Compare the2023 Lexus RXVS 2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus RX 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 Land Rover Discovery Sport doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Lexus RX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Discovery Sport doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the RX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Lexus RX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The RX has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The RX offers optional Intuitive Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The RX Premium/Luxury/500h F Sport offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Discovery Sport only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the RX and the Discovery Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the RX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Discovery Sport has not been tested, yet.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Discovery Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Discovery Sport ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 22 percent more Lexus dealers than there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the RX’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the RX’s reliability 40 points higher than the Discovery Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Land Rover is rated below average.

The RX 350’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 29 more horsepower (275 vs. 246) and 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (317 vs. 269) than the Discovery Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The RX 500h F Sport Performance’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 120 more horsepower (366 vs. 246) and 137 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 269) than the Discovery Sport’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the RX gets better mileage than the Discovery Sport:

The RX can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for .6 miles. The Discovery Sport can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The RX 350h has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the RX F Sport/500h’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Discovery Sport:

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Discovery Sport.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RX’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the Discovery Sport (112.2 inches vs. 107.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the RX is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Discovery Sport.

For better maneuverability, the RX 500h F Sport Performance’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Discovery Sport’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The RX has 2 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Discovery Sport.

The RX has a much larger cargo volume than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 6.9 cubic feet).

The RX’s cargo area is larger than the Discovery Sport’s in almost every dimension:

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the RX. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the RX Premium/Luxury/500h F Sport’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Land Rover. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With an 82% lower rating, Land Rover is ranked 30th.

The RX Premium/Luxury/500h F Sport’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 Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The RX’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Discovery Sport does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the windows are left open on the RX the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Discovery Sport can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the RX Premium+/Luxury/500h F Sport offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the RX has standard extendable sun visors. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The RX Premium/Luxury/F Sport has standard front air conditioned seats and the RX Premium+/Luxury/500h F Sport offers them optionally in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The RX 350h/500h offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The RX Premium/Luxury/500h F Sport’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Advanced Park will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The RX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus RX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Lexus RX outsold the Land Rover Discovery Sport by over 15 to one during 2022.