Toyota Land Cruiser vs Land Rover Defender

What's the difference?

The Sahara version of the LandCruiser 300 is an impressive large 4WD wagon: refined and comfortable on-road, and it adequately retains that renowned ’Cruiser capability off-road.

It's supremely comfortable seven-seater and has heaps of potential as a touring vehicle, but while there's plenty to like about the Sahara spec, the updated seven-seat GXL (up $2029, to $110,820 excluding on-road costs) offers a more appealing compromise between price and features, especially now that it has a cool box in the centre console, four-zone climate control (previously two), and eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat (with lumbar support), among other additions.

The Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 is big, roomy and great to drive. It’s supremely plush without sacrificing practicality and if you’re in the market for a spacious, comfortable and refined package and aren’t afraid to open your wallet, then this long Landie is well worth your consideration.

Do you need the V8? Of course you don’t – and the diesel variants make a lot more sense anyway in terms of day-to-day fuel efficiency – but, geez, it's a lot of fun to drive.

The LandCruiser 300 Series in Sahara spec strikes a nice balance between practicality and prestige.

The Sahara's exterior has a distinctive LandCruiser appearance: chunky but modern-ish and ready to be fitted with Toyota genuine accessories or aftermarket gear.

The Sahara is 4980mm long (with a 2850mm wheelbase), 1980mm wide and 1955mm high. It has a listed kerb weight of 2620kg.

The Sahara’s exterior has that distinctive LandCruiser appearance, but modernised.

Otherwise, there are chrome exterior mirrors and door handles, and dynamic indicators front and rear that add to its overall quietly classy appearance.

The Silver Pearl premium paint on our test vehicle costs $675. Other paint choices include Glacier White, Ebony, Crystal Pearl, Graphite, Merlot Red, Eclipse Black and Dusty Bronze.

The Defender 130 measures 1970mm high, 5358mm long (including rear-mounted spare wheel; 5099mm without), and 2105mm wide (with the wing mirrors out). It has a 3022mm wheelbase and a listed kerb weight of 2745kg (unladen).

It is big, but really it’s no more intimidating to drive than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series or Nissan Patrol.

Upper large SUVs have a Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries-defined footprint bigger than 9801mm – think 300 Series LandCruiser (close to 5.0m long), Hyundai Palisade (almost 5.0m long) and Nissan Patrol (almost 5.2m long).

In terms of styling, the 130 strikes an effective balance between the distinctive shape and spirit of the old-school Defender with the new-generation’s pomp and presence – and the striking Carpathian Grey paint on this variant complements that blend.

The current-generation Defender is no city-soft shadow of its former adventure-tackling self that Landie lovers everywhere feared it might be. But it’s modern and sleek enough to put the minds of urban dwellers/weekend warriors at ease.

There's a sense of familiarity in the 300’s cabin – it's a functional yet premium space – and it's an easy cabin in which to become instantly comfortable.

The driver gets a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel, and ventilated, heated and power-adjustable seat (with power lumbar adjustment), while the front passenger gets a ventilated, heated and power-adjustable seat.

All seats are leather-accented, comfortable and there are soft-touch surfaces throughout the interior.

The Sahara's 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen is a main feature in the cabin and it's easy to use, now with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there's a wireless charging pad near the shifter. There are USB-A and USB-C charging points upfront.

The centre console houses a cool box and its lid can be opened from either side, so driver or passenger can access whatever is inside.

And – will wonders never cease? – the Sahara has a powered sunroof (aka moonroof).

There are the usual storage spaces, cupholders, receptacles in the doors for bottles, and myriad other spaces for the stuff that you carry every day.

Second-row seats are in a 40/20/40 split-folding configuration, and the third row is a power-folding arrangement that stows away forwards and flat.

The Sahara's cargo space, when all seven seats are in use, is a listed 175 litres (VDA) behind the third row, increasing to 1004 litres when the second and third row are stowed away.

The rear cargo area has a 220V/100W inverter and four tie-down points.

The Defender 130 is well-suited to people-carrying duties thanks to its three-row seating.

And don’t forget this test vehicle has (optional) Captain Chairs in the second row. 

The cabin has a distinctive premium look and feel about it, without sacrificing anything in terms of just how practical it all is. It’s a pleasant mix of durable materials – carpet mats and soft-touch surfaces – and stylish touches, such as a metal Defender-stamped section in front of the front passenger. 

Layout is user-friendly and this is an easy cabin in which to swiftly become comfortable as all controls easy to locate and operate even when busy negotiating with your teenagers who gets what song next.

Storage spaces include a deep centre console, glove box, twin cupholders between driver and passenger, sunglass storage, door pockets and shallow spaces positioned about the cabin for your everyday carry gear.

Charge points include USB-Cs up front and a wireless device charging tray.

The driver and front passenger get ample room and plenty of amenities and those behind them also fare well with adequate room for everyone – even those in the third row. 

All seats are comfortable and the front seats are 14-way power-adjustable with heating, cooling and memory.

The second row – two outboard Captain Chairs in this test vehicle – have a headrest and armrests for both passengers.

The third-row seats are heated and configured in a 40/20/40 pattern.

The rear cargo area is small in this seven-seater, although it offers a listed 389 litres with all three rows up and in use. That area has a sliding cover (which conceals your valuables from the prying eyes of nefarious types), cargo-restraint points, power sockets and a shallow underfloor storage space.

With the third row folded down, there is a listed 1232 litres of space. The maximum loadspace volume behind the front row is a listed 2231 litres.

There is a lot more to admire inside this Defender’s cabin for those who love the interiors of plush SUVs, but rather than spending my time stroking leather accents, going ‘ohhhh-ahhhh’ over a sunroof or reflecting on the butt-warming benefits of a heated seat, I like to actually drive. 

So I did. A lot.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $216,197 (excluding on-road costs). But because our test vehicle has a raft of options onboard – matte protective film ($6840), 'Carpathian' exterior pack ($2400), second row heated and cooled a pair of Captain Chairs with winged headrests as the second row ($1930), Carpathian grey premium metallic paint ($1040), and a rubber load space mat ($320) – it has a price as tested of $228,727 (excluding on-road costs).

The Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8's standard features include an 11.4-inch multimedia touchscreen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), wireless device charging, a head-up display, interactive driver display, as well as 22-inch satin dark grey wheels, quad outboard-mounted exhaust pipes, 'Terrain Response 2' with 'Dynamic Program', privacy glass, a heated steering wheel and an electrically-adjustable steering column.

Also included are bright metal pedals, configurable cabin lighting, a load space cover, satin chrome gearshift paddles, illuminated metal tread plates (with V8 branding), four-zone climate control, 'Ebony Windsor' leather and Kvadrat (wool blend textile) seats, Meridian audio, 'Online Pack' (with data plan), a head-up display, a 12V power socket in the boot and the 'Pivi Pro' multimedia system.

Paint choices on the Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 include 'Fuji White' (solid) or 'Santorini Black' (metallic with body-coloured roof) – or you can opt for 'Carpathian Grey' (premium metallic with black contrast roof), which is a $1040 option (price correct time of writing).

This Defender is available with the 'Extended Black Exterior Pack' ($1707) or the 'Carpathian Exterior Pack' ($2396).

The Sahara has the 300 line-up’s 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo diesel engine, producing 227kW at 4000rpm and 700Nm from 1600 to 2600rpm.

It has a 10-speed automatic transmission, high- and low-range 4WD, as well as a centre diff lock.

What it also has is a handy array of 4WD-focussed driver-assist tech onboard, which includes crawl control, downhill assist, hill-start assist, multi-terrain select, multi-terrain monitor with panoramic view, and active traction control (A-TRC). 

It also has what’s called turn assist which, when activated through crawl control, helps to reduce the 300’s turning radius by braking the inside rear wheel – and while it initially seems like a bit of a novelty, this feature may come in very handy if you have to work your way through especially narrow and twisty bush tracks.

The Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 has a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine (producing 368kW at 6000-6500rpm and 610Nm at 2500-5000rpm), an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system.

This is a very effective and fun combination of gutsy V8 and clever auto.

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

It also has Terrain Response 2, an off-road-focussed driver-assist system, which will make any off-roading newbie look and, more importantly, feel like a dirt-track driving champion.

The system includes switchable modes - 'Grass/Gravel/Snow', 'Sand', 'Mud and Ruts' and 'Rock Crawl'. 

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

Official fuel consumption is listed as 8.9L/100km on the combined cycle.

I recorded 12.4L/100km on this test, which is reasonable considering I did a solid half-day of low-range four-wheel driving, book-ended by 100km of highway driving.

The Sahara has an 80-litre main fuel tank and a 30L sub-tank (totalling 110-litre fuel capacity) so, going by my on-test fuel-use figure (12.4L/100km), you could expect a driving range from a full 110 litres of almost 890km.

Fuel consumption is listed as 12.7L/100km and that's on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle. On this test I recorded 14.9L/100km.

The Land Rover Defender 130 P500 V8 has an 90-litre fuel tank so, going by my on-test fuel figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 604km from a full tank. 

Fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded. 

The Sahara is quiet and well-behaved on-road.

Steering is light and responsive and, with a 11.8m turning circle, this big 4WD feels nimble in the bush, even on tight tracks or pinched approaches to hills or creek crossings.

The V6 offers up plenty of power and torque, and that’s smoothly managed through the 10-speed auto.

Ride and handling are well sorted but, this being a LandCruiser, it’s soft and comfortable, rather than dynamic.

Its suspension – double wishbone, independent at the front and live axle and multi-links at the rear, with coils all-around – manages to soak up most imperfections in the road surface.

The 300 Series' brakes – ventilated discs all-around – brought the big Cruiser to a controlled stop during two emergency-braking scenarios.

The Sahara does miss out on some of the handy 4WD gear featured in the two higher grades (Sahara ZX and GR Sport), namely Toyota's sway-bar-disconnect equivalent electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (included onboard the GR Sport), front and rear differential locks (GR Sport), adaptive variable suspension (Sahara ZX and GR Sport) and a rear torque-sensing limited-slip differential (ZX).

But ultimately, unless you're really going all-out to break your Cruiser while 4WDing, then the Sahara has enough old-school and new mechanicals and driver-assist aids to get you through the majority of off-road challenges.

Put it this way: we managed all obstacles at our testing ground without any strife.

The V6 produces more than enough power and more torque – up 27kW and 50Nm over the V8 – and that power and torque is consistently delivered across a broad rev range.

The 10-speed auto is a clever match for this engine, making for a smooth pairing, never floundering through ratios in an attempt to find the sweet spot; it’s always pretty close to bang-on.

High- and low-range gearing are solid in the 300 Series, and the Cruiser has a 50:50 centre diff lock.

There’s also a comprehensive suite of driver-assist tech onboard aimed at making your off-roading escapades easier and safer.

The traction control system has been well calibrated and is quite seamless in its application.

The 300's multi-terrain select system includes driving modes such as Sand, Mud and Rock to suit the terrain you're on. These modes adjust various vehicle systems – including throttle control, engine output, and transmission response – to give you the best chance possible of tackling every off-road obstacle safely and in a controlled fashion.

Off-road measurements and angles are decent: ground clearance is 235mm, wading depth is 700mm, and approach, ramp-over and departure angles are 32, 21, and 25 degrees, respectively.

As well as its dialled-in off-road traction control and all of those driving modes, it has handy tech such as crawl control, which works like a low-speed cruise control.

Its tyres are the only real flaw in the 300 Series’ off-road set-up, as its standard Bridgestone Dueler all-terrains (265/65R18) are better suited to dry-track, light-duty 4WDing in good weather than taking on any hardcore 4WDing.

In terms of towing capacity, the 300 Series can legally tow a 750kg unbraked trailer, and the industry-standard of 3500kg braked for large 4WD wagons.

What's it like to drive? It’s bloody great.

This is a big vehicle – have I mentioned that already? – but powered by this V8 the Defender 130 punches along with nary a care in the world. 

Throttle response is crisp, and the 5.0-litre supercharged petrol’s 368kW and 610Nm are always readily available for a snap-punch standing-start, or to smoothly and safely overtake other vehicles on the open road.

This Defender has an official 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.7 seconds and a listed maximum speed of 240km/h!

By the way, it doesn’t hurt that the V8’s growl is piped through quad outboard mounted exhausts.

The eight-speed automatic transmission is supremely clever but the shifter’s stubby size and awkward location (under the multimedia system’s touchscreen) is annoying.

Otherwise, this V8 130 is smooth and refined, with tremendous road-holding abilities despite a Landie legacy of past-generation Defenders being about as composed as dodgy tractors.

What’s more, comfort levels are exceptional in a vehicle model once considered a form of punishment in which to travel.

Steering has a well-weighted driver-friendly feel to it and this upper large SUV never feels too cumbersome to navigate through even busy city streets, even though it has a turning circle of 12.8m.

Some body roll creeps in every now and again – especially when you become energetic throwing this giant around corners, etc – but otherwise this big bulky vehicle is well controlled and comfortable.

The air suspension negates the majority of thumps and bumps you might be expecting to get from a vehicle riding on 22-inch wheels and low-profile tyres over irregular road surfaces.

Our test vehicle was on 22-inch rims and 275/45 R22 Continental CrossContact RX “SUV performance” tyres, which are fine for driving on sealed surfaces, but if you’re looking to do any off-roading in this Defender get a set of more appropriate all-terrains.

I wasn’t driving the 130 to test its 4WDing prowess this time, but it’s still worth noting the Defender’s off-road measurements include 293mm of ground clearance (with air suspension), a wading depth of 900mm, and approach, departure and ramp-over angles of 37.5, 25.8 and 27.9 degrees, respectively.

This Defender 130 has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of 3380kg and a gross combined mass (GCM) of 6380kg.

It has an unbraked towing capacity of 750kg, and braked towing capacity of 3000kg (with maximum 300kg on the towball), which is somewhat of a disappointment and sub-par for the upper large SUV segment.

The Defender 130 does not have an ANCAP safety rating but it does have plenty of safety gear as standard including a plethora of airbags (driver, front passenger, and first, second and third row (head) and side for first row passengers).

Driver-assist tech includes AEB, adaptive cruise control, driver condition monitor, blind-spot assist, lane keep assist, a 3D surround camera, 360-degree parking aid, traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter and more.

It has other tech, such as ‘transparent’ bonnet view, wade sensing, a tyre pressure monitoring system and tow hitch assist, which comes in handy for on- and off-road tourers.

It also has child-seat top tether anchorage points on the backs of both second-row seats and all three third-row seats. And there are ISOFIX anchors on the second and third row outer seat positions.

The LandCruiser 300 Sahara is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is par for the course in the mainstream market. Owners may extend the engine and driveline warranty to seven years by adhering to service schedules.

Service intervals are scheduled for every six months or 10,000km, whichever comes first. Those timings are shorter than the more usual 12 months/15,000km.

Capped-price servicing applies to the first 10 services at a cost of $420 each (correct at time of writing).

The Defender has a five year/unlimited km warranty with five years of roadside assistance included.

The vehicle will let you know when it needs to be serviced – isn’t it bloody clever? – and prepaid service plans are set for five years/130,000km (maximum km) at a total cost of $3750.