[AjayM45]

Hey everyone,

I’m helping my uncle (57 years old) choose a new car, and we’re a bit stuck between a few options. I would love to hear feedback from those who own or know these cars well!

Background:
He currently drives a Land Rover Discovery Sport (2017), and I drive a Jaguar F-Pace (2022), so we’re familiar with the JLR brand.
He initially considered the BMW X5 or Defender, but after showroom visits, his choices have shifted.
Showroom Experience & Thoughts on Different Cars:
1. Defender 110 Petrol, 2 Litre engine - 1.45 Cr
He likes the design and overall feel.
But a 2.0L engine for such a big car? Would it feel underpowered in the long run?
We live in Hyderabad, so no real off-road use—would it be overkill?
We have a Kia carnival, so we don't need a 7-seater.

2. Range Rover Sport, 3 Litre Diesel. (₹1.85 Cr)
He liked this instantly – loved the interiors, road presence, and comfort.
Looks modern & luxurious, whereas Defender feels more rugged.
Only concern: He is 5'5" – would driving and maneuvering be an issue? (though it has good tech & cameras).
Since he’ll use the newly purchased car for at least 10 years, will it be a better investment over Defender?

3. Range Rover Velar, 2 litre diesel. (₹1.1 Cr)
Initially, he didn’t like it much, but on a second visit, he found it appealing.
It’s easy to drive, compact, and stylish.
However, is it a big enough upgrade from Discovery Sport?
He worries that he might get bored of it in a few years.

Other Cars Considered (Rejected)
1. BMW X5 (1.35 Cr) – X5 is our consideration before going to RR. But once we saw the car, He hated the interiors and felt it lacked luxury. It has good driver dynamics and all but doesn't give you that luxury feel of a car of its price.
2.Audi Q8 – Feels outdated in India. No ventilated seats, no wireless carplay, no air suspension, LOL.
3.Lexus RX 350h – doesn’t feel exciting to drive.
4.Porsche Cayenne – Goes above ₹2 Cr with add-ons, so out of budget.
5.Mercedes GLE 450 (₹1.35 Cr) – Loved the interiors & tech and comfort, but he didn't like the outside design, he was like "Why does it look like a frog"

Final Confusion: RR Sport vs Defender (or even Velar?)
Will the Defender’s 2.0L engine feel lacking in the long run? Defender 3.0L diesel is 1.85cr, instead, we would go for RR sport.
Is RR Sport easy to drive for someone who is 5'5"?
Would Velar feel like a downgrade when we have Fpace and Discovery sport?
Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from owners of RR Sport or Defender! Any insights would really help finalize the decision.

Thanks in advance!

[GTO]

The Range Rover Sport does everything better than the Defender, but the Defender has unbeatable "feel" and "satisfaction". Both are extraordinary SUVs - go with the heart and choose the one that makes you smile more. We recently spent time with the the Range Rover and the Defender. While I would find it way too hard to pick between the two, Omkar's answer was easy = his favourite is the Defender over any Range Rover on sale.

Originally Posted by AjayM45

Only concern: He is 5'5" – would driving and maneuvering be an issue? (though it has good tech & cameras).

You get used to the size of any car within 100 - 500 km max, and 7 - 30 days max. The Range Rover Sport is anyway not as big as the flagship Range Rover. The "Sport" is meant to be self-driven. No issues here.

3. Range Rover Velar, 2 litre diesel. (₹1.1 Cr)

I don't think the Velar is in the same league as the Defender or Range Rover Sport at all.

[Sensible_Speed]

The Range Rover Sport and full size SWB Range Rover share the same wheelbase. Buying the Sport is the best way to go imo. It's a lot comfier than a Defender.

[autohead]

Considering his age and probable usage pattern 2025 XC90 should fit the bill, it has the best interiors in business, active air suspension, front massage seats and comes with proven Hybrid tech should be a better alternative to Diesels in the long run.

[Jeroen]

If it was my money the RR. Because nothing beats a Range Rover, period. Not everybody is a fan of the Sport version, but I always preferred it over the full RR version. I always thought its proportions were more balanced.

I am not a fan of the defender. Maybe the current range has been improved. But we had endless and I mean endless trouble with my brother in law Defender.

Jeroen

[14000rpm]

The Range Rover Sport and the Defender are pretty much the same under the skin. more or less the same engine choices, Infotainment, kit etc.

However, they are made for 2 different types of buyers.
The RR Sport is for Street Cred and Mall crawling whereas the Defender is built for the out and about driver as is most evident in the Wheel/Tire choices between the 2. The off-road tech kit is identical too.

Just because the RR Sport carries the RR label and not LR, it has far more better luxury appointments whereas the choices with the Defender are more rugged in nature. It is immediately noticeable.

A buyer focusing on Luxury will not like the rugged appeal of the Defender as much and vice-versa.

I currently drive a 2019 RR Sport and am considering replacing it. I am unable to find the Defender appealing. This sentiment is true of a few others in the RR forums I am part of.

Choose by the usage and how you want the interior look and feel.

Originally Posted by AjayM45

Only concern: He is 5'5" – would driving and maneuvering be an issue? (though it has good tech & cameras).
!

My wife is 5'2'' and daily drives my RR Sport. In fact, she has clocked more kms on it than me and she is totally fine with it and has been since day 1.
I'm sure your 5'5'' tall uncle will find a perfect position and visibility will be just fine.

[Tutenkhamen]

Both are beautiful vehicles. Insanely capable, luxurious (more so with RRS) and opulent.
Massive street cred is a given.
Re-iterating other TBhpians, follow the lead of your / your uncle's heart.
I have a hunch that you like RR S better but the price is putting you off.

To that, I'd say that a 4 pot engine has no place in vehicles of this price territory.
It has got to be an engine commensurate with the rest of the value quotient of your car and a 4 pot doesn't cut it.

So the real contenders are RR S and Defender3.0 and they are around the same price point. Btw how about the new DefenderV8?

Attaching their back to back size comparison. Its a minimalism vs somewhat-maximalism kind of comparison .

[Akshay1234]

The RR Sport is certainly more luxurious and refined out of the two. That being said the Defender has a certain vibe that is unmatched. But its based on personal preference IMO. We have a Defender 2.0 in the family, and while I was skeptical, I found it to be sufficient while driving. Of course it will be under powered for an enthusiastic driver. The Defenders with the V8 engines are available for around 1.4 ex showroom, which IMO is a great deal.

[ampere]

I am no one to suggest as I have no idea. But this video had me glued a year or two back!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu0W...nnel=SkySports

[Dippy]

You can't go wrong with either of these two SUVs.

The RR Sport is more plush than the Defender and super fun to self drive. I feel the size is nice too. And the CKD assembly has brought down the price by quite a bit.

The Defender on the other hand is all about character. I personally love it for its imposing size. Its interiors may not be as luxurious as the Sport but still feels nice and built to last. And I see many chauffeur driven Defenders around.

Will the Defender’s 2.0L engine feel lacking in the long run? Defender 3.0L diesel is 1.85cr, instead, we would go for RR sport.

It's sufficient for daily driving and moreso if you are a sedate driver. But things change once you taste 6 cylinders, you can't go back to 4. In that case its the RR Sport you should pick. And like the others have said in the thread, you have the Defender V8 as well.

Is RR Sport easy to drive for someone who is 5'5"?

No problem at all. I'm no more than 5'3 and I have had no problems driving the RR Sport, Defender or even the LWB Range Rover for that matter.

Would Velar feel like a downgrade when we have Fpace and Discovery sport?

No point going for the Velar especially if you have those two at home. The F-Pace and Velar are essentially the same car really. You won't feel an upgrade at all.

Happy shopping.

[AjayM45]

Originally Posted by Dippy

The RR Sport is more plush than the Defender and super fun to self drive. I feel the size is nice too. And the CKD assembly has brought down the price by quite a bit.

Yeah, we’re leaning more towards the RR Sport, but the big question now is whether it’s worth the extra ₹40L over the Defender. Our initial budget was around ₹1.3 Cr, in line with the X5 and Defender 2.0, but after exploring more options, we've stretched it.

We’ve almost eliminated the Velar—it’s ₹80L cheaper than the RR Sport, but we’re worried that it won’t feel special enough in the long run. The last thing we want is buyer’s remorse a couple of years down the line.

The next step is to test drive both the Defender and RR Sport to see how they actually feel on the road. The car will be both self-driven and chauffeur-driven, so comfort and driving dynamics matter equally.

Appreciate your insights!

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

My wife is 5'2'' and daily drives my RR Sport. In fact, she has clocked more kms on it than me and she is totally fine with it and has been since day 1.
I'm sure your 5'5'' tall uncle will find a perfect position and visibility will be just fine.

We are more inclined toward luxury & comfort, the RR Sport seems like the better fit. The materials and overall premium feel make a difference. The Defender has a unique charm, but we’re worried it might not feel as special in a luxury-focused usage scenario.

Great to hear about your wife's experience with the RR Sport! That definitely puts our concerns to rest.

We’ll be test-driving both soon, but RR Sport is currently the front-runner. Appreciate your perspective!

Originally Posted by Akshay1234

The Defenders with the V8 engines are available for around 1.4 ex showroom, which IMO is a great deal.

Exactly! Our initial plan was to stay around the X5 range, but now we’re debating whether it’s worth stretching the budget by another ₹50L for the RR Sport.

Personally, the V8 Defender is super tempting for me, but since my uncle will be driving it (though mostly chauffeur-driven), we need to factor in what suits him best. I lean towards minimalism, while he prefers maximalism—so it’s quite an interesting contrast in preferences!

We’ll be test-driving both soon and will update once we have a clearer picture. Appreciate your insights!

[Fuel Of Satan]

My choice is the Sport. The Defender has unmatched appeal, it is magnetic. But I've always preferred the Sport, it is more lavishly appointed inside and has come across as the more aristocratic option of the two. And the 3.0 oil burner must pull like a freight train. With that being said, why are you pitting the 4-pot Defender up against the diesel RR, when the 3.0 diesel Defender is an available option?

[SidwaysInLinen]

Originally Posted by AjayM45

Hey everyone,

Final Confusion: RR Sport vs Defender (or even Velar?)
Will the Defender’s 2.0L engine feel lacking in the long run? Defender 3.0L diesel is 1.85cr, instead, we would go for RR sport.
Is RR Sport easy to drive for someone who is 5'5"?
Would Velar feel like a downgrade when we have Fpace and Discovery sport?

Between the RR and the Defender, as many have already mentioned, the RR takes the crown, no question.

An interesting point you raised is about it being a good investment, If you ask me, with the speed that cars are evolving especially in terms of tech, it's almost certain that both will lose value over the years, I believe the Defender might just fair a bit better than the RR because of it's cult status.

It seems that you have omitted the XC90 from your considerations, having sat in the previous gen I can tell you in certainty that it's a great car, especially now with the new gen and the updated features. Might not command the same respect/road presence as a JLR model but still a head turner for sure.

[Sohail_91]

My recommendation would be Range Rover Sport.

Last year, I found myself in the same dilemma, initially torn between the X5 30d and the GLE 450d. I even booked the X5 but ended up canceling it due to massive discount variations across different states, BMW’s restrictive territory policy, and the horror stories surrounding the BMW dealer in my home state, Jharkhand.

The GLE 450d was ruled out as well, as it simply didn’t provide the adrenaline rush I was looking for.

A test drive of the Defender 2.0 followed. While the power felt sufficient, it wasn’t quite enough to put a smile on my face every time I hit the throttle. If only the 3.0 Petrol Defender was still available, it would have been the perfect choice.
Eventually, the 3.0 Diesel Defender X was booked, but my mind was still conflicted—why pay extra taxes for a CBU Defender when I could get a Range Rover Sport for nearly the same price?

I took a long test drive of both the Defender 2.0 and the RRS 3.0 Petrol back to back. The luxury and sheer oomph factor of the RRS won me over, leading me to change my booking to the RRS 3.0 Diesel instead. Since the dealer didn’t have the diesel variant of either the Defender or the RRS, I test-drove the Diesel Range Rover, which shares the same 3.0 Diesel engine, to get a feel of the motor. Delivery of the RRS is scheduled for June.

On a side note, JLR dealers are notorious for inflating (read over-inflating) charges like insurance, handling fees, and other charges—so be sure to negotiate on these. Fortunately, I had a great SA at JLR Marqland, Bangalore, who agreed to my requests without any hassle.

[svsantosh]

The defender any day.

Even the new RR has niggles, I havent heard of one Defender (new one) down in the tough UAE summer till now. It is tough, and is surely a world apart from the earlier one. People are falling head over heels for the Defender in Dubai. It stands out.