Hyundai IONIQ 9 vs Land Rover Defender 130

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 starts from $119,750 before on-road costs, while the Land Rover Defender 130 opens at $114,500. That makes the Land Rover Defender 130 the more affordable entry point by $5,250.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $131,725 and $125,950 respectively.

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Land Rover Defender 130, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Both the Hyundai IONIQ 9 and Land Rover Defender 130 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Hyundai IONIQ 9 packs more ADAS features with 10 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 7 in the Land Rover Defender 130.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 8 in the Hyundai IONIQ 9 and 6 in the Land Rover Defender 130.

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 features a 12.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Land Rover Defender 130 gets a 11.4-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 stands out with head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated seats, power tailgate, V2L and Bose audio that you will not find on the Land Rover Defender 130. The Land Rover Defender 130 counters with Meridian audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Hyundai IONIQ 9 gets nappa leather upholstery while the Land Rover Defender 130 offers leather.

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 runs a pure electric powertrain producing 314kW and 700Nm of torque, sent through a single-speed reduction gear to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.2 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 130 responds with a 3.0 i6 D350 Diesel Mild Hybrid making 257kW and 700Nm, paired to a 8-speed automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.8 seconds.

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 has the clear power advantage at 314kW vs 257kW. In the real-world sprint, the Hyundai IONIQ 9 is 1.6s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Hyundai IONIQ 9 measures 5,060mm long on a 3,130mm wheelbase, 39mm shorter than the Land Rover Defender 130 at 5,099mm (3,587mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Land Rover Defender 130 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 338L in the Hyundai IONIQ 9 and 389L in the Land Rover Defender 130, giving the Land Rover Defender 130 a 51L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 130 leads with a 3,000kg braked capacity vs 2,500kg. That 500kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 5 years (Hyundai IONIQ 9) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Land Rover Defender 130). Both match on warranty length.