2021 head-to-head · Midsize & Large SUV
2021 BMW X5 vs Land Rover Defender
MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.
The 2021 Land Rover Defender is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas, it costs about $3,118 a year to fuel (19 MPG), versus $3,292 for the 2021 BMW X5 (18 MPG). That's roughly $173 a year, or about $866 over five years.
Your numbers
Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.
Fuel cost over 10 years
- BMW X5
- Land Rover Defender
Side by side
| BMW X5 | Land Rover Defender | |
|---|---|---|
| $3,292 | Your annual fuel cost | $3,118 |
| 18 MPG | Combined efficiency | 19 MPG |
| 16 MPG | City | 18 MPG |
| 22 MPG | Highway | 21 MPG |
| 488 g/mi | Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) | 466 g/mi |
| 3/10 | EPA fuel economy score | 3/10 |
| 3/10 | EPA greenhouse gas score | 3/10 |
| Gas | Powertrain | Gas |
| Premium gasoline | Fuel | Premium gasoline |
| 4.4L 8-cyl turbo | Engine / motor | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo |
| 8-speed automatic | Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| AWD | Drivetrain | 4WD |
✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.
BMW X5 vs Land Rover Defender across model years
- BMW X5
- Land Rover Defender
Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.
How they differ
Among 65 2021 midsize & large SUVs, the BMW X5 ranks 49th and the Land Rover Defender 47th for lowest fuel cost.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2021 BMW X5 or the 2021 Land Rover Defender?
Measured by cost to drive, the Land Rover Defender. The BMW X5 is rated 18 MPG combined and the Land Rover Defender 19 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).
How much does it cost to fuel the 2021 BMW X5 vs. the Land Rover Defender per year?
At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas, about $3,292 for the BMW X5 and $3,118 for the Land Rover Defender.
BMW X5 vs Land Rover Defender in other years
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