Compare the2024 Kia EV9VS 2024 Land Rover Defender

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Kia EV9 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 Defender 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 EV9 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Defender doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Kia EV9 has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Defender doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The EV9 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Defender doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The EV9 Land/GT-Line has standard Parking Collision-Avoidance Reverse that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Defender doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the EV9 and the Defender have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 around view monitors.

The Kia EV9 (Built after January 2024) achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Defender has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The EV9 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Defender’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the EV9 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Defender. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Defender ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Kia dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the EV9’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 51 more problems per 100 vehicles, Land Rover is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in long-term dependability. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Land Rover is rated below average.

The EV9 GT-Line’s electric motors produces 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 461) than the Defender P525’s optional 5.0 supercharged V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the EV9 GT-Line electric motors is faster than the Defender P525 5.0 supercharged V8:

As tested in Motor Trend the EV9 GT-Line electric motors is faster than the Defender P400 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the EV9 gets better mileage than the Defender 110/130:

The EV9 can travel with zero emissions for 230 to 304 miles (dependent on model). The Defender can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the EV9’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Defender doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Kia EV9 higher (10 out of 10) than the Land Rover Defender (3 to 7). This means the EV9 produces up to 36.3 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Defender every 15,000 miles.

The EV9 stops much shorter than the Defender:

The EV9’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Defender’s standard 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the EV9 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Defender.

The EV9 offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Defender doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The EV9’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Defender doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the EV9’s wheelbase is 3 inches longer than on the Defender 110 (122 inches vs. 119 inches).

The EV9 GT-Line AWD handles at .87 G’s, while the Defender 110 SE pulls only .70 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The EV9 GT-Line AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3.7 seconds quicker than the Defender 110 SE (26.4 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 30.1 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

The EV9 is 8.5 inches shorter in height than the Defender, making the EV9 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

For excellent aerodynamics, the EV9 has standard flush composite headlights. The Defender has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The front grille of the EV9 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Defender doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the EV9 GT-Line AWD is quieter than the Defender 110 SE:

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the EV9’s middle and third row seats recline. The Defender’s third row seats don’t recline.

The EV9’s cargo area provides more volume than the Defender 90.

The EV9’s cargo area provides more volume than the Defender 110.

The EV9’s cargo area provides more volume than the Defender 130.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the EV9’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Defender doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The EV9’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Defender’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the EV9’s power cargo door can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The EV9’s power cargo door can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Defender doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

On a hot day the EV9’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Defender can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the EV9 has standard extendable sun visors. The Defender doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The EV9’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Defender’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the EV9 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Defender doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The EV9 GT-Line has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Defender.

The EV9 (except Light/Wind)’s optional Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Defender doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The EV9 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Defender doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The EV9 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The Defender has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the EV9 as the 2024 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Defender has never been chosen.