2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport showcased a refreshed design that mirrored the updates seen in its three-row sibling, the Atlas. It featured new lighting elements, including illuminated Volkswagen logos on the grille and tailgate, which added a modern touch reminiscent of the all-electric Volkswagen ID.4. The front of the Cross Sport was characterized by a light bar connecting the daytime running lights, complemented by standard LED headlights, giving it a distinctly Americanized appearance. Built in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Cross Sport was designed with the U.S. market in mind. The rear of the vehicle, with its lower roofline, offered a silhouette akin to the "crossover coupes" of German luxury brands, setting it apart from other two-row midsize crossovers. The Cross Sport was 5.2 inches shorter than the standard Atlas and sat slightly lower, enhancing its sporty stance.

The interior of the Cross Sport received significant updates, including a new central touchscreen that stood upright and a raised center console, providing additional storage space. The interior trim carried over from the three-row Atlas models, featuring standard leatherette upholstery, with leather seats available on higher trims. The top SEL Premium R-Line trim boasted quilted leather upholstery with a diamond pattern, adding a touch of luxury. Despite efforts to improve the simulated wood and carbon-fiber-facsimile trim, the materials remained predominantly plastic. The Cross Sport offered various wheel designs across its trim levels, with the SEL Premium R-Line featuring 21-inch wheels and sportier styling elements. However, it did not include the rugged Peak Edition package available in the three-row Atlas lineup.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, in its second model year, was available in two trim levels: the base 1958 model and the more upscale Land Cruiser. The 1958 model paid homage to the year the Land Cruiser was first sold in the U.S., featuring a retro look with round headlights, cloth seats, and basic equipment. It was priced at $58,195, offering a nostalgic appeal. The Land Cruiser model, priced at $62,965, presented a modern and upscale appearance, with a more refined interior and additional off-roading capabilities. It was available in a wider range of colors and offered a Premium Package that included leather upholstery and advanced technology features.

Our test vehicle, equipped with the Premium Package, featured Heritage Blue and Grayscape paint, 20-inch wheels, and an accessory roof rack, bringing the total price to $71,004. The Land Cruiser's design emphasized off-road capability, with a traditional two-box SUV shape that maximized clearances and visibility. The interior was utilitarian, with traditional switchgear and a focus on functionality. The Java-colored leather added a touch of contrast, while the dual 12.3-inch digital driver and infotainment screens provided a modern technological edge. The Land Cruiser excelled in off-road situations, with features like a front stabilizer bar disconnect and Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views enhancing its capability.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional 4Motion all-wheel drive (AWD). This marked the end of the era for VW's 3.6-liter VR6 engine, as the new turbo-four delivered 269 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque on regular fuel. While this was slightly less horsepower than the VR6, it offered more torque, with peak torque arriving earlier at 1,550 rpm compared to 3,600 rpm for the VR6. Although specific performance numbers were not provided, VW expected the 2024 Cross Sport to be quicker from zero to 60 mph than the 2023 model with the VR6. The new engine was an upgrade for many buyers, offering improved power and efficiency. However, the engine note was not particularly pleasing, and the noise-to-power ratio was a concern. The Cross Sport's ride quality was not exceptional, partly due to the 21-inch wheels on the test car. The maximum towing capacity remained at 5,000 pounds, except for the base SE model, which was rated at 2,000 pounds.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured Toyota's i-Force Max hybrid system, combining a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor. This setup delivered 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, transferred through a full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD) system with electronic locking rear and center differentials. The Land Cruiser had a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds and came equipped with standard features like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. The more expensive Land Cruiser model added Multi-Terrain Select off-roading modes, Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect feature. Despite an official EPA rating of 23 mpg combined, real-world testing yielded only 15.7 mpg, partly due to the hot weather and the use of air conditioning. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, with impressive suspension tuning that absorbed bumps and rough terrain. However, it struggled on twisty mountain roads, with noticeable body roll and handling limitations. The Land Cruiser's off-road capabilities were enhanced by features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect and Crawl Control, providing ample ground clearance and maneuverability.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport received additional standard equipment for 2024, including heated side mirrors, two-zone automatic climate control, and a heated steering wheel. The front seats were now ventilated as well as heated, and the SE with Technology trim featured a standard power liftgate and tow hitch. Heated second-row seats and leather upholstery were standard on the SEL trim, offering these features at a lower trim level than before. The Cross Sport's roofline design impacted rear-seat headroom, creating a more cramped feeling in the back seats compared to other vehicles of similar size. However, legroom was competitive, with decent first-row legroom. The Cross Sport offered 40.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 77.6 cubic feet with the seats folded. The cabin was functional, with ample storage space in the center console and door pockets.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, when upgraded from the 1958 model, featured Toyota's SofTex artificial leather upholstery, with heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Premium Package added real leather and a standard-size power sunroof. The front seats provided excellent support on long trips, but the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The Land Cruiser's running boards could be cumbersome for long-legged individuals when entering and exiting the cabin. The rear window design was less practical, as it did not power down into the tailgate like the 4Runner. The center console's cool box, part of the Premium Package, seemed unnecessary and reduced storage space. The Land Cruiser offered 46.2 cubic feet of cargo space, with a maximum of 82.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The load floor height was high, requiring effort to load heavy items.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport came with a 12-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless phone charging as standard. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with intuitive layouts and well-designed graphics. However, the haptic touchpads used in place of conventional buttons were less convenient, requiring precise pressing and visual confirmation. The Cross Sport featured four USB-C ports as standard, with the option for up to six. A USB-C dash cam port was added to SE with Technology and above models. The SEL trim included a head-up display, and the optional premium audio system was now from Harman Kardon, offering a 12-speaker setup on the SEL Premium R-Line model.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, when upgraded from the 1958 model, featured two 12.3-inch displays with a sophisticated appearance. The Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) infotainment system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Five connected service plans were available, including Service Connect, Safety Connect, Remote Connect, Wi-Fi Connect, and Drive Connect. Drive Connect offered a cloud-based navigation system and a conversational digital assistant, which performed well in voice recognition tests. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system, a wireless smartphone charger, a head-up display, a digital camera-based rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport earned a five-star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with five stars in side-impact crash testing and four stars in frontal and rollover tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not released ratings for the 2024 model at the time of publication, but the structurally similar 2023 model received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests. The IQ.Drive package of driver aids, previously limited to higher trims, was now standard on all 2024 Atlas Cross Sport models. It included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and Travel Assist. SEL and SEL R-Line models received predictive adaptive cruise control, while the Premium R-Line included park assist and a surround-view camera system. All models featured post-collision braking, VW's crash response system, and an emergency assist feature.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0), the automaker's latest collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). TSS 3.0 included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist detection capability. It also featured lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist provided a semi-autonomous highway driving aid. Additional safety features included a road sign reader, automatic high-beam headlights, and Predictive Driving Assist (PDA). 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 the NHTSA, with four stars in frontal-impact testing, five stars in side-impact testing, and a three-star rollover resistance rating.