2026 Chevrolet Equinox vs 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was offered in two trim levels, the 1958 and the Land Cruiser. The 1958 trim, named after the year the model was first sold in the US, featured a retro look with round headlights, cloth seats, and basic equipment, available in three paint colors. It was priced at $58,195, offering a nostalgic appeal but lacking the modern amenities found in the more expensive Land Cruiser trim. The Land Cruiser trim, priced at $62,965, boasted a modern, upscale appearance with more color options, a refined interior, larger screens, and essential off-roading hardware. The Premium Package further enhanced this trim with leather, advanced tech, and a more sophisticated look, bringing the price to $71,004 with additional features like a roof rack and unique paint options.

The Land Cruiser's design emphasized utility with a traditional two-box SUV shape, maximizing off-road clearances and visibility. Its interior was utilitarian yet more refined than the 1958, featuring dual 12.3-inch digital screens and Java-colored leather for a touch of luxury. The steering-wheel controls were notably intuitive, especially compared to those in a Lexus RX. Despite its utilitarian nature, the Land Cruiser offered a comfortable and technologically advanced driving experience, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a blend of tradition and modernity.

The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox was positioned between the smaller Trax and Trailblazer and the larger Blazer and Traverse in Chevrolet's lineup. Its styling was consistent with the brand's family design, featuring broad fenders, a squat roofline, and a tall grille with high-mounted daytime running lights. Despite its car-like unibody, the Equinox successfully conveyed an authentic SUV character, avoiding the clichés of blending car and SUV styling cues. It was available in LT, Active, and RS trims, each with distinct styling features, such as chrome grille mesh, black trim, and varying wheel sizes. The Activ trim emphasized ruggedness with a prominent lower front fascia and all-terrain tires.

Inside, the Equinox's cabin was well-assembled, with neat details that elevated its basic plastic surfaces. The Activ model featured a Maple Sugar and black two-tone treatment, microfiber and Evotex seats, and a flat-bottom steering wheel in the RS trim. While the interior materials reflected its price point, the Equinox offered a spacious and comfortable environment, with thoughtful storage solutions and a user-friendly layout. The Equinox's design and interior appointments made it a strong contender in the compact crossover segment, offering a balance of style and practicality.

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 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, allowing for a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds. Standard features included Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control, while the Land Cruiser trim added Multi-Terrain Select off-roading modes, Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect feature. Despite an EPA rating of 23 mpg combined, real-world testing yielded only 15.7 mpg, partly due to challenging conditions.

The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, with impressive suspension tuning that absorbed rough terrain and city streets alike. Its high seating position provided excellent visibility, making it easy to maneuver and park. Off-road capabilities were enhanced by features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Monitor, along with 8.7 inches of ground clearance. While powerful and responsive, the Land Cruiser's handling was less suited to twisty roads, with noticeable body lean and suspension motions. Overall, it was a capable and versatile vehicle for urban and off-road environments.

The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox featured a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four engine producing 175 horsepower, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in front-wheel-drive models and an eight-speed automatic in all-wheel-drive versions. The AWD models offered 203 lb-ft of torque, while FWD models were limited to 184 lb-ft. The Equinox's performance was adequate for highway driving, though overtaking required a heavy foot. The eight-speed automatic transmission occasionally hesitated to downshift, but steering-wheel paddle shifters helped mitigate this issue.

The Equinox's suspension, consisting of MacPherson struts in the front and a four-link rear setup, provided a comfortable ride but lacked body control, leading to bouncing in corners. It excelled as a highway cruiser, with active noise cancellation enhancing the driving experience. However, the all-terrain tires on the Activ trim introduced additional noise and reduced grip. Despite these limitations, the Equinox offered a balanced driving experience, with Off-Road, Normal, and Snow drive modes available for AWD models.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered a more refined interior in the Land Cruiser trim, with SofTex artificial leather replacing cloth upholstery, and heated and ventilated front seats. The Premium Package added real leather and a power sunroof. While the front seats were comfortable and supportive, the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The high load floor height required effort when loading heavy items, but the cargo space was generous, with 46.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 82.1 cubic feet with the seats folded.

The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox provided ample headroom and first-row legroom, with supportive but under-cushioned seats. The Convenience Package III added features like a power-adjustable front passenger seat and heated rear seats. The driver enjoyed an elevated seating position, though forward visibility was somewhat limited by the flat hood and deep dashboard. The Equinox offered practical storage solutions, including a wireless phone charger and spacious center console. Cargo space was 29.8 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 63.5 cubic feet with the seats folded, falling short of segment leaders.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured upgraded technology in the Land Cruiser trim, with dual 12.3-inch displays and the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and connected service plans. The Premium Package added a JBL premium sound system, wireless smartphone charger, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology. The voice recognition system performed well, providing accurate directions and responses.

The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox offered excellent value in terms of technology, with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and 11.3-inch touchscreen as standard. The Android-based infotainment system included Google built-in apps, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The system was user-friendly, with easy-to-identify icons and a shallow menu structure. While lacking options for a head-up display or premium audio system, the Equinox's tech offerings were sufficient for most users.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring advanced driving assistance systems like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. The Premium Package added features like front cross-traffic alert and Traffic Jam Assist. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing but a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2026 Chevrolet Equinox included standard driver-assistance features such as automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and blind-spot monitors. The Safety and Technology Package added a surround-view camera system and traffic-sign recognition. The Equinox received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS, with Good ratings in most crash tests but an Acceptable rating in the small overlap front test. NHTSA ratings were not available at the time of writing.