Compare the2024 Lexus UXVS 2023 Land Rover Discovery Sport

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus UX 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 UX 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 UX 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 UX 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the UX deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The UX’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Discovery Sport’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The UX has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Front Seatbacks system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The UX 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 UX offers an optional Parking Support Brake 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.

Both the UX and the Discovery Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, 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, available all wheel drive and rear parking sensors.

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 UX 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 UX 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 UX’s warranty.

The battery on the UX is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the UX’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Discovery Sport’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 UX’s reliability 34 points higher than the Discovery Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the UX second among small premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Discovery Sport isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 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 32 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.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lexus UX uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Discovery Sport requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The UX 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.

The UX’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Discovery Sport’s standard 60 series tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the UX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For better maneuverability, the UX’s turning circle is 4.5 feet tighter than the Discovery Sport’s (34.2 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Lexus UX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 700 pounds less than the Land Rover Discovery Sport.

The UX is 4 inches shorter than the Discovery Sport, making the UX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The UX is 7.4 inches shorter in height than the Discovery Sport, making the UX much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The UX has a much larger cargo volume than the Discovery Sport with its rear seat up (17.1 vs. 6.9 cubic feet).

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the UX’s 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 UX’s optional easy entry system 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.

If the windows are left open on the UX 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 avoid possible obstacles, the UX offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer cornering lights. The UX F Sport also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

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

Optional air-conditioned seats in the UX (except Base) keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Discovery Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The UX 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 UX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Lexus UX outsold the Land Rover Discovery Sport by 61% during 2022.