2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2026 Dodge Durango

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 U.S. market. This version had a retro aesthetic, featuring round headlights, cloth seats, and basic equipment, available in three paint colors. It was priced at $58,195, making it a more affordable option for those interested in the Land Cruiser's legacy. However, the more popular choice was the Land Cruiser model, priced at $62,965, which boasted a modern, upscale look with more color options, a refined interior, and essential off-roading features. The Premium Package added leather, advanced tech, and a more luxurious feel, bringing the price to $71,004 with additional features like a roof rack and larger wheels.

The Land Cruiser's design was traditional, maximizing off-road capabilities and visibility. Its utilitarian interior was enhanced with Java-colored leather and dual 12.3-inch digital screens, offering a blend of classic switchgear and modern technology. The steering-wheel controls were notably intuitive, especially compared to those in a Lexus RX. The vehicle's exterior was characterized by a two-box SUV design with dark gray cladding, emphasizing its rugged utility. Despite its personality, the color options were limited to mostly neutral shades, with only two vibrant choices available.

The 2026 Dodge Durango, despite its age, maintained a timeless style with its blend of chunky fenders and smooth body panels. A refresh in 2021 updated its grille, lighting, and bumpers, while the interior dashboard received an overhaul. The Durango's signature wraparound LED taillight remained a standout feature, giving it a distinctive look. The vehicle's stance and front end exuded a tough, no-nonsense attitude, making it a popular choice for police cruisers. The America250 package, introduced at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, added unique styling elements like black leather seats with blue perforations, red and white stitching, and flag graphics.

Inside, the Durango showed its age with older switchgear and materials, but its analog controls were refreshingly straightforward. The touchscreen was large by modern standards, and the upper trims featured leather, carbon fiber, and microsuede, albeit of lower quality. The Durango's driving experience was enhanced by its powerful V8 engines, smooth eight-speed automatic transmission, and multiple AWD modes. The SRT Hellcat model, with its 710-hp engine, offered an exhilarating ride with minimal body roll and a stiff suspension. Despite its shortcomings in steering accuracy and ride comfort, the Durango's performance and style appealed to those seeking a powerful family hauler.

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 electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup delivered 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, with a full-time 4WD system and electronic locking differentials, allowing for a towing capacity of 6,000 pounds. Standard features included Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control, while the higher-end Land Cruiser model 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 showed a disappointing 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 handled urban and suburban driving well, with a high seating position offering excellent visibility. Off-road, it proved capable with features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect and Crawl Control. However, its acceleration was modest, and it exhibited noticeable body roll and nose dive during hard braking and cornering.

The 2026 Dodge Durango was primarily sold with V8 engines, though a 3.6-liter V6 was available on base trims. The V6 produced 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, but struggled to move the Durango's 5,000-pound weight. The 5.7-liter Hemi V8, available on GT and GT Plus models, offered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, increasing towing capacity to 8,700 pounds. Fuel efficiency was poor, with the Hemi achieving 14 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. The SRT Hellcat, with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, delivered 710 hp but only 12 mpg city/17 mpg highway.

The Durango's eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD modes provided smooth performance, while the SRT Hellcat model offered thrilling acceleration and handling. Despite its stiff ride and poor steering accuracy, the Durango's powerful engines and performance features made it a compelling choice for those seeking a high-performance family SUV.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered a more luxurious interior in the higher trim, with SofTex artificial leather, 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 running boards were helpful for roof access but could be cumbersome for taller passengers. The rear window design was less practical compared to the 4Runner, and the center console's cool box reduced storage space.

Cargo space was generous, with 46.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 82.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. However, the high load floor required effort to load heavy items.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered seating for five, six, or seven passengers, with a standard second-row bench seat on most trims. Captain's chairs were optional on certain trims, providing easier access to the third row. The third row was tight, reflecting the Durango's older design. Headroom and legroom were adequate in the first and second rows, though seat padding was firm. A separate climate zone and optional heated seats improved comfort.

Cargo space was competitive, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.3 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.1 cubic feet with both rows folded. This positioned the Durango well against rivals like the Telluride and Explorer, though it fell short of larger three-row SUVs.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured dual 12.3-inch displays with the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music. Five connected service plans were available, including Drive Connect with cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL sound system, wireless smartphone charger, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2026 Dodge Durango came with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, featuring navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM 360L, and wireless Apple CarPlay. A five-year subscription to SiriusXM live traffic was included. USB ports were available in the front, but rear passengers had limited access. The audio system varied by trim, with a nine-speaker Alpine stereo standard on most trims and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon system available on higher trims.

The Durango lacked advanced features like semi-automated driving and rear-seat entertainment, but performance functions were available in the Hellcat's infotainment system.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Additional features included a road sign reader, automatic high-beam headlights, 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 NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing but a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2026 Dodge Durango also received a four-star overall rating from NHTSA. It featured a driver's knee airbag and central side airbag, but its dated body structure limited crash performance. Blind-spot monitors and parking sensors were standard, while forward automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning were limited to higher trims. The Durango lacked many modern driver-assist features, resulting in a lower safety rating.