2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid

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. Despite its nostalgic charm, the 1958 model was priced at $58,195, making it a costly choice for those seeking a budget-friendly SUV. The more modern Land Cruiser trim, priced at $62,965, boasted a contemporary design, a wider color palette, and a more luxurious interior with larger screens and advanced off-roading capabilities. The Premium Package added leather upholstery, additional tech, and a roof rack, bringing the total cost to $71,004. The Land Cruiser's design emphasized utility, with a two-box SUV shape, dark gray cladding, and an optional roof rack to maximize its off-road potential.

Inside, the Land Cruiser's utilitarian design was evident, with traditional switchgear and a more refined interior than the 1958 model. The Java-colored leather provided a pleasing contrast, and the dual 12.3-inch digital screens added a touch of modernity. The steering-wheel controls were notably intuitive, especially when compared to those in a Lexus RX. The Land Cruiser's interior was spacious, with a focus on practicality, although the rear seats lacked comfort for long journeys. The vehicle's high seating position offered excellent visibility, making it easy to maneuver both on and off the road.

The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid, part of the sixth-generation lineup, introduced the new TrailSport trim level, adding a rugged flair to the model. The TrailSport featured distinctive orange badges, Shark Gray 18-inch wheels, and Continental CrossContact ATR tires for enhanced traction. A silver skid-plate-style trim piece adorned the front fascia, although it was more for show than function. The TrailSport also included black door handles and black window surrounds, with the CR-V available in seven trim levels, three of which were gas-powered and four hybrid-powered. The TrailSport-exclusive Ash Green color was among the eight available options, though most colors were relatively subdued.

The CR-V's exterior design remained largely unchanged from the previous year, but the interior saw updates, particularly in the TrailSport trim, which featured orange contrast stitching and embroidered headrests. The CR-V Hybrid's interior was functional, with ample cargo space and comfortable seating. The TrailSport trim's cloth upholstery felt durable, and higher trims offered leather options. The CR-V's interior was equipped with modern conveniences, including heated front seats, a moonroof, and dual-zone climate control, making it a comfortable and practical choice for families.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was powered by 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 power distributed through a full-time four-wheel-drive system. The Land Cruiser boasted a towing capacity of 6,000 pounds and came equipped with standard features like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. The more expensive Land Cruiser trim 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 revealed a less impressive 15.7 mpg. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, though it struggled on twisty mountain roads due to its tires and suspension tuning. The SUV's high seating position provided excellent visibility, making it easy to park and maneuver on trails. Off-road capabilities were enhanced by features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect, Crawl Control, and Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views. The Land Cruiser's suspension absorbed rough terrain with ease, offering a comfortable ride on city streets.

The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the lower trims, producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque. However, most buyers opted for the hybrid system available in the Sport, Sport-L, TrailSport, and Sport Touring trims. This system combined a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine with two electric motors, delivering 204 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque. The CR-V Hybrid used a two-motor system instead of a traditional transmission, offering seamless transitions between electric and gasoline power.

The CR-V Hybrid's fuel economy was impressive, with FWD models achieving 40 mpg combined and AWD models 37 mpg combined. The TrailSport trim, with its all-terrain tires, managed 35 mpg combined. The CR-V Hybrid's AWD system was enhanced for 2026, allowing up to 50% of torque to be sent to the rear axle. The CR-V Hybrid offered a smooth and comfortable ride, with exceptional steering feel and a compliant suspension. It was a gratifying vehicle to drive, with low-speed acceleration feeling effortless and multiple regenerative braking settings available.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's interior featured 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. While the front seats were comfortable, the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The Land Cruiser's rear window design was less than ideal, and the center console's cool box seemed unnecessary. Cargo space was generous, with 46.2 cubic feet available behind the rear seats and 82.1 cubic feet with the seats folded, though the high load floor required some effort when loading heavy items.

The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid's interior was functional, with 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 76.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The CR-V offered ample headroom and legroom in both the front and rear seats, with comfortable and supportive seating. The TrailSport trim's cloth upholstery felt durable, and higher trims offered leather options. The CR-V's interior was equipped with modern conveniences, including heated front seats, a moonroof, and dual-zone climate control. The center console featured physical knobs and buttons for climate control, drive modes, and other functions, with ample storage space and USB-C ports for connectivity.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured a 12.3-inch digital driver display and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, equipped with 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. 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 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid came standard with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment display, replacing the previous 7-inch unit. The EX-L, TrailSport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring trims also included a 10.2-inch digital driver information display. The CR-V's infotainment system featured wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, with a physical phone-projection button for easy access. The Sport Touring trim included Google built-in, offering Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play store. A Wi-Fi hotspot was standard on hybrid trims, and the CR-V offered a range of audio systems, from a 160-watt four-speaker stereo to a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, a suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) designed to prevent accidents. This included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist detection, 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. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing and a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid had not yet been evaluated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but the 2025 model received a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS and five stars for overall crashworthiness from the NHTSA. The CR-V included the Honda Sensing suite of ADAS, featuring automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, and traffic jam assist. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were standard on trims above the LX, and front and rear parking sensors were standard on trims above the EX. The CR-V's rearview camera included dynamic directional guidelines, though the resolution was somewhat soft.