The off-road showdown of the new century may indeed be upon us. The recently redesigned Jeep Wrangler is about to be met in the malls and mountains by an all-new Land Rover Defender, appearing at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show and set to arrive back on our shores in 2020 after a 22-year hiatus from the U.S. market.
Related: More 2019 L.A. Auto Show Coverage
Strangely, when Land Rover cited the new Defender’s competitors at the SUV’s American debut, the Wrangler wasn’t among the dozen or so vehicles it listed. That makes no sense to me given they can be had at roughly the same price, they’re both premium off-road SUVs and both are available in two- or four-door models. They’re also meant largely for the same mission: Go anywhere in comfort and style. But how they go about getting you there differs considerably. After having a solid look at the new Defender in L.A., I decided to match it up with the latest Wrangler to see how they compare head-to-head, on paper and on the show floor.