Toyota Land Cruiser is back for 2024 after a three-year hiatus. A rugged SUV with proven off-road capability, it comes standard with full-time four-wheel drive and a bevy of off-road features that set it apart from most of its competition.
The same can be said of the 2024 Land Rover Defender, another recently reincarnated go-anywhere legend with a similarly boxy, heritage-inspired design. The parallels between the Land Cruiser and Defender are numerous — as are the things that set them apart.
Land Rover
The Defender Comes in Several Configurations
The 2024 Land Cruiser comes exclusively as a four-door with two rows of seats and room for five. The similar Land Rover is the Defender 110. The Defender 90 is a stubby two-door version of the truck, and the available Defender 130 is a foot longer than the 110, giving it a roomier interior.
The numerical suffixes are a throwback to past Defenders, when the numbers referenced the length of the wheelbase in inches. Today's Defender 90, however, has a wheelbase of 102 inches, and the 110 and 130 share a 119-inch wheelbase. As it is the Defender that aligns with the Land Cruiser, this comparison focuses on the 110.
Toyota
The two have a similar footprint if you ignore the Defender's big, rear-mounted spare tire, though the Land Rover has far more interior room than the Toyota. Their passenger volume measurements read like they're from different size classes, with the Defender besting the Land Cruiser in second-row legroom by more than 7 inches.
Notably, a third-row seat is available in the Defender. The Land Cruiser does, however, have a slight edge when it comes to cargo volume, with 37.5 cubic-feet behind its second row versus 34.0 cu-ft for the Defender.
Land Rover
The Defender Has More Tech, but Land Cruiser Uses Less Gas
Most Defender trim levels come with an adjustable air suspension, allowing the vehicle to be lowered for loading and unloading and raised for off-road use. The Land Cruiser comes exclusively with a traditional steel-spring suspension.
Both vehicles offer a bevy of off-road features, including standard locking center and rear differentials, though only the Land Cruiser offers a disconnecting front sway bar for greater suspension articulation and traction in extreme off-roading.
Even with its standard steel-spring suspension, the Defender has an edge when it comes to off-road geometry. The available air springs only widen the gap. The Land Cruiser has ground clearance of 8.0 inches and approach, departure, and breakover angles of 31, 22, and 25 degrees, respectively.
With the standard steel suspension, Defender 110 models have 8.9 inches of clearance and approach, departure, and breakover angles of 32, 38, and 22 degrees with the standard steel suspension, while those fitted with the available air suspension have up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance, along with approach, breakover, and departure angles of 37, 40, and 28 degrees.
The Defender gets the nod for trailering, too, with a maximum towing capacity of 8,201 pounds versus the Land Cruiser's 6,000.
Toyota
The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser packs a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain making 326 horsepower that Toyota calls i-Force Max. Its EPA-rated fuel economy is 22/25/23 mpg city/highway/combined.
The 2024 Land Rover Defender is available with four engine choices. The base P300 engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 296 horsepower and 18/20/19 mpg. The optional P400 powertrain is a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six hybrid generating 395 horsepower and rated at 17/20/18 mpg.
The Defender's range-topping engine is a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 available in two states of tune. The P500 models make 493 horsepower, while the P525 puts out 518. Both are rated at 14/19/16 mpg.
The Land Cruiser Costs Less Than the Defender
The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser comes in three trim levels. The base Land Cruiser 1958 starts at a little over $57,000 and comes with cloth seats, a 2,400-watt AC inverter for powering overlanding gear, 18-inch wheels, and a locking rear differential.
Stepping up to the confusingly named mid-level trim, Land Cruiser, introduces a disconnecting front sway bar, a larger infotainment screen, and synthetic leather upholstery at a starting price around $63,000.
The First Edition serves as the Land Cruiser's range-topping trim for 2024. It adds rock rails, a roof rack, upgraded underbody protection, leather upholstery, and more for around $76,000.
Land Rover
The 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 is available in six variants, which are largely differentiated by their powertrains. The base Defender S uses a turbocharged four-cylinder engine and comes standard with leather upholstery, steel suspension, and 19-inch wheels for just over $62,000. Opting for the more powerful turbocharged inline-six-cylinder hybrid adds another $7,000.
The Defender 110 X-Dynamic SE adds unique upholstery, power-folding rearview mirrors, 20-inch wheels, and darkened trim at a price around $73,000.
Three V8-powered Defender 110 models range in starting price from $95,000 for a Defender 110 SE to $120,000 for a top-of-the-line Defender 110 V8 Carpathian Edition.
All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication) and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Chris O'NeillI am an auto-industry veteran and a current MBA candidate at the University of Utah. After moving to Utah in October 2015 and being fascinated by the unique car culture of the region, I started an Instagram project highlighting the rare and distinctive vehicles I see in the Mountain West region. I enjoy sharing with others my unique perspective and passion for all things automotive. In my free time, when I’m not thinking and writing about cars, I enjoy photography, toying with my 2011 Volkswagen GTI and 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser, and exploring Utah with my girlfriend and two dogs.
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