Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2013 Land Rover RANGE ROVER SPORT VS 2013 Toyota Land Near Scottsdale, AZ

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Range Rover Sport uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Land Cruiser uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Range Rover Sport and the Land Cruiser have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The Range Rover Sport comes with a full 4 year/50,000 mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24 hour roadside assistance. The Land Cruiser’s 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty expires 1 year and 14,000 miles sooner.

The Range Rover Sport’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Land Cruiser’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Range Rover Sport third among large premium crossover/SUV’s in their 2012 Initial Quality Study. The Land Cruiser isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Range Rover Sport Supercharged’s standard 5.0 supercharged V8 produces 129 more horsepower (510 vs. 381) and 60 lbs.-ft. more torque (461 vs. 401) than the Land Cruiser’s 5.7 DOHC V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is faster than the Toyota Land Cruiser:

For better stopping power the Range Rover Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Land Cruiser:

The Range Rover Sport HSE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Land Cruiser’s standard 60 series tires. The Range Rover Sport’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Land Cruiser’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Range Rover Sport HSE has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the Land Cruiser. The Range Rover Sport offers optional 20-inch wheels.

For superior ride and handling, the Range Rover Sport has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Toyota Land Cruiser has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The front and rear suspension of the Range Rover Sport uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Land Cruiser, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Range Rover Sport Supercharged offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Toyota doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Land Cruiser.

The Range Rover Sport offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Land Cruiser’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Range Rover Sport has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Range Rover Sport’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Land Cruiser doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Range Rover Sport Supercharged handles at .79 G’s, while the Land Cruiser pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Range Rover Sport’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Land Cruiser’s (37.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Range Rover Sport is 6.6 inches shorter than the Land Cruiser, making the Range Rover Sport easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction makes the Range Rover Sport’s chassis much stiffer, which contributes to better handling, and enables softer springs to be used for a better ride. Unibody construction’s stiffness also contributes to better durability and less body squeaks and rattles. The Land Cruiser doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The Range Rover Sport has 1.1 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom and 1.6 inches more rear legroom than the Land Cruiser.

The Range Rover Sport has a standard second row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Land Cruiser doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

The Range Rover Sport’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Land Cruiser’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults or children, the Range Rover Sport has a standard power rear liftgate, which opens and closes completely automatically by pressing a button on the key fob. The Land Cruiser doesn’t offer a power tailgate.

The power windows standard on both the Range Rover Sport and the Land Cruiser have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Range Rover Sport is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Land Cruiser prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Range Rover Sport to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Land Cruiser doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Range Rover Sport detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Land Cruiser doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Range Rover Sport offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Land Cruiser doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Range Rover Sport’s power mirror controls are mounted on the door for easy access. The Land Cruiser’s power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.