Compare the2024 Land Rover DefenderVS 2023 Jeep Wrangler

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Land Rover Defender have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Jeep Wrangler doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

Both the Defender 110/130 and Wrangler 4-door have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Defender has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Wrangler’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Defender has standard head airbag curtains for front and middle row seats which act as a forgiving barrier between the driver and outboard passenger's upper bodies and the window and pillars. Combined with high-strength steel door beams and lower side airbags this system increases head protection in broadside collisions. The Wrangler doesn't offer side airbag protection for the head and are only available for the front seats.

The Defender’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Wrangler doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Defender has a standard 3D Surround Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Wrangler only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Defender has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the Wrangler’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Defender has standard Rear Traffic Monitor and Rear Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Jeep charges extra for Rear Cross Path Detection on the Wrangler and the Wrangler’s Rear Cross Path Detection does not include automatic braking.

The Defender’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Wrangler doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Defender uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Wrangler uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Defender and the Wrangler have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and rearview cameras.

The Defender comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Wrangler’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Defender’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Wrangler’s (6 vs. 5 years).

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the Defender have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 6.4 V8 in the Wrangler.

The Defender has more powerful engines than the Wrangler:

	Horsepower
Defender P300 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	296 HP
Defender 130 P300 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid	296 HP
Defender P400 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid	395 HP
Defender V8 5.0 supercharged V8	518 HP
Wrangler 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder	270 HP
Wrangler 3.6 DOHC V6	285 HP
Wrangler 4Xe 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	375 HP
Wrangler Rubicon 392 6.4 V8	470 HP

As tested in Motor Trend the Defender P400 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Wrangler 4Xe 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid (automatics tested):

	Defender	Wrangler
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	6.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	15.2 sec

On the EPA test cycle the Defender 110/130 gets better mileage than the Wrangler 4-door running its gasoline engine:

			MPG
Defender 110/130
AWD	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	17 city/20 hwy
		5.0 supercharged V8	14 city/19 hwy
		3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cyl. Hybrid	18 city/23 hwy
		130 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cyl. Hybrid	17 city/21 hwy
Wrangler 4-door
AWD	Manual	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/23 hwy
AWD	Auto	6.4 OHV V8	13 city/17 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	20 city/20 hwy

Regardless of its engine, the Defender’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Wrangler Rubicon 392 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Defender 90’s standard fuel tank has 5.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Wrangler 4Xe/2-door’s standard fuel tank (23.4 vs. 17.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Defender 90’s standard fuel tank has 5.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the Wrangler EcoDiesel’s standard fuel tank (23.4 vs. 18.3 gallons). The Defender 110’s standard fuel tank has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Wrangler 4-door’s standard fuel tank (23.8 vs. 21.5 gallons).

The Defender has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Wrangler. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Land Rover Defender higher (3 to 7 out of 10) than the Jeep Wrangler (1 to 7). This means the Defender produces up to 47 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Wrangler every 15,000 miles.

The Land Rover Defender comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Wrangler.

For better stopping power the Defender’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Wrangler:

	Defender P300	Defender V8	Wrangler
Front Rotors	13.7 inches	15 inches	12.9 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	14.4 inches	12.9 inches
Opt Rear Rotors			14 inches

The Defender’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Wrangler 4x4 Sport are solid, not vented.

The Defender stops much shorter than the Wrangler:

	Defender	Wrangler
70 to 0 MPH	204 feet	211 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	150 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	150 feet	163 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the Defender has larger standard tires than the Wrangler (255/70R18 vs. 245/75R17).

The Defender’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 70 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Wrangler Sport’s standard 75 series tires. The Defender’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Wrangler Sahara 4Xe’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Defender has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Wrangler Sport. The Defender’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Wrangler Sahara 4Xe.

The Land Rover Defender’s independent front suspension is much lighter than the Jeep Wrangler’s solid front axle, which allows the Defender’s wheels to react more quickly and accurately to the road’s surface, improving both ride and handling.

For superior ride and handling, the Land Rover Defender has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Jeep Wrangler has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Defender offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Wrangler’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For much better steering response and tighter handling the Defender has rack and pinion steering, like Formula racecars, instead of the recirculating-ball type steering of the Wrangler.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Defender 90’s wheelbase is 5.1 inches longer than on the Wrangler 2-door 4x4 (101.9 inches vs. 96.8 inches). The Defender 130’s wheelbase is .6 inches longer than on the Wrangler 4-door 4x4 (119 inches vs. 118.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Defender is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Wrangler.

The Defender 110 SE handles at .70 G’s, while the Wrangler Sahara 4-door pulls only .64 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Defender 110 V8 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.9 seconds quicker than the Wrangler Rubicon 4-door (27 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 29.9 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

Unibody construction lowers the Defender’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Wrangler doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Defender 110 SE is quieter than the Wrangler Sport 4-door (69 vs. 70 dB).

The Defender 110 offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Wrangler 4-door can only carry up to 5.

The Defender 110 has 5 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, .1 inches more rear legroom and 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Wrangler 4-door.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Defender 7 and 8-passenger’s middle row seats recline. The Wrangler’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Defender 110’s cargo area provides more volume than the Wrangler 2-door.

	Defender	Wrangler
Third Seat Folded	34 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	34.6 cubic feet	12.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	78.8 cubic feet	31.7 cubic feet

The Defender 130’s cargo area provides more volume than the Wrangler 4-door.

	Defender	Wrangler
Third Seat Folded	35.8 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	31.7 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	81.6 cubic feet	72.4 cubic feet

The Defender’s cargo area is larger than the Wrangler’s in almost every dimension:

	Defender 90	Defender 130	Wrangler
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	18.1”/51.7”	15.7”/47.2”/81.6”	37”/65.8”
Max Width	46.6”	49.4”	42”
Min Width	44.3”	45.2”	39.5”
Height	35.6”	35.6”	30”

The Defender’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Wrangler 2-door’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

The Defender’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Wrangler’s (7716 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Jeep Wrangler 4-door is only 3500 pounds. The Defender offers up to a 8201 lbs. towing capacity.

The Defender has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Wrangler (1760 vs. 1233 lbs.).

The Defender has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Wrangler (1870 vs. 1351 lbs.).

The Defender uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Wrangler uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

When three different drivers share the Defender (except 110 Base), the memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver and front passenger’s seat positions, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster), outside mirror angle and climate settings. The Wrangler doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Defender (except 110 Base)’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Wrangler doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Defender (except Base) offers an available heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Wrangler doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Defender’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Wrangler has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The Defender’s standard power windows allow the driver or passenger to lower and raise the windows without leaning over or being distracted. Power windows cost extra on the Wrangler.

The Defender’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Wrangler’s optional power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its front windows open automatically.

The Defender’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Wrangler’s optional power window controls are down in the center of the dashboard, away from the windows and mixed with controls for unrelated features.

The Defender’s standard power locks allow the driver or passenger to lock or unlock all the doors at a touch without leaning over, or reaching to the back seat. Power locks cost extra on the Wrangler.

The Defender’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Wrangler’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Defender to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Wrangler doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Defender’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Wrangler’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Defender offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Wrangler doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Defender has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Wrangler has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Sport S/Sahara/Rubicon.

The Defender has standard power remote mirrors. The Wrangler only comes with remote mirrors at extra cost. Without them the driver will have to roll down the windows and reach across the car to adjust the mirrors.

The Defender’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Jeep charges extra for heated mirrors on the Wrangler.

When the Defender is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Wrangler’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Defender’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Wrangler offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Defender has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Wrangler, and are only available on the Wrangler Sport S/Freedom/Sahara/Rubicon. The Defender also offers optional heated second and third row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Wrangler.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Defender’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Wrangler doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Defender has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Wrangler and isn’t available on the Wrangler Sport.

The Defender’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Wrangler Sport doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Defender and the Wrangler offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Defender has available rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Wrangler doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Land Rover Defender has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Wrangler doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Defender second among large premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Wrangler isn’t in the top three.

Motor Trend selected the Defender as their 2021 Sport Utility of the Year. The Wrangler was Sport Utility of the Year in 2019.