2024 Buick Encore GX vs 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser

The 2024 Buick Encore GX was a striking model, drawing inspiration from the 2022 Wildcat concept. It featured a refreshed front with sleek daytime running lights above the grille and angular LED headlamps positioned lower on either side. The new Buick logo added a modern touch, while the Avenir trim boasted a unique grille and chrome accents. The rear design remained largely unchanged from 2023, except for new LED tail lights on the top trims. The Encore GX offered a range of vibrant colours, including brilliant red, deep blue, maroon, and Copper Ice Metallic, with options for a black roof and mirrors on the Sport Touring trim. Inside, the relocation of HVAC vents made way for a 19-inch glass panel housing the digital gauge cluster and touchscreen, giving the interior a premium look despite some cheap-feeling plastics.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, in its second model year, offered two trim levels: the base 1958 and the more upscale Cruiser. The 1958 trim had a retro look with round headlights and cloth seats, while the Cruiser trim featured a modern design with larger screens and a nicer interior. The Cruiser trim also included critical off-roading hardware and software, making it a more appealing choice. The Premium Package added leather, a Heritage Blue and Grey paint option, 20-inch wheels, and a roof rack. Despite its utilitarian design, the Land Cruiser's interior was more refined than the 1958, with Java-coloured leather and dual 12.3-inch digital screens. However, the rear seats lacked comfort, and the high load floor made loading heavy items challenging.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX retained its 1.3-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine in Canada, delivering 155 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque. It was available in both front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations, with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Encore GX accelerated to 100 km/h in about nine seconds, offering a responsive yet not particularly quick performance. The selectable AWD system allowed drivers to control power distribution, although competitors offered automatic systems. The Encore GX excelled as a city car with a smooth suspension, but highway passing required patience due to transmission delays.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured Toyota's i-Force Max hybrid system, combining a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It produced 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, with a full-time four-wheel-drive system and electronic locking differentials. The Land Cruiser had a towing capacity of 2,720 kilograms and included off-roading features like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. However, its real-world fuel efficiency fell short of official ratings, and its handling on twisty roads was compromised by its suspension tuning. Despite this, the Land Cruiser excelled in urban and off-road environments, offering a powerful and responsive driving experience.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX, as a subcompact SUV, offered limited utility but was competitive within its class. It had a towing capacity of 453 kilograms and featured a hands-free liftgate for easy loading. The cargo space measured 665 litres behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,422 litres with the seats folded down. The interior included heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, with an optional Bose audio system and moonroof.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, particularly in the Cruiser trim, featured SofTex artificial leather upholstery, with 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 support, and the high load floor made loading heavy items challenging. The Land Cruiser offered 1,062 litres of cargo space, expanding to 2,324 litres with the rear seats folded.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX featured an 11-inch touchscreen and an 8-inch digital gauge cluster under one glass pane. While visually appealing, the screens had unused space. It offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, USB ports, a wireless charging pad, and a rear camera mirror. The infotainment system was simple, with easy-to-read tiles for smartphone mirroring and other functions.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim upgraded to dual 12.3-inch displays with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music. It offered four connected service plans, including a cloud-based navigation system and a digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL sound system, a wireless charger, a head-up display, and digital key technology.

The 2024 Buick Encore GX came with the Driver Confidence package, including lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. However, features like rear park assist and adaptive cruise control were optional. The Encore GX had a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA but had not been rated by the IIHS for 2024.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, with features like forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Premium Package added front cross-traffic alert and lane-change assist. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA, with a three-star rollover resistance rating.