2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was offered in two trim levels, with the base model named the 1958, a nod to the year it first hit the US market. This version had a retro aesthetic, featuring round headlights, cloth seats, and basic equipment, available in three paint colors. It was priced at $58,195, offering a nostalgic look but lacking some modern amenities. The more upscale Land Cruiser trim, priced at $62,965, boasted a modern design, a wider color palette, and a more luxurious interior with larger screens and advanced off-roading capabilities. The Premium Package added leather, more tech, and a roof rack, bringing the price to $71,004. Despite its utilitarian interior, the Land Cruiser offered a technologically advanced cabin with dual 12.3-inch screens and intuitive steering-wheel controls.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan underwent a complete redesign, marking the start of its third generation. It adopted a sleek, modern look inspired by VW's electric vehicles, with narrower headlights and an illuminated VW badge and light bar on the top SEL R-Line trim. The grille appeared larger, with prominent air intakes, while the rear featured a sportier tapering hatch and a single bar taillight. The interior was modernized with a tablet-like infotainment display and a digital instrument panel. The dashboard had a minimalist design, with climate controls integrated into the touchscreen. The gear selector was moved to the steering column, creating more storage space. Materials quality was average, with soft-touch materials in the front and durable plastics in the rear. The Tiguan's exterior and interior updates represented an evolution of previous themes, with influences from newer VW vehicles.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was equipped with Toyota’s i-Force Max hybrid system, combining a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup delivered 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, with a full-time 4WD system and electronic locking differentials, allowing for a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds. Standard features included Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control, while the higher trim added Multi-Terrain Select modes and a front stabilizer bar disconnect. Despite an EPA rating of 23 mpg combined, real-world testing showed a lower 15.7 mpg. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, with impressive suspension tuning for urban and suburban environments. However, it struggled on twisty roads due to its tires and suspension. Off-road, it offered 8.7 inches of ground clearance and features like Crawl Control and Multi-Terrain Monitor for enhanced capability.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 201 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission with FWD, while AWD was available on all models and standard on the top SEL R-Line trim. The Tiguan's acceleration was expected to be similar to its predecessor, reaching 60 mph in about 8.5 seconds. The drivetrain delivered power smoothly and linearly, with confident highway acceleration. Braking was smooth and easy to modulate, while the suspension favored comfort, smoothing over road imperfections. The Tiguan handled corners with minimal body roll, maintaining a composed ride. A more powerful Turbo version was anticipated for 2026, offering 268 hp and 258 lb-ft. A hybrid powertrain was also teased, though details were pending. The Tiguan's performance was tuned for a balance of comfort and capability, appealing to its core customer base.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered an upgrade from cloth to SofTex artificial leather upholstery, with heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Premium Package added real leather and a power sunroof. Front seats provided excellent support, but the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The running boards could be cumbersome for taller passengers. The rear window design was less practical, and the center console's cool box reduced storage space. The Land Cruiser offered 46.2 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 82.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. However, the high load floor required effort to load heavy items.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan returned without a third row, increasing second-row legroom by 1.5 inches. Headroom remained sufficient for average-sized adults. The elimination of capacitive-touch buttons improved usability, with traditional controls on the steering wheel. Visibility was comparable to other small SUVs, with narrow front roof pillars and a sufficiently large rear window. The center console offered more storage, with cupholders, a smartphone slot, and a deep armrest bin. Cargo capacity was not finalized, but the new area appeared smaller, with an angled liftgate limiting bulkier item loading. Remote seatback releases and a power liftgate were standard on most trims, enhancing convenience.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured a 12.3-inch digital driver display and infotainment system, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music. Five connected service plans were available, including Drive Connect with cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL sound system, wireless smartphone charger, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan came standard with a digital instrument panel and a 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, with an optional 15-inch display on higher trims. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with a wireless phone charger with a cooling fan. Capacitive-touch sliders were present but minimally used, with a new volume knob for easier control. The Atmospheres feature combined ambient lighting and audio settings to enhance mood. A 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system was available on the top trim, along with VW's Car-Net system for remote monitoring and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist provided semi-autonomous highway driving. Additional features included a road sign reader, automatic high beams, and Predictive Driving Assist. The Premium Package added front cross-traffic alert, lane-change assist, and Traffic Jam Assist. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing and a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan's crash test results were pending. Standard safety features included frontal collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, safe passenger exit warnings, parking sensors, automatic high beams, and a driver condition monitor. Emergency Assist could slow the vehicle to a stop if the driver was incapacitated. The SE R-Line added a head-up display, while the SEL R-Line included a surround-view camera, traffic sign reader, and semi-automated parking. The safety features functioned effectively, with no false alarms or oversensitivity issues.