2026 Land Rover Discovery Sport vs 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

$49,900 · Crossover

$41,360 · Crossover

Comparison Overview

The most significant numerical disparity between the 2026 Land Rover Discovery Sport (Car 1) and the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander (Car 2) is the $8,540 difference in Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, with the Highlander starting at $41,360 versus the Land Rover's $49,900. Fuel efficiency also diverges considerably, as the Highlander achieves 24 MPG combined, outperforming the Discovery Sport's 20 MPG combined rating. Performance metrics show the Highlander leads in output, delivering 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque compared to the Land Rover's 246 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. However, the Discovery Sport offers a smaller footprint at 180.9 inches in length, whereas the Highlander is substantially larger at 201.4 inches. Despite its smaller size, the Land Rover retains a significant advantage in utility, boasting 32.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity against the Highlander's 20.6 cubic feet, illustrating a trade-off between entry cost and sheer utility.

Size Comparison

Performance

Fuel Efficiency

Full Specifications

Our Verdicts

🚗 Best for Commuters

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

The Toyota Grand Highlander is the better choice for commuters due to its superior combined fuel economy of 24 MPG versus the Land Rover's 20 MPG.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best for Families

2026 Land Rover Discovery Sport

The Land Rover Discovery Sport offers significantly more storage volume, providing 32.4 cu ft of cargo space compared to the Highlander's 20.6 cu ft.

🏎️ Best for Enthusiasts

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

The Toyota Grand Highlander provides higher peak performance figures, achieving 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

💰 Best Value

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

The Toyota Grand Highlander presents substantially better initial value, costing $8,540 less than the Land Rover Discovery Sport while offering more horsepower.

Choose the Land Rover Discovery Sport if...

You prioritize maximum cargo hauling within a more compact exterior dimension (32.4 cu ft capacity).
All-Wheel Drive capability is essential, as the Discovery Sport includes AWD standard against the Highlander's FWD base setup.
You prefer the consistent shifting provided by the 9-speed automatic transmission over the Highlander's 8-speed unit.

Choose the Toyota Grand Highlander if...

Minimizing fuel expenditure is a priority, given its 24 MPG combined rating versus 20 MPG for Car 1.
You require the absolute highest horsepower and torque output (265 hp and 310 lb-ft).
A lower initial purchase price is crucial, saving $8,540 compared to the Discovery Sport.

Key Dimensions

Dimension	Land Rover Discovery Sport	Toyota Grand Highlander
Length	180.9"	201.4"
Width	-	78.3"
Height	67.9"	70.1"
Wheelbase	107.9"	116.1"

Features Comparison

Safety

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Blind Spot Monitor	✓	✓
Lane Keeping Assist System	✓	✓
Rear Cross Traffic Alert	✓	✓
Driver Attention Alert	✓	—
Post-Collision Safety System	✓	✓
Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags	✓	✓
Front Head Airbags	✓	✓
Rear Head Airbags	✓	✓
Passenger Airbag Occupant Sensing Deactivation	✓	✓
Electronic Stability Control	✓	✓
Traction Control System	✓	✓
LATCH System	✓	✓
Rear Door Child Safety Locks	✓	✓
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)	4-Wheel	4-Wheel
Front Ventilated Disc Brakes	✓	✓
Rear Solid Disc Brakes	✓	—
Brake Preparation System	✓	—
Brake Assist	✓	✓
Tire Pressure Monitoring System	✓	✓
Automatic Headlights	✓	—
Headlight Delay-Off	✓	—
LED Headlights	✓	✓
Self-Leveling Headlights	✓	—
Daytime Running Lights	✓	✓
Front Fog Lights	✓	—
Front Headrests	2	2
Front Height Adjustable Headrests	✓	✓
Rear Headrests	3	3
Rear Height Adjustable Headrests	✓	✓
Rear Center 3-Point Seatbelt	✓	✓
Anti-Theft Alarm System (Remote)	✓	✓
Engine Immobilizer	✓	✓
Lane Departure Warning	—	✓
Pre-Collision Safety System	—	✓
Third Row Head Airbags	—	✓
Rear Ventilated Disc Brakes	—	✓
Integrated Turn Signal Mirrors	—	✓

Engine

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Base Engine Displacement	2.0 L	2.4 L
Number of Cylinders	inline 4	inline 4
Base Engine Type	gas	gas
Horsepower	246 hp @ 5500 rpm	265 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque	269 lb-ft @ 1300 rpm	310 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
Number of Valves	16	16
Camshaft Type	Double overhead cam (DOHC)	Double overhead cam (DOHC)
Variable Valve Timing	Variable	Variable
Fuel Injection Type	✓	✓

Drive Train

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Transmission Type	9-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
Drivetrain Type	all wheel drive	front wheel drive
Hill Descent Control	✓	—

Fuel

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Fuel Type	regular unleaded	regular unleaded
EPA Fuel Economy (City/Highway)	19/23 MPG	21/28 MPG
EPA Fuel Economy (Combined)	20 MPG	24 MPG
EPA Driving Range (City/Highway)	336.3/407.1 mi.	373.8/498.4 mi.
Fuel Tank Capacity	17.7 gal.	17.8 gal.

Comfort & Convenience

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Push Button Start	✓	✓
Power Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel	✓	—
Transmission Controls on Steering Wheel	✓	—
Cruise Control on Steering Wheel	✓	✓
Audio Controls on Steering Wheel	✓	✓
Electric Power Steering	✓	✓
Front View Camera	✓	—
Side View Camera	✓	—
Rear View Camera	✓	✓
Front Parking Sensors	✓	—
Rear Parking Sensors	✓	—
Wireless Charging Pad	✓	—
Adaptive Cruise Control	✓	✓
Universal Remote Transmitter	✓	—
Front Cupholders	✓	✓
Rear Cupholders	✓	✓
Front Door Pockets	✓	✓
Rear Door Pockets	✓	✓
Front Seatback Storage	✓	—
Leather Steering Wheel	✓	—
Heated Steering Wheel	✓	—
Dual Zone Climate Control	✓	—
Rear Ventilation Ducts	✓	—
Interior Air Filtration	✓	✓
Dual Vanity Mirrors	✓	✓
Auto-Dimming Rearview Mirror	✓	—
Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel	—	✓
3rd Row Cupholders	—	✓
Overhead Console with Storage	—	✓
Three Zone Climate Control	—	✓
Rear Ventilation Ducts with Fan Control	—	✓
Turn Signal Indicators in Mirrors	—	✓

In Car Entertainment

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Infotainment Display	11.4 in	12.3 in
AM/FM Stereo	✓	✓
Meridian Speakers	✓	—
Stereo Power	400W	—
Speaker System	11	6
Subwoofer Count	1	—
Android Auto (Wired)	✓	—
Apple CarPlay (Wired)	✓	—
USB Port	✓	✓
Auxiliary Audio Input	✓	—
USB Port with External Media Control	✓	✓
Satellite Radio	✓	✓
Satellite Radio Trial Period	3 months	3 months
Speed Sensitive Volume Control	✓	—
Antenna Type	Diversity	—
Android Auto (Wireless)	—	✓
Apple CarPlay (Wireless)	—	✓

Power Feature

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
One-Touch Power Windows	4	4
Moonroof Type	1st Row Fixed Glass Extended	—
Keyless Entry	✓	✓
Heated Mirrors	✓	✓

Frontseats

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Seat Material: Leather/Sueded Microfiber	✓	—
Front Seat Type: Bucket	✓	✓
Driver Seat Power Adjustments	10-way	8-way
Driver Seat Height Adjustment	✓	✓
Driver Seat Lumbar Support	Power	—
Driver Seat Memory Settings	3	—
Passenger Seat Power Adjustments	8-way	—
Passenger Seat Height Adjustment	✓	—
Passenger Seat Lumbar Support	Power	—
Driver Seat Heating	Multi-level	—
Passenger Seat Heating	Multi-level	—
Front Head Room	—	41.5 in.
Front Leg Room	—	41.7 in.
Front Shoulder Room	—	60.2 in.
Front Hip Room	—	56.5 in.
Seat Material: Cloth	—	✓
Passenger Seat Manual Adjustments	—	4-way

Rearseats

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Split-Folding Rear Seatback	✓	✓
Reclining Rear Seats	✓	✓
Folding Center Armrest	✓	✓
Rear Head Room	—	40.2 in.
Rear Leg Room	—	39.5 in.
Rear Shoulder Room	—	58.8 in.
Rear Hip Room	—	57.0 in.
Manual Folding Third Row Seat	—	✓

Tires and Wheels

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Wheel Finish	Painted Alloy	—
Wheel Diameter	19 in	—
Tire Size	N/A	255/65R18
Spare Tire Type	Temporary	Temporary
Spare Tire Location	Underbody Mounted	Inside Mounted
Wheel Material	—	Alloy
Wheel Size	—	18 x 7.5 in
Tire Type	—	All Season

Suspension

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Four-Wheel Independent Suspension	✓	✓
Front Stabilizer Bar	—	✓
Rear Stabilizer Bar	—	✓

Warranty

Feature	Land Rover	Toyota
Basic Warranty	4 yr./ 50000 mi.	3 yr./ 36000 mi.
Drivetrain Warranty	4 yr./ 50000 mi.	5 yr./ 60000 mi.
Corrosion/Rust Warranty	6 yr./ unlimited mi.	5 yr./ unlimited mi.
Roadside Assistance	4 yr./ 50000 mi.	2 yr./ unlimited mi.
Complimentary Scheduled Maintenance	—	2 yr./ 25000 mi.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about comparing the 2026 Land Rover Discovery Sport and 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander.

How do the drive systems compare between the 2026 Discovery Sport and the 2026 Grand Highlander?

The Land Rover Discovery Sport (Car 1) comes standard with an All-Wheel Drive system, while the base Toyota Grand Highlander (Car 2) utilizes a Front Wheel Drive configuration. This offers the Land Rover inherent traction benefits from the start.

Is the extra size of the Grand Highlander beneficial for cargo compared to the Discovery Sport?

Surprisingly, no; despite the Grand Highlander being over 20 inches longer (201.4 vs 180.9 inches), the Discovery Sport leads in utility with 32.4 cubic feet of cargo capacity against the Highlander's 20.6 cubic feet. This suggests the Land Rover utilizes its interior volume more efficiently for storage.

Which vehicle offers better long-term running costs based on EPA estimates?

The Toyota Grand Highlander offers better running costs due to superior fuel economy, achieving 24 MPG combined compared to the Discovery Sport's 20 MPG combined rating. Furthermore, the Highlander's $41,360 MSRP is significantly lower than Car 1's $49,900 price tag.

Who wins in raw engine performance between the two crossovers?

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander is the clear performance leader, generating 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. This surpasses the Land Rover Discovery Sport’s output of 246 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque.

Do both vehicles require premium gasoline?

Both the 2026 Land Rover Discovery Sport and the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander are specified to use regular unleaded fuel, eliminating the extra expense of premium gasoline for either model.

What is the main difference in vehicle dimensions besides length?

The Toyota Grand Highlander is substantially taller and wider, standing at 70.1 inches high and 78.3 inches wide. The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the more compact vehicle, measuring 67.9 inches high and 180.9 inches long.