2025 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox underwent a significant redesign, aligning its appearance with the larger Chevrolet Traverse. The new model featured a flat roof, upright grille, and distinctive “shark fin” C-pillar, giving it a modern and robust look that was more in line with the Suburban and Silverado. Each trim level offered unique styling elements, with the base Equinox LT available in chrome or a contemporary Midnight Edition High Gloss Black treatment. The RS trim, known for its sportier design, included black mirrors and badges, a larger grille, and red RS emblems, with 19-inch wheels standard and 20-inch wheels available. The new ACTIV trim stood out with dark chrome accents and all-terrain tires, emphasizing its adventurous spirit. The interior of the 2025 Equinox was also revamped, with distinct styling for each trim. The cabin featured a new sub-texture effect around the vents, a relocated shifter to the steering column, and a larger infotainment screen integrated with the driver-information display. The RS trim offered a sporty interior with red highlights and contrast stitching, while the ACTIV trim introduced a “Maple Sugar and Black” theme, lightening the cabin with two-tone seats and dash.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was available in two trim levels, with the base model, the 1958, offering a retro look reminiscent of its early years. It featured round headlights, cloth seats, and basic equipment, with a price tag of $58,195. The more modern Land Cruiser trim, priced at $62,965, offered a sophisticated appearance, more color options, and a nicer interior with larger screens. It also included critical off-roading hardware and software, with the option for a Premium Package that added leather and more tech. 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 maximized off-road clearances and visibility, with a traditional two-box SUV look and dark gray cladding underscoring its utility. The interior was utilitarian, with traditional switchgear and a Java-colored leather option providing desirable contrast. The dual 12.3-inch digital screens added a technologically advanced feel, and the steering-wheel controls were intuitive compared to other models.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox retained its 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 175 horsepower. Torque varied with the powertrain, offering 184 lb-ft in front-wheel-drive (FWD) models and 203 lb-ft in all-wheel-drive (AWD) versions. The FWD models featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT), while AWD models came with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The eight-speed automatic was an improvement over the previous six-speed, offering quicker gear shifts and reduced noise. The Equinox provided a responsive accelerator at low speeds, though highway merging highlighted the engine's limitations. The ride was generally quiet and comfortable, with AWD models capable of towing up to 1,500 pounds. Selectable drive modes were introduced, with RS and ACTIV trims offering Normal, Snow, and Off-Road modes for AWD models.

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, with a full-time four-wheel-drive system and electronic locking differentials. The Land Cruiser could tow up to 6,000 pounds and included standard off-roading features like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. The more expensive trim added Multi-Terrain Select modes, Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect. Despite an EPA rating of 23 mpg combined, real-world testing yielded only 15.7 mpg. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, though it struggled on twisty roads due to its tires and suspension tuning. It offered a high driving position with excellent visibility, making it easy to park and maneuver on trails. Off-road capabilities were enhanced by features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect and Crawl Control.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox offered heated front seats and a heated steering wheel as standard on the RS and ACTIV trims. A $950 package added front seat ventilation, heated rear seats, and driver’s seat memory. The Equinox featured Evotex seats, providing a premium feel without genuine leather. The flat roof design ensured consistent headroom, with 38.2 inches in the front and 37.8 inches in the rear with the moonroof. The moonroof extended into the rear seats, adding light for passengers. The cabin included a well-placed “dead pedal” for driver comfort. Cargo space was slightly reduced, offering 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.5 cubic feet with them folded down, with a hidden storage compartment beneath the load floor.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser upgraded from cloth to SofTex artificial leather in the base model, with heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Premium Package added real leather and a power sunroof. Front seats were comfortable, 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 than the 4Runner’s, and the center console's cool box reduced storage space. The Land Cruiser offered 46.2 cubic feet of cargo space, with a high load floor requiring effort to load heavy items. Maximum cargo space with the rear seats folded was 82.1 cubic feet.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with Google Built-In, offering wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The native Google Maps integration projected onto the driver information display, allowing simultaneous infotainment activities. However, voice control volume issues were noted in the RS trim. The Equinox featured an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wi-fi hotspot capability, and a six-speaker audio system. Wireless charging was standard on RS and ACTIV trims, with no option for an upgraded sound system.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser upgraded from a 7-inch driver display and 8-inch touchscreen to dual 12.3-inch displays in the higher trim. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music. Five connected service plans were available, with Drive Connect offering cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL sound system, wireless charger, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox offered a Safety & Technology package for $1,085, adding rear pedestrian alert, HD surround vision, traffic-sign recognition, and a camera rearview mirror. The Chevy Safety Assist suite included standard features like rear park assist, lane-change alert, enhanced automatic emergency braking, and lane-keep assist. Teen Driver Technology allowed parents to set speed and volume limits and provided a report card of driving behavior.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. It also offered lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist. 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 the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing and three stars for rollover resistance.