2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vs 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Willys ’41 Special Edition stood out even in the gloomy Southern California weather. Its unique color, wheel design, and tan fabric top drew attention on L.A. highways, despite the region being filled with Wranglers. The Willys '41 had a distinct World War II cosplay vibe, but the wheels were a highlight, and Jeep could offer them as an accessory upgrade in various colors. The interior featured Heritage Tan cloth seats, an Olive Drab cloth dashboard insert, and an exclusive ’41 shifter knob, maintaining the rugged, hose-out-ready feel typical of Wranglers. While the interior materials were durable and easy to clean, they lacked the refinement expected at this price point.

In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered a more modern and upscale appearance, especially in the higher trim levels. The base model, the 1958, had a retro look with basic equipment, while the more expensive Land Cruiser trim added modern features and off-roading capabilities. The Premium Package enhanced the interior with leather, larger screens, and additional tech. The Land Cruiser's utilitarian design maximized off-road clearances and visibility, with a traditional two-box SUV design. The interior was more refined than the 1958 model, with Java-colored leather and dual 12.3-inch digital screens, providing a technologically advanced feel. However, the Land Cruiser's paint options were limited to mostly drab colors, which was a bit disappointing for a vehicle with such personality.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe was America's best-selling plug-in hybrid, with over 250,000 units built since its debut. It featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, offering an estimated 21 miles of electric-only range. The 17.3-kWh battery pack could be recharged in 12 hours using a standard outlet or 2.5 hours with a Level 2 charger. The Wrangler 4xe offered three driving modes: Hybrid, Electric, and E-Save, allowing drivers to optimize power or efficiency. In Hybrid mode, the Wrangler 4xe produced 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, making it a quick SUV with impressive fuel economy for a Wrangler. However, its efficiency decreased without regular battery recharging. The Wrangler 4xe maintained its off-road capabilities but suffered from on-road flaws like a noisy interior and vague steering.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured Toyota's i-Force Max hybrid system, combining a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor for 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. It had a full-time 4WD system with electronic locking differentials and a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds. The Land Cruiser's off-road capabilities were enhanced with features like Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control. However, its real-world fuel economy was lower than the official 23 mpg combined rating, with our tests showing 15.7 mpg. Despite its poor handling on twisty roads, the Land Cruiser excelled in urban and off-road environments, offering a comfortable ride and impressive off-road capabilities.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe accommodated four adults, with a fifth person squeezed into the back seat. Most versions had manual front seat adjusters and cloth upholstery, but the Rubicon X offered power-adjustable Nappa leather seats. The Wrangler's interior was cramped for tall people, and storage space was limited, requiring creative solutions. The soft top provided easy access to open-air driving but made loading cargo more challenging. The Wrangler 4xe offered 27.7 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 67.4 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's interior was more refined, with SofTex artificial leather in the base model and real leather in the Premium Package. The front seats were comfortable, but the second-row seats lacked support. The Land Cruiser's 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, expanding to 82.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. However, the high load floor made loading heavy items challenging.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe came standard with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Uconnect 5 technology, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and connected services. However, navigation was not available on the Willys '41, so we relied on Apple CarPlay. The optional Alpine sound system effectively mitigated ambient noise, and the touchscreen was intuitive and responsive.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered a more sophisticated infotainment system with dual 12.3-inch displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and various connected service plans. The Premium Package added a JBL sound system, wireless charger, head-up display, and digital key technology. The Drive Connect feature provided cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant, which performed well in our tests.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe offered limited safety technologies, with forward-collision warning and adaptive cruise control as standard. The optional Active Safety Group included features like blind-spot monitoring, but it required purchasing the Convenience Group, making it costly. The Wrangler 4xe received mediocre safety ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS, highlighting the need for improvements in safety technology and occupant protection.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems. These included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Premium Package added features like front cross-traffic alert and lane-change assist. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with strong side-impact scores but a mediocre rollover resistance rating.