Land Rover Defender vs Toyota Fortuner

What's the difference?

The Land Rover Defender in its current form is a revelation in terms of, well, everything. The 110 is refined, sure-footed and comfortable on-road and it’s more capable off-road than ever before – and assuredly so.

It’s wholeheartedly embraced positive change – in terms of creature comforts, driveability and safety – and has lost none of the traditional Defender spirit.

The new Defender has managed to satisfy (placate?) die-hard fans and it’s attracted a whole bunch of new ones at the same time.

The 75th anniversary treatment doesn’t add anything of substance to the Defender package, but it doesn’t need to – that’s not the point – and to Landie lovers it’s all cream on top. 

So, after a week of driving the Toyota Fortuner Crusade, did it have a podium finish for my family?

I was hopeful, but no. The driving performance was mixed and only being able to fit two car seats will limit flexibility for younger growing families. I don't like the way the third row is stowed as it makes the boot a bit awkward to use. Combined with the retro-feeling tech and short servicing intervals, there can be some improvement here, especially in a market that is surging forward with all of those elements. I did enjoy the high driving position, safety features and the forgiving suspension, though. 

My son liked the 'Feverish Red' colour and that he didn’t need my help to climb in and out of it.

The new Defender manages to balance the distinctive shape and spirit of the old-school Defender with the new-generation’s style and presence – and the striking Grasmere Green exterior of this 75th anniversary variant and its interior touches all complement that blend.

This is unmistakably a Defender but one that’s been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, whacked in the face and torso by modern styling cues, while still retaining the heart of adventure these Landies have always been renowned for.

Just one thing about this special-edition Defender, though. The Grasmere Green is certainly an eye-catching colour, but that’s a ‘for better or worse’ scenario.

Mostly worse – for me anyway – because I noticed that during my time in this Landie I received quite a lot of annoyed eye-rolls from other drivers and passengers in traffic and I reckon the polarising colour was the culprit – or maybe they were just eye-rolling at me?

No matter, because if you can afford one of these I don’t think you’ll be at all concerned about what other people think of you…

Nothing discernible to me has been changed since the last model but let me paint the picture for you. Imagine a dual-cab HiLux with a boot and you’ll come up with something similar to the Fortuner.

It sits proudly at 1835mm tall. The sides are almost slab-like and it's squared off at the rear, which the chunky C-pillar and dark windows do nothing to detract from. It’s definitely prettier up front with a nicely tapered bonnet.

City-dwellers need not beware, at 4795mm long and 1855mm wide, it’s accommodating in a tight car park.

The interior is classically Toyota. Everything is where you expect to find it but it’s lacking some wow factor. There are a lot of hard plastics throughout that highlight this.

With tech, trims and ambience all getting upgraded in the market, the interior is a bit of a let down.

However, there’s a certain comfort in seeing a traditional gear shifter, handbrake and manual clock in an off-roader. In my mind, it lends a certain weight to the vehicle's capability.

Beyond the subtle colour treatment, the interior remains as it is in the HSE variant on which this special edition is based.

In other words, the cabin has a premium look and feel about it, without sacrificing anything in terms of how practical everything is.

It’s a pleasant mix of durable life-friendly materials – carpet mats and soft-touch surfaces – and stylish touches, such as a metal Defender-stamped section in front of the front passenger. 

The leather steering wheel and shifter are standard, but a premium non-leather wheel is a no-cost option. 

Just one example of where JLR gets attention to detail in the Defender so right is the small hard-rubber textured patches on the back of the steering wheel, where your fingertips naturally rest when you’re driving.

It’s those kinds of seemingly minor additions – as well as grippy cargo-area floor surfaces and the like – that add worthwhile tactile elements to the overall Defender package.

Overall, cabin layout is user-friendly with all controls easy to locate and operate.

Storage spaces include a deep centre console, glove box, twin cupholders in between driver and passenger, sunglass storage, door pockets, and shallow spaces peppered around for your pocket gear.

Charge points include USBs up front, and a wireless charging tray.

The driver and front passenger get plenty of room and amenities and those behind them also fare well with adequate room for everyone. 

All seats are very comfortable (can this really be a Defender?) and the front seats are 14-way power-adjustable with heating, cooling and memory.

The second row – a 40/20/40 folding configuration – is heated and has a centre armrest. Second-row passengers have access to air-vent controls and USB charge points in the rear of the centre console.

The rear cargo area seems a bit small in this five-seater, although it offers a listed 1075 litres. With the second row folded down, there is a claimed 2380 litres of space. It has cargo-restraint points.

That area has a sliding cover which conceals your valuables from the prying eyes of nefarious types.

Obviously, there is a lot more to admire here for those who love the interiors of prestige cars, but rather than spending my precious time fondling leather accents or going ‘ohhhh-ahhhh’ over a sunroof or the warming qualities of a heated seat, I like to actually drive. 

And drive I did.

The interior isn’t terribly practical for a seven-seater, so there’s room for improvement. And that seems to be the running theme for the Fortuner.

First and second-row occupants will enjoy the most room but it’s best to think of the third row as 'sometimes seats'.

It was easy for my six-year old to get in and out with the side steps, and he had a great view from the wide rear window.

Individual storage is good with a double glove box, cooled middle console, two cupholders and drink bottle holders in the first and second rows plus an extra two retractable cupholders in the dash (hurrah!). Third row occupants miss out on them completely, though.

However, I think the storage bins and map pockets are a tad too shallow to be that useful.

The boot space is on the smaller side and the way the third row stows on the side encroaches on the space and creates a large blind spot on an already chunky C-pillar.

With all three rows in action, there is 200L of cargo capacity available, but you can stow the third row to get 716L. If you want maximum cargo capacity, the middle seats can also be folded and that figure jumps up to 1080L.

The tech feels retro and not in a good way. The 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is plain on the graphics and laggy, plus on the smaller side for the market now.

It also only has wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but it's fairly easy to connect.

Also, there is only one USB-A port in the whole car and no wireless charging pad. You do have a couple of 12-volt ports and a handy 220-volt plug for when you’re camping or something but that’s it for charging, which is surprising for a family SUV nowadays.

There are three models for the Fortuner and the Crusade sits at the top.

As with everything, there’s been a minor price hike since the last model but you can pick this up for $62,945, before on-road costs.

There are some nice standard features, like electric heated front leather seats, a powered tailgate, three-zone climate control, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, seven seats (2/3/2 config), 18-inch alloy wheels and side steps.

Our model is fitted with an optional tow bar kit, which adds a tow bar, tow ball and trailer wiring for an extra $1350.

It’s a little annoying that each item has to be individually purchased, so make sure if the model you’re looking at has a tow ball, that the wiring is connected, too.

Compared to the market, you get a decent array of accessories and features for the price tag. 

As mentioned earlier, this Defender is a P400 MHEV (mild hybrid electric vehicle), so it has a 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, supported by a small electric motor.

That engine produces 294kW at 5500-6500rpm and 550Nm at 2000-5000rpm and it’s matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. 

The P400 MHEV has a 48-volt lithium-ion battery, aimed at reducing engine load and fuel consumption, and it has a 7.0kW electric supercharger aimed at minimising turbo lag.

The Defender has permanent all-wheel drive and a dual-range transfer case with high- and low-range 4WD.

It has a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech, including Land Rover’s 'Terrain Response 2' system, with switchable modes such as 'Grass/Gravel/Snow', 'Sand', 'Mud and Ruts', and 'Rock Crawl'. 

That system optimises throttle response, engine outputs, transmission shifts and diff control to best suit the terrain. It also has centre and rear diff locks.

Our test vehicle also has Land Rover's configurable terrain response system (giving the driver the ability to select and save powertrain, traction and diff settings for off-road driving) and a wade program, which increases air-suspension ride height and closes off the climate control vents to reduce the ingress of moisture in the air.

This Defender has an official 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.0 seconds, and I can confirm that this has plenty of punch off the mark and when overtaking on open roads. It has a listed maximum speed of 191km/h.

All Fortuner models share the same 2.8-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine but it’s the main star that perfectly complements the 4WD system.

With a maximum output of 150kW and a massive 500Nm of torque, most weekend adventures can be pursued. It also doesn’t feel like you’re digging deep for that power, which is great.

The six-speed auto transmission is fairly smooth but occasionally the pick up is slow, so I wouldn’t be zipping across traffic in this. 

Fuel consumption is a claimed 9.9L/100km (on the combined cycle), and we recorded actual fuel consumption on test of 11L/100km.

The Defender has a 90-litre tank so, going by that fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of just under 800km on a full tank, factoring in a safe-distance buffer of 20km; 818km without the buffer.

The official combined cycle fuel number is 7.6L/100km. Real world testing saw my figure at 9.1L and I covered a good mix of urban and open road driving this week.

Considering its size and that it’s a turbo, I thought it was fairly efficient for how I drove it, but it could be better given it’s a diesel.

The Fortuner has an 80L fuel tank with an approximate range of 880km, using our on-test average fuel economy figure.

The Defender’s 75th anniversary touches are all cosmetic which is fine because, as is, this Landie is surprisingly impressive on-road, and supremely effective off-road.

This 110 variant is 5018mm long (including the rear-mounted spare tyre), 2008mm wide and 1972mm high with a 3022mm-long wheelbase.

It has a turning circle of 12.8m and a kerb weight is 2297kg. 

So, it’s not a small vehicle, but it never feels unwieldy to drive and it even manages to consistently feel lively and dynamic.

The Defender has a real planted feel on the road; it’s composed and very comfortable, no matter how hard you drive it. 

It’s also quiet. Very quiet, and oh-so-refined, with noise, vibration and harshness levels having been subdued to almost nothing.

The new Defender’s cabin is a pleasantly cocooned space, in which you feel insulated from the world around you. There is a bit of wind rush around the Defender’s wing mirrors, but nothing atrocious. 

Throttle response is crisp, and the 3.0-litre petrol’s 294kW and 550Nm are readily available for a punchy standing-start, or to safely and smoothly overtake another vehicle on the highway – or during low-range 4WDing, but more about that later*.

(* Okay, if you can’t wait, skip ahead to read about the off-road section of this test.)

The eight-speed automatic transmission is very cluey – it’s smarter than you and me – but I found the shifter’s size (stubby) and position (just under the multimedia system’s touchscreen) a bit annoying to work with as I preferred to use Sport/manual mode, sometimes requiring quick shifts up or down.

Road-holding is tremendous, especially considering previous Defenders were about as composed as wonky tractors, and comfort levels are exceptional for something that was once considered a form of punishment to travel in.

Our test vehicle was on 20-inch rims and 255/60 R20 Goodyear Wrangler ‘all-terrain adventure’ tyres and those are perfectly fine for driving on blacktop.

However, they became quickly gummed up with clay and mud during our 4WD testing phase, but more about that soon.

So, how does it perform off-road? Very well, thank you very much. It does what older Defenders can do – and more. And it does it all with supreme levels of comfort and composure – something that can’t be said of older Defenders.

In terms of off-road measures, the Defender has a claimed 228mm-291mm of ground clearance (courtesy of height-adjustable air suspension) and a wading depth of 900mm (again, with the benefit of the air suspension).

If the Defender’s under-carriage hits dirt, the air suspension automatically applies an emergency 75mm of extra height.

This Defender has approach, ramp (breakover) and departure angles of 38 degrees, 28 degrees, and 40 degrees, respectively.

So, it well and truly ticks all of those boxes.

On the dirt-track drive to our 4WD testing and proving ground the Defender demonstrated, as it has before, that it’s able to master and make bearable pretty much any road or track surface, no matter what sort of terrible condition that terrain is in.

This Landie was always stable and planted on the track, with plenty of the credit for that going to a robust monocoque chassis, as well as a multi-link set-up and fully independent air suspension, which as a combination works supremely well to smooth out surface imperfections at all speeds. 

Ride and handling at speed through deep-rutted and potholed sections of dirt road was impressively smooth and composed.

With the air suspension raised to off-road height and tyre pressures dropped to 26 psi, we were ready to put the Defender through its paces.

For those of you who haven’t seen any of my videos or read any of my yarns, our testing site offers more than enough of a challenge to push any standard 4WD to the limits of its reasonable use. I’ve even seen modified vehicles struggle on some of our set-piece challenges.

The terrain here is a mix of steep rocky hill-climbs, slippery descents, mud-holes and water-crossings and, depending on the weather, it can either be seriously challenging or pretty bloody dangerous.

No need for any concern though because the Defender did everything asked of it – and did it all with relaxed ease. I’ve driven an all-conquering 90 at this test site before and the 110 this time was just as impressive.

Steering has a light but precise feel about it at low speeds and that's crucial for such a big vehicle during low-range 4WDing, especially when picking your right line on challenges or manoeuvring along tight, twisted tracks.

There’s plenty of low-down torque from the petrol engine and in low-range that’s evenly applied.

The Pivi touchscreen system is the new Defender’s command centre and, using it, you’re able to cycle through the terrain response programs, you can set driving modes, and essentially operate everything. 

It's generally easy enough to use, but it is a bit tricky to operate on the move – and that’s one of the few niggles I have about this Defender.

The terrain response system, which enables the driver to dial through driving modes, including Mud and Ruts, and Rock Crawl is a clever set-up and would certainly feel out of place in an old-school Defender.

You can calibrate the system’s responses – acceleration, traction sensitivity, and diff control – to suit your driving style and the terrain you’re traversing.

The tread of the Defender’s Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres, as mentioned earlier, swiftly became gummed up with sloppy mud and we lost a fair bit in terms of reliable traction from that rubber on the rock surfaces we moved to straight after driving through a series of shallow mud-holes.

Wheel travel is decent with the Defender able to get useable flex out of that multi-link set-up and air suspension combo.

Another of my very few gripes about the Defender is the fact that while all of the off-road-focussed driver-assist tech, especially terrain response, is so seamlessly effective – it’s almost too good for its own good.

As the driver I almost feel removed from the experience of tackling the terrain I’m on.

Driving this doesn't feel like such a visceral experience as it does in the Defenders of old, or even as hands-on as it does when driving off-road in rebooted old-school 4WDs, such as the Suzuki Jimny, or the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. 

The new Defender is very capable, and comfortably so, but it feels a little bit too clinical and calculated in its execution.

In terms of its potential as a towing platform, the Defender has a claimed maximum unbraked trailer capacity of 750kg and a maximum braked towing capacity of 3500kg.

It has a maximum roof load of 300kg. GVM (gross vehicle mass) is 3165kg and GCM (gross combined mass) is 6665kg.

Mostly okay but there are points to consider for long-term use.

We’ve already covered that the engine has enough grunt for off-road pursuits but I enjoyed the torque because it means it's fairly easy to maintain a consistent speed on hills, which isn’t always the case for large SUVs.

However, the steering feels heavy at lower speeds. It makes the car feel older than it is and cumbersome to turn in car parks.

I'm not a fan of the steering wheel, either. The leather is hard/rough and the wood panel insert at the top is slippery, which is an odd combo for an off-roader where you want to stay very much in control.

The taller centre of gravity does give some roll in corners but it’s also not the sort of car you go hard in on bends, anyway. So, that's not surprising.

However, the Aussie suspension tuning gets an A+ because the ride comfort is good and you won’t really notice potholes or bumps.

This has a 360-degree view camera set-up with guidelines but the image is disappointingly blurry for a top-spec model. 

The safety list earns some cred back for the Crusade with the following being standard features: LED daytime running lights, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure alert, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert (always good to have), 360-degree view camera, front and rear parking sensors and trailer sway control.

A couple of cool features to highlight are the 'SOS Emergency Call' button and 'Automatic Collision Notification' system.

The former is for if you’re ever in a sticky situation but don’t have access to your phone but need emergency services.

The latter, will alert the Toyota Emergency Assistance call centre if an airbag is deployed or a collision is detected by the impact sensors. I think these are good features for an off-roader.

It has seven airbags, which include a driver's knee airbag and curtain airbags covering the third row but it is missing the newer front centre airbags that we’re seeing on newer cars.

The Fortuner has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it was tested a little while ago in 2019.

There are ISOFIX child seat mounts on the outboard seats in the middle row and two top tether anchor points, so you’ll only be fitting two child seats in (unusual for a seven seater). There is enough room in the front with a 0-4 rearward facing child seat installed.

The Defender has a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years roadside assistance. Pretty much the expected norm in this part of the market.

Service intervals are set for every five years or 102,000km (maximum), whichever occurs first – and that’s for a total cost of $2250, or an annual average of $450, which is pretty handy.

Ongoing costs are always something to consider and the Fortuner comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is standard for the market.

Unfortunately, it only comes with a three-year capped-priced servicing plan, which is unusual for this class.

The services are affordable at $290 per service but the intervals are painful at every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first.