2021 Honda CR-V vs 2020 Land Rover Defender

The Land Rover Defender didn’t have to leave, but as the saying goes, it couldn't stay here. In 1996, after only two model years, the United States banned the Defender 90 because it didn't have airbags, a proud feature this crusty old truck boasted from 1990 until its final breath in 2016. Around the world, the Defender—and the Series I, II, and III models that were nearly the same since 1948—has been Britain's answer to the American Jeep, the German Gelandewagen, and the Japanese FJ. It was a farming vehicle built on warrior bones that served millions, including armies, without a whiff of prestige or wealth.

Today, Land Rover is a luxury manufacturer of extreme off-road vehicles that can and do go everywhere on Earth. The new Defender isn't anything like the old Defender, and thank God. But don't think the Defender nameplate has gone too soft, because at its core, it's just a cushier, way pricier Wrangler.

Even in a grim year, Honda is selling a staggering number of CR-Vs. The CR-V is the best-selling Honda in Canada, edging out the home-built Honda Civic. The CR-V is also the second best-selling compact SUV, just behind the Toyota RAV4. And it was the sixth best-selling vehicle in Canada in 2021.

So, it’s hard to argue against the CR-V formula. Honda’s been at this almost as long as crossovers have been a thing, launching the CR-V in 1997—a year after the RAV4 debuted.

The funny thing is, aside from sales volume, there’s only one thing the CR-V particularly excels at. Aesthetics are subjective, but it would be hard to argue the CR-V is the best-looking vehicle in its class. It’s not the cheapest. It’s not the best equipped, especially at the middle to lower trim levels. It’s not the fastest, nor is it the quietest, or the most fuel efficient. It’s not even the most reliable, showing up nowhere in J.D. Power's Most Reliable list.

So, what makes it so appealing to Canadian consumers? Let’s see if we can figure that out.