Land Rover Defender vs Jeep Wranger: prestige, equipment, or both?
June 29 2021,
If you are looking for a vehicle capable of venturing off the beaten track, or at least that has the capabilities to do so while also standing out on the road, there are a handful of vehicles that will meet your needs.
These include the venerable Jeep Wrangler, as well as Land Rover's new gem, the Defender.
We will agree on one thing from the start; both models look good.
However, they do not operate in the same segment as the Land Rover brand plays in the world of luxury vehicles. It's not that the Wangler doesn't offer luxury, but it belongs to a more generic manufacturer.
As a result, when it comes to pricing, we have different proposals on each side. If we take the four-door versions of each of the models, we have a starting price of $ 46,460 at Jeep with an Unlimited Sport S version while at Land Rover, the starting offer for a 110 model is 65,300 $.
At the top of the hierarchy, the Sahara High Altitude version is priced at $ 60,055 while the Defender X sees its starting price at $ 96,000.
The difference in price is significant, but at the same time these are two unique vehicles with little competition, and therefore they are worth comparing if you have the means for either one.
By opting for a Sahara High Altitude model, or even a Rubicon variant (very popular) to which we add some equipment, we quickly find ourselves between $ 70,000 and $ 75,000. That’s a lot for a vehicle that does not belong to a luxury brand and that offers, and we say this as nicely as possible, rather rustic handling. And that's not to mention that aboard a Wrangler, the notion of comfort is rather spartan.
With the Defender, you get a lot of luxury features and equipment right off the bat for about the same price. And what may be missing from the vehicle in the base model, such as the most sophisticated off-road management system, the Terrain Response 2, can be added as an option, as can other amenities to come up with similar equipment. Result? You can get a Defender for the same price as a loaded Wrangler.
You can therefore drive a Land Rover Defender which offers impressive capabilities in terms of off-road driving, for the same price as what a similarly equipped Wrangler Rubicon model offers. You will get a more luxurious vehicle, however, and one that is more comfortable. And it is a lot more exclusive.
The Wrangler offers a unique experience on the road, but it does not offer the comfort level of the Defender. And if you want more luxury, Jeep isn't the place to go.
And there is the resale value that has to be considered. While it's great with the Wrangler, we know it's going to be great with the Defender just as well, precisely because we're dealing with a luxury brand and a legendary name.
In short, for about the same price, you can enjoy the great level of comfort of the Land Rover Defender, its more luxurious and better structured interior, a welcoming space for your passengers, superior soundproofing, better handling, etc.
In fact, if you test drive both vehicles in quick succession and realize that you can get a very well-equipped Defender for the same price as an equally well-equipped Wrangler, your decision will be easy; the fight is not even close between the two models.
