Land Rover Defender 110 vs Lexus GX 550 2026 Comparison

Stack five $100, one $50 and one $20 note on top of one another, and that's how much, literally and figuratively, separates the prices of the Land Rover Defender 110 X-Dynamic HSE D350 (catchy, huh?) and the Lexus GX 550 Overtrail.

In base guise the $130,200 (+ORCs) Land Rover marginally undercuts the $130,770 (+ORCs) Lexus, though the order is flipped when options are included. The Lexus only has its rather snazzy two-tone Khaki Metal green paint, which adds a hefty $4200.

The Land Rover's similarly delightful Woolstone Green paintwork is standard, but the $4247 Towing Pack, $2541 head-up display, $1792 extended black exterior pack, $1555 cold climate pack, $1518 clearsight interior rear-view mirror, $1180 off-road pack, $1049 privacy glass, $956 three-zone climate control, $856 cabin air purifications plus, $736 body-colour spare wheel cover and $205 air quality sensor lift its as-tested total to $146,835 (+ORCs).

At this price point, it does feel like some of this equipment should be standard, if only to simplify the production and ordering processes for the customer.

Especially as you can also choose from short-wheelbase 90 and stretched 130 versions, while the 110 also comes in three-row guise with six or seven seats.

Land Rover does gain ground back with servicing, the Defender requiring attention every 12 months or 20,400km (not a typo) at a cost of $3500 with five years' roadside assist included. Like the Toyota Prado 250 Series with which it shares its bones, the Lexus GX 550 has six-month/10,000km intervals which add up to a whopping $6950 over the first years.

The Lexus does come with a three-year complimentary membership to Lexus Encore, however, which includes roadside assistance, vehicle pick-up and drop-off for servicing, loan cars, invitations to VIP events and experiences, fuel discounts and more.

Both cars are backed by five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranties.

Sitting as it does towards the top of the tree, the Land Rover Defender HSE X-Dynamic has plenty of goodies as standard, including 20-inch wheels (with a full-size spare), air suspension, matrix LED headlights, a sliding panoramic glass roof, 14-way power adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, extended leather trim and an electrically adjustable steering column, though triple-zone climate control and a heated steering wheel cost extra.

The Lexus comes similarly stuffed to the gills, with LED lighting, a sunroof, split tailgate with power operation, triple-zone climate control, electrically adjustable steering column, eight-way power adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation (and heated outboard rear seats). 

The Overtrail swaps in smaller 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tyres, adaptive variable suspension, electronic kinetic dynamic suspension system (eKDSS), a rear diff lock, stronger 240A alternator, olive green Ultrasuede upholstery accents, softer seat bolsters and a refrigerated cool box in the centre console.

The Defender wears a five-star ANCAP safety rating, though its 2020 timestamp means it is only current until December 2026. It scored well across the board, with 85 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 71 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 76 per cent for safety assist.

Speaking of the latter, Land Rover has one of the best solutions for silencing any irritating active safety nannies, a custom profile able to be activated with a couple of quick taps of a button on the steering wheel.

The Lexus GX 550 doesn't have an ANCAP rating, though it's worth mentioning that the Toyota Prado with which it shares its platform does. The two will perform differently in a crash due to their different powertrains, but it does speak to the inherent protection of the chassis.

There isn't much to choose between the two technology offerings in terms of features. The Lexus has a 14.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, 'Hey Lexus' voice command, Lexus Connected Services (emergency services, app connectivity, connected navigation, multimedia streaming and more) and digital radio.

There are charging options galore, with six USB-C ports throughout the cabin, two 12V and one 220V outlets, in addition to a wireless charging pad for a smartphone, while a 12.3-inch digital screen handles the instruments along with a head-up display.

The Pioneer stereo that is standard with the Lexus has 10 speakers, the 21-speaker Mark Levinson system being reserved for the flagship Sports Luxury version of the SUV.

In the Defender there is a 13.1-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone mirroring, voice command, digital radio and connected navigation, along with wireless device charging, plenty of USB-C ports, though the 220V AC outlet and head-up display in this car are part of optional packs.

There are two sides to assessing infotainment systems based on our testing. On the one hand, it shows how easy it is to get to grips with a system and on this basis the Lexus just nudges the Land Rover, as it can be easy to get lost in the Pivi Pro interface.

On the other, an owner will become more familiar with the system and while having more information closer to the surface can make the Land Rover more confusing initially, it does save having to dig three or four sub-menus deep like in the Lexus.

Your only choice in the Lexus GX 550 is a 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol producing 260kW/650Nm that drives all four wheel via 10-speed automatic. Despite being a smaller diesel, the Land Rover Defender D350's 3.0-litre twin-turbo engine virtually matches the Lexus for power and bests it for torque with 258kW/700Nm.

It runs an eight-speed automatic driving all four wheels.

Against expectations, the diesel Defender is the quicker of the two, hitting 100km/h in a claimed 6.4sec compared to 7.0sec for the GX 550.

If diesel isn't your thing, the Land Rover is also available as a P425 with a 313kW/550Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8 or a P300e with 221kW/625Nm thanks to its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor combo.

Unsurprisingly, it's the diesel Defender that holds the fuel efficiency advantage, claiming 8.1L/100km combined to the Lexus's 12.3L/100km, while its 89-litre tank also gives it a usefully longer range than the 80 litres in the GX 550.

In the real world, the Land Rover used just over 10L/100km, while the Lexus hovered around the mid-teens, a fraction less than you'll use in a Defender P425.

In isolation, the Lexus GX 550 is a pleasant companion. By the standards of separate chassis vehicles it rides well, steers with reasonable accuracy and the lusty twin-turbo V6 gives this platform a level of performance that a Prado can't even dream of.

The engine alone justifies a decent chunk of the premium over the Toyota, the nose lifting and the rear growling under hard acceleration; there's obviously a price to be paid – literally – in terms of fuel consumption, but anyone looking at a GX 550 should not be expecting frugality.

So it's a likable machine, but one easily outclassed by the Defender.

Indeed, the British contender’s monocoque chassis helps it ride with far greater fluency, the steering is lighter and feels more natural, it corners with more composure and has superior refinement, though it's unclear whether the substantial wind noise generated by the Lexus is a result of its large wing mirrors or something particular to this car.

Land Rover's diesel engine has large lungs and delivers strong acceleration and a cultured growl, though with a substantial hesitation from standstill that makes three-point turns a frustrating process.

On a winding forestry road the GX 550's shorter wheelbase, wider rev band and more relaxed electronics give it a fun factor lacking in the Defender, but the Land Rover's greater stability is likely to be of more benefit to the target customer.

It may well be that owners of near-$150,000 SUVs simply like the idea of going off-road rather than heading into the great outdoors themselves, but both the Land Rover and the Lexus have all the ability most will ever need should they feel compelled to turn dreams into reality.

The Lexus is excellent off-road. Its more aggressive tyres find greater purchase in the mud than the Land Rover, its hill descent control works perfectly and with low-range engaged and the rear diff locked, it'll clamber in and out of most situations.

Its greatest shortcoming is its 27° approach and 22° departure angles, which can lead to the odd scrape.

Tiny overhangs give the Defender a significant advantage in this area, with its 30.1° approach, 22° rampover (which Lexus doesn't state) and 37.7° departure angles, but its real party trick is height-adjustable air suspension.

This not only increases ground clearance from 218mm to 293mm but improves those angles to 37.6°, 27.9° and 42° respectively, keeping the bodywork clear of rocks and ruts.

Its less aggressive all-terrain tyres struggle more in the mud – though equally we were running full road pressures – but this would easily be fixed by more appropriate rubber if you are the adventurous type.

Both vehicles are rated to tow a maximum of 3500kg and, unlike some premium rivals, this includes a 350kg downball rating. We’ve already conducted a tow test of the Lexus GX 550 Overtrail and it’s worth a read if you’re planning on hitching something to it.

Weighing 2361kg, the Land Rover Defender's 3200kg Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) gives it an impressive payload of 839kg, whereas the 2515kg GX 550's 3110kg GVM limits it to 595kg.

Its 6610kg Gross Combined Mass (GCM) does account for the entire maximum trailer mass, however, unlike the Land Rover, which is only rated to 6380kg.

Once again the 2026 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail impresses. It feels functional and premium inside, with easily found physical switchgear including the HVAC controls. Material quality front and rear befits the price tag and while the Overtrail forgoes seven-seat capability, it compensates with a huge boot without the raised floor of the Prado.

The numbers say 1063 litres in regular use or 2000 litres with the rear row stowed, which splits 60:40 and can also recline.

Speaking of splitting, the independent glass hatch is a useful feature for quickly accessing the boot and there are four tie down points for securing luggage. There is masses of legroom for rear occupants but the Lexus is really only an occasional five-seater, as the middle seat is heavily compromised by not only the transmission tunnel but a large plastic cover on the floor.

You sit lower in the Defender in a cabin that's a wonderful combination of form and function. There is heaps of storage, the horizontal bar across the cabin having a rubberised coating to secure keys or wallets, while another draw ahead of the cupholders scurries away into the dash to reveal even more space below.

The extended leather treatment of the HSE gives a more premium feel, there is clever switchgear that handles multiple functions – for example, clicking the temperature dial allows you to adjust the heated/ventilated seats – and there is even more room in the back than the Lexus with far better accommodation for the fifth passenger.

One downside of the Defender's chopped tail is a smaller boot.

The figures say there is little in it at 972 litres, or a massive 2277 litres with the 40:20:40-split rear seats folded, but it's definitely a smaller space than the Lexus, especially with the cargo cover in place.

The side-opening tailgate is also extremely heavy; generally fine if you're on the flat, but if the camber of the road is unfavourable smaller folk may struggle.

The Land Rover Defender is a better premium off-road SUV than the Lexus GX 550. It is more comfortable, more refined, quicker, more frugal, cheaper to service, has a better rear seat, more practical interior and more payload.

However, the Lexus GX 550 is good enough that if you have your heart set on one, you're unlikely to be disappointed. There's the capability and ruggedness of the Prado with a much fancier interior, more luggage space and proper grunt.

It also must be said that Lexus has a far better reputation for reliability than Land Rover.

But there are Defender owners out there who have never had a problem and if we're awarding this comparison to the best vehicle then it's the Land Rover. It is beautifully executed, like camping with a king bed and a bathroom.

2026 Land Rover Defender 110 X-Dynamic HSE D350 at a glance:
Price: $130,200 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 3.0-litre six-cylinder twin-turbodiesel mild-hybrid
Outputs: 258kW/700Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 214g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2020)

2026 Lexus GX 550 Overtrail at a glance:
Price: $130,770 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 3.4-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Outputs: 260kW/650Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.3L/100km
CO2: 279g/km
Safety Rating: Untested

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