Is the Toyota Highlander more reliable than the Land Rover Defender 110?

Yes, by a large gap. Both carry a good standing, but Highlander owners file 5.8 complaints per 10,000 sold against 20.7 for the Defender. The Defender's DC/DC converter fault can cause total power loss, and replacement converters have failed again in owner reports.

Which has more recalls, the Highlander or the Defender 110?

The Highlander has more in total: 66 recalls across 9 model years, against 23 across 6 for the Defender. It also has more years on the road and sells in far larger numbers. Check any specific VIN for open recalls before buying either one.

Which costs less to repair, the Highlander or the Defender 110?

Repair-cost data is available only for the Highlander, at an estimated $489 a year, with 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. No comparable figure exists for the Defender. Owners do quote $3,000 to $5,000 for a headlight assembly after warranty.

What is the most common Land Rover Defender 110 problem?

The electrical system leads, with 59 complaints. The DC/DC converter stops charging the 12-volt battery, an electrical fault message appears, and power can fail completely. Reports describe stalls in a travel lane, no steering, and a tow. Windshields that crack without impact come next, with 39 complaints.

What goes wrong most often on the Toyota Highlander?

The power train, with 485 complaints. A whine under acceleration grows until the transmission fails, and dealers quote $8,500 to $10,000 for replacement. Most reports come just past 60,000 miles. Brake surging at low speed and bumper cover detachment at highway speed follow.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Land Rover Defender 110 vs Toyota Highlander: Reliability Compared

Land Rover Defender 110

Good

More Reliable

Toyota Highlander

Good

Reliability favors the Toyota Highlander by a wide margin over the Land Rover Defender 110. Owners report 5.8 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 20.7. The Defender's repeat DC/DC converter failures, which can cut power and steering while driving, weigh heavily in that gap.

How Do the Land Rover Defender 110 and Toyota Highlander Generations Compare?

Most used Highlanders you will shop sit in the fourth generation (XU70), which covers 2020 through 2026. The 2018 and 2019 models belong to the third generation (XU50), which ran from 2014 through 2019 and received a refresh for 2017. A fifth generation (XU80) is listed beginning with the 2027 model year, which makes 2026 the last year of the fourth generation. The newest fourth-generation years have had less time to collect complaints, so their clean records are not proof of better reliability. Both weak years, 2021 and 2024, fall in the fourth generation.

Verdict

The Toyota Highlander is more reliable than the Land Rover Defender 110, scoring 73/100 vs 60/100.

On owner complaints, the Highlander is clearly the more reliable of the two, and the gap is large. Both rate as good, but Defender owners file complaints at roughly three and a half times the Highlander's rate per vehicle sold. The deciding issue is how the Defender fails. A failed DC/DC converter can cut power while you drive, and replacement converters have failed again. The Highlander's worst problem, a transmission failure, is expensive but usually announces itself with a whine first.

Key Differences

1Land Rover Defender 110 has 43 fewer total recalls
2Toyota Highlander has 14.9 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Toyota Highlander scores 13 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Land Rover Defender 110

—

2Toyota Highlander

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Land Rover Defender 110 vs Toyota Highlander: Which Is More Reliable?

Land Rover Defender 110 vs Toyota Highlander at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Land Rover Defender 110	Toyota Highlander
Reliability Score	60/100	73/100
Years Tracked	6	9
Total Recalls	23	66
Complaints per 10k Sold	20.7	5.8
Year Wins	0	6

What Are the Common Problems With the Land Rover Defender 110 and Toyota Highlander?

Spread across several systems versus one root fault: that is the core difference. Highlander complaints cluster in the power train, brakes, air bags, and structure. Typical reports include a whining transmission that ends in replacement, a brief forward surge while slowing, and a front bumper cover that detaches at highway speed. Air bag reports are the most serious, with front impacts and no deployment, and 41 crash-linked complaints. The Defender's trouble is more concentrated. One electrical fault, the DC/DC converter, drives the electrical, steering, and power train reports, ending in lost power and steering. Cracked windshields and burned-out LED headlights add cost. Only one Defender electrical complaint is crash-linked.

Land Rover Defender 110 vs Toyota Highlander common problem areas comparison
Component	Land Rover Defender 110	Toyota Highlander
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6.5Average	0.4Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	4.3Average	—None
POWER TRAIN	1.1Low	1.5Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.3Low	0.8Very Low
STEERING	1.8Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	1.7Low	—None
STRUCTURE	0.4Very Low	0.5Very Low
ENGINE	0.6Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	—None	0.5Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.5Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.3Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.2Very Low	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Land Rover Defender 110 vs Toyota Highlander Reliability Compare by Year?

Land Rover Defender 110 vs Toyota Highlander year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Land Rover Defender 110	Toyota Highlander	Edge
2026	64/1000R / 0C	84/1000R / 0C	Toyota Highlander
2025	59/1001R / 8C	76/1008R / 40C	Toyota Highlander
2024	64/1004R / 16C	67/10016R / 198C	Toyota Highlander
2023	57/1007R / 70C	73/10013R / 140C	Toyota Highlander
2022	59/1004R / 61C	74/1007R / 186C	Toyota Highlander
2021	59/1007R / 32C	70/1006R / 403C	Toyota Highlander

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Land Rover Defender 110 scored 64/100 and the 2022 Toyota Highlander scored 74/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Land Rover Defender 110 vs the Toyota Highlander?

Choose the Highlander if you want the lower chance of a surprise and plan to keep the car for years. Its complaint rate is far lower, and the big repair, a transmission, tends to give warning with a rising whine. Look closely at 2021 and 2024, the weakest years. Newer years show fewer complaints partly because they have had less time to collect them, so check for open recalls on any year you consider. Confirm the front bumper cover repair and air bag system status before you buy. Choose the Defender only if you value its size and capability and accept the risk. Get a written record of any DC/DC converter work, because repeat failures are common in the reports. Budget for windshield glass and a headlight assembly that owners quote at $3,000 to $5,000 after warranty. Target 2024 and avoid 2021 and 2023, the weakest years. The 2026 model is rated well but is too new to have a full complaint history.

Land Rover Defender 110 vs Toyota Highlander: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Highlander more reliable than the Land Rover Defender 110?: Yes, by a large gap. Both carry a good standing, but Highlander owners file 5.8 complaints per 10,000 sold against 20.7 for the Defender. The Defender's DC/DC converter fault can cause total power loss, and replacement converters have failed again in owner reports.
Which has more recalls, the Highlander or the Defender 110?: The Highlander has more in total: 66 recalls across 9 model years, against 23 across 6 for the Defender. It also has more years on the road and sells in far larger numbers. Check any specific VIN for open recalls before buying either one.
Which costs less to repair, the Highlander or the Defender 110?: Repair-cost data is available only for the Highlander, at an estimated $489 a year, with 0.3 unscheduled shop visits a year. No comparable figure exists for the Defender. Owners do quote $3,000 to $5,000 for a headlight assembly after warranty.
What is the most common Land Rover Defender 110 problem?: The electrical system leads, with 59 complaints. The DC/DC converter stops charging the 12-volt battery, an electrical fault message appears, and power can fail completely. Reports describe stalls in a travel lane, no steering, and a tow. Windshields that crack without impact come next, with 39 complaints.
What goes wrong most often on the Toyota Highlander?: The power train, with 485 complaints. A whine under acceleration grows until the transmission fails, and dealers quote $8,500 to $10,000 for replacement. Most reports come just past 60,000 miles. Brake surging at low speed and bumper cover detachment at highway speed follow.

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Decided between Land Rover Defender 110 and Toyota Highlander? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Land Rover Defender 110 and Toyota Highlander

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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