Compare the2025 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2025 Land Rover Defender

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota 4Runner are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Defender doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the 4Runner are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Defender doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Toyota 4Runner has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Defender doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The 4Runner has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Defender doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 4Runner Limited/Platinum/Trailhunter/TRD Pro has standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Defender doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the 4Runner and the Defender have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the 4Runner 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Defender. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Defender ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Land Rover doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Defender.

There are over 6 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 4Runner’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 121 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 28th.

On the EPA test cycle the 4Runner gets better mileage than the Defender 110/130:

Regenerative brakes improve the 4Runner i-FORCE MAX’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Defender doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Defender requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

For better traction, the 4Runner has larger tires than the Defender (265/70R17 vs. 255/65R19).

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Land Rover Defender only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner Trailhunter/TRD Pro has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Defender doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For excellent aerodynamics, the 4Runner has standard flush composite headlights. The Defender has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Defender 110.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Defender 130.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the Defender 90.

The 4Runner’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Defender’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Defender’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 4Runner’s power cargo door can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Defender doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

The 4Runner’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Defender does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the windows are left open on the 4Runner the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Defender can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the 4Runner has standard extendable sun visors. The Defender doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The 4Runner’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Defender’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The 4Runner is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Defender doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Toyota 4Runner outsold the Land Rover Defender by almost six to one during 2023.