Land Rover Defender 90 vs Lexus RX

The Land Rover Defender 90 starts from $98,400 before on-road costs, while the Lexus RX opens at $90,350. That makes the Lexus RX the more affordable entry point by $8,050.

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 $108,240 and $99,385 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Lexus RX by roughly $1,710 in fuel alone.

Both the Land Rover Defender 90 and Lexus RX hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Land Rover Defender 90 and 90% for the Lexus RX.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Land Rover Defender 90 packs more ADAS features with 7 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the Lexus RX.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Land Rover Defender 90 and 8 in the Lexus RX. The Land Rover Defender 90 adds a 360-degree camera that the Lexus RX misses.

The Land Rover Defender 90 features a 11.4-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Lexus RX gets a 14-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Land Rover Defender 90 stands out with Apple CarPlay that you will not find on the Lexus RX. The Lexus RX counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated seats, power tailgate, Lexus Premium Sound audio and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Land Rover Defender 90 gets leather upholstery while the Lexus RX offers synthetic leather.

The Land Rover Defender 90 uses a 3.0 i6 Diesel Mild Hybrid producing 183kW and 570Nm of torque, sent through a 8-speed automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8 seconds.

The Lexus RX responds with a Hybrid making 179kW and 221Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 7.7 seconds.

The Land Rover Defender 90 has the clear power advantage at 183kW vs 179kW. In the real-world sprint, the Lexus RX is 0.3s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Land Rover Defender 90 measures 4,323mm long on a 2,587mm wheelbase, 567mm shorter than the Lexus RX at 4,890mm (2,850mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Lexus RX generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 397L in the Land Rover Defender 90 and 612L in the Lexus RX, giving the Lexus RX a 215L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 90 leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 1,500kg. That 2,000kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,309/year for the Land Rover Defender 90 and $1,967/year for the Lexus RX. That is a $342 annual difference in favour of the Lexus RX.

Estimated annual total: $2,309 (Land Rover Defender 90) vs $1,967 (Lexus RX). The Lexus RX saves you roughly $342 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Land Rover Defender 90) vs 4 years / 100,000km (Lexus RX). The Land Rover Defender 90 has longer coverage. Capped-price servicing: —4yr (Lexus RX).