2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2027 Kia Telluride 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. 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 Heritage Blue and Grayscape paint job, bringing the total to $71,004.

The Land Cruiser's design was traditional, with a two-box SUV shape that maximized off-road capabilities, visibility, and space. It featured dark gray cladding for utility and an optional roof rack for additional cargo capacity. Inside, the Land Cruiser was utilitarian yet more refined than the 1958 model, with Java-colored leather providing a contrast to the cabin. Dual 12.3-inch digital screens added a touch of modernity, and the intuitive steering-wheel controls were a welcome change from previous Lexus models. Overall, the Land Cruiser combined classic design with modern amenities, making it a compelling choice for SUV enthusiasts.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid presented a bold redesign that divided opinions, particularly with its flat, wide grille. The vehicle's personality shifted with color and trim, with body-colored vertical strakes that stood out in lighter shades but blended in darker ones. The X-Line and X-Pro models replaced these strakes with rectangular grille blocks and featured distinctive amber accent lights. The side profile showcased angular fender sculpting and unique black plastic tabs, while the rear view adopted a Range Rover-like style with rounded corners and vertical taillights.

Inside, the Telluride's interior was less controversial, featuring a simple horizontal dashboard layout with a modern, buttonless appearance. The Hybrid SX Prestige trim, equipped with the Executive package, offered a luxurious two-tone palette reminiscent of Volvo's interiors. However, the silver buttons and cream-colored infotainment shortcuts were difficult to read. The seats, covered in synthetic leather and suede, provided comfort but had firm cushions that could be uncomfortable on long drives. The surrounding materials were of high quality, with options for engineered wood or carbon fiber trim surfaces, adding to the Telluride's appeal.

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 higher-end Land Cruiser model added Multi-Terrain Select off-roading modes, Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect.

Despite an EPA rating of 23 mpg combined, real-world testing yielded only 15.7 mpg, partly due to the hot weather and constant air conditioning use. 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. It handled urban and suburban driving well, with a high seating position providing excellent visibility. Off-road, the Land Cruiser's features, including 8.7 inches of ground clearance, made it a capable vehicle.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid featured a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 274 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Hybrid model added electric motors and a 1.65-kWh battery pack, increasing output to 329 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. It was mated to a six-speed transmission and was not available in the off-road-capable X-Pro trims. The Telluride Hybrid provided ample power and a quiet ride, with seamless transitions between electric and gas modes.

Both Telluride models prioritized comfort, with the X-Pro Prestige trim offering a surprisingly smooth ride despite its lifted off-road suspension. The Hybrid SX Prestige had a stiffer ride with its 20-inch wheels, but the suspension managed to absorb bumps and potholes effectively. The Telluride was composed on winding roads, instilling confidence in drivers. The brake pedal effort was soft, requiring some adjustment, but the vehicle tracked straight during panic stops.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered SofTex artificial leather upholstery in the upgraded model, 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 provided excellent support, the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The running boards were helpful for roof rack access but could be cumbersome for taller passengers.

The Land Cruiser's rear window design was less than ideal, as it required driving with the window glass flipped up rather than powering down into the tailgate. The center console's cool box was deemed unnecessary, taking up valuable storage space. The Land Cruiser offered 46.2 cubic feet of cargo space, with a high load floor height requiring effort to load heavy items. With the back seat folded, cargo space increased to 82.1 cubic feet.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid provided ample space for adults in all three rows, though the rearmost row was better suited for smaller passengers. The seat cushions were low to the floor, reducing thigh support, but headroom and legroom were adequate. The elevated seating position in the third row offered a better view. The Hybrid SX Prestige test vehicle featured power-adjustable second-row seats with heating and ventilation, comparable to business-class airline seats.

The middle-row seats had significant travel, allowing for more cargo or third-row legroom. The Telluride Hybrid shortened second-row legroom by 1.6 inches, but there was still ample space. The Telluride offered 22.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, with a maximum capacity of 89.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Hybrid models lost only about one cubic foot of cargo space. The Telluride could tow up to 5,000 pounds, or 4,500 for the Hybrid.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured two 12.3-inch displays for the digital driver display and infotainment system, offering a sophisticated appearance. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system included 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.

Drive Connect provided a cloud-based navigation system and a conversational digital assistant, which performed well in voice recognition tests. 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 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid came with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a 5-inch touchscreen for climate controls. The LX and S trims had a smaller 4.2-inch instrument panel. The infotainment system included a native navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual wireless phone chargers. The system was user-friendly, though there were occasional delays and hard taps required for screen responsiveness.

The Telluride offered customizable infotainment screen themes, including NBA teams, National Geographic images, and Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel characters. A 14-speaker Meridian premium audio system was available on the SX trim and above, delivering powerful bass and clear tones. Supporting trims featured an eight-speaker system.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0), a comprehensive suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). It 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 (PDA). 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 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), with four stars in frontal-impact tests, five stars in side-impact tests, and a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid had not yet been rated by the NHTSA or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) at the time of writing. Standard safety features included frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, parking proximity sensors, highway driving assist, and rear passenger sensors/reminders. Higher trims offered a surround-view camera system, blind-spot camera system, side parking proximity sensors, and automatic reverse braking.

The Telluride's driver attention monitor occasionally triggered false alerts at night, and the blind-spot cameras were more distracting than helpful. However, the highway driving assist was effective on long trips, maintaining lane centering and smooth speed changes.