2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

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, offering a nostalgic look but lacking some modern amenities. The more upscale Land Cruiser trim, priced at $62,965, boasted a modern design, a wider color palette, and a more luxurious interior with larger screens. It also included essential off-roading hardware and software, with an optional Premium Package that added leather and advanced tech features. Our test vehicle, equipped with the Premium Package, showcased Heritage Blue and Grayscape paint, 20-inch wheels, and a roof rack, bringing the total price to $71,004. The Land Cruiser's design emphasized off-road capability with a traditional two-box SUV shape, dark gray cladding, and a utilitarian interior with advanced technology, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a blend of tradition and modernity.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained its distinctive and elegant appearance, characterized by a steeply angled windshield and rear window, a gently sloping roofline, and minimal creases. The design included trendy elements like pop-out door handles and a wide taillight strip. The SV Carbon trim stood out with a two-tone hood featuring exposed carbon fiber, carbon garnishes, and enormous 23-inch carbon wheels, which justified their $10,000 cost. The interior evolved from the previous generation, featuring a minimalist aesthetic with a focus on high-quality materials. However, the removal of physical controls in favor of touchscreen interfaces was a drawback. The Range Rover Sport offered a spacious interior with heated and electrically reclining seats, generous cargo space, and advanced technology, making it a luxurious and capable choice for those seeking both performance and comfort.

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 four-wheel-drive system and electronic locking differentials. It had a towing capacity of 6,000 pounds and featured standard off-roading aids like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. The more expensive Land Cruiser model added Multi-Terrain Select 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 lower 15.7 mpg. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, with impressive suspension tuning that absorbed rough terrain and city streets alike. However, it struggled with handling on twisty roads, and its acceleration and braking performance were modest.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered three powertrains, each with two states of tune. The base SE featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, while the Dynamic SE added an electric supercharger for 395 hp and 406 lb-ft. A plug-in hybrid variant provided up to 53 miles of gas-free driving and 454 hp in hybrid mode. The top-tier option was a BMW-built 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, delivering 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, available in the Twenty Edition and Autobiography trims. The SV trims boasted 626 hp from a revised BMW V8, offering tremendous acceleration and precise handling. The Range Rover Sport featured adaptive dampers and air springs, allowing for impressive off-road capability and a smooth ride. Its handling was exceptional, rivaling high-performance SUVs, while maintaining a comfortable ride in normal driving mode.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered an upgrade from cloth upholstery to SofTex artificial leather, 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 rear window design was less practical, and the center console's cool box reduced storage space. The Land Cruiser provided 46.2 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 82.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, though the high load floor required effort when loading heavy items.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport provided ample space with generous legroom and headroom in all seats. The front seats offered 20-way power adjustment, ventilation, and memory. The cargo area featured 31.9 cubic feet of space, with a cargo divider and buttons to adjust the vehicle's height for easier loading. However, the 53 cubic feet of space with the rear seats folded was smaller than expected for a midsize SUV. The lack of physical controls was a drawback, as most functions were hidden in the touchscreen, making basic operations cumbersome.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured a 12.3-inch digital driver display and infotainment system, offering 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 a cloud-based navigation system and a conversational digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL sound system, a wireless smartphone charger, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport's 13.1-inch display managed features like the Wade Sensing app and 4x4i app, while Apple CarPlay and the factory navigation worked well. The instrument panel offered configurable layouts, and the surround-view cameras provided clear views. The Meridian Signature stereo was a highlight, though not as clear as the full-size Range Rover's system. The lack of physical controls made basic functionality challenging, but the technology was otherwise advanced and user-friendly.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Additional 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 but a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2026 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, and a surround-view camera system. However, it lacked front knee airbags and rear side airbags. No U.S. crash-test ratings were available, but the Euro NCAP awarded it a five-star rating.