2024 GMC Acadia vs 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser

The 2024 GMC Acadia was built on a significantly modified version of its predecessor's platform, resulting in a larger and more imposing vehicle. It was 27 centimetres longer and 8 centimetres taller than the 2023 model, with styling that emphasized its increased size. The front end featured a more upright design and a broad grille, reminiscent of GMC's full-size SUVs and pickup trucks, framed by distinctive LED headlights. The wheel arches and door skins had intricate detailing that added definition to the vehicle's bulk, although this was mostly visible in specific lighting conditions. At the rear, quad exhaust tips, inspired by the C8 Corvette, added a sporty touch. The Acadia was available in three trims: Elevation, AT4, and Denali, each with unique styling features. The interior was redesigned to accommodate larger screens and create a sense of spaciousness, with a panoramic sunroof enhancing the light-filled cabin. While the Denali trim offered leather seats and a unique stitching pattern, the AT4's interior, with its outdoor gear-inspired look, was preferred for its rugged appeal.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, in its second model year, was offered in two trims: the base 1958 and the more upscale Cruiser. The 1958 trim paid homage to the model's North American debut year with a retro look, featuring round headlights and basic equipment. The Cruiser trim, however, offered a modern and upscale appearance, with more colour options, a nicer interior, and essential off-roading hardware. The Cruiser trim also provided access to a Premium Package, which included leather upholstery and advanced technology. The test vehicle featured the Premium Package, Heritage Blue and Grey paint, 20-inch wheels, and an accessory roof rack. The Land Cruiser's design maximized off-road clearances and visibility, with a traditional two-box SUV shape. The interior was utilitarian, with traditional switchgear and a Java-coloured leather option that added contrast. The dual 12.3-inch digital screens enhanced the technological feel, and the steering wheel controls were intuitive compared to other models. The Land Cruiser's off-road capabilities were impressive, with features like a front stabilizer bar disconnect and Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views.

The 2024 GMC Acadia was powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. This engine replaced the previous 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four and 3.6-litre V6 engines, offering more power than both. Despite the absence of a V6 option, the turbo-four engine provided strong and consistent performance, enabling a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms with an available towing package. However, the engine's coarse note was less appealing, especially in the high-end Denali trim. An eight-speed automatic transmission was standard, and all-wheel drive was standard in Canada. The AT4 model featured a twin-clutch system for off-road driving, a 2.5-centimetre ride height lift, special suspension tuning, skid plates, and a Terrain drive mode. While the Acadia AT4 was capable on light off-road terrain, it was not as rugged as other GMC AT4 models. The Denali model offered a comfortable ride with its premium suspension tuning, but both the Denali and AT4 models felt larger than they were due to their handling characteristics.

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. This setup delivered 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, with a full-time four-wheel-drive system and electronic locking differentials. The Land Cruiser's towing capacity was 2,720 kilograms. Standard features included Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control, with the Cruiser trim adding Multi-Terrain Select modes and a front stabilizer bar disconnect. Despite an optimistic fuel economy rating of 10.1 L/100 km, real-world testing showed a consumption of 15.0 L/100 km. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, with a suspension that absorbed bumps and provided a smooth ride. However, it struggled on twisty roads due to its tires and suspension tuning. The Land Cruiser's off-road capabilities were enhanced by features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect and Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views, providing ample ground clearance and a commanding view of the road.

The 2024 GMC Acadia's interior was designed to create a sense of spaciousness, with a low dashboard and generous glass area. It offered more headroom across all three rows compared to competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Kia Telluride, and Toyota Grand Highlander. The Acadia also provided more first-row legroom, although the Kia and Toyota offered more legroom in the second and third rows. Cargo space was significantly improved, with 651 litres behind the third row, 1,623 litres with the rear seats folded, and 2,761 litres with both the second and third rows folded. An underfloor storage bin and a presence-based power liftgate added to the Acadia's utility. Small-item storage was reasonable, although the headlight controls were less intuitive, requiring touchscreen interaction.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's interior featured SofTex artificial leather in the Cruiser trim, 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 thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The Land Cruiser's rear window design was less practical, and the centre console's cool box reduced storage space. The rear liftgate revealed 1,062 litres of cargo space, with a high load floor requiring effort to load heavy items. Maximum cargo space with the rear seats folded was 2,324 litres.

The 2024 GMC Acadia came equipped with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15-inch touchscreen, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12-speaker Bose audio system was standard, with an optional 16-speaker system available. The infotainment system featured Google built-in apps, including Google Maps and Google Assistant. The touchscreen interface was user-friendly, with logical menu access and high-quality graphics. The instrument cluster offered multiple configurations, although small drive-mode icons could be overlooked.

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

The 2024 GMC Acadia received an Acceptable rating from the IIHS for its moderate overlap front test and collision prevention system, with a Marginal score for its headlights. NHTSA crash test results were unavailable. Standard safety features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view camera. The Acadia also offered the Super Cruise driver-assist system as an option, allowing for hands-free driving on certain roads.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. Additional features included lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and a road sign reader. The Premium Package added front cross-traffic alert and lane-change assist. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with a three-star rollover resistance rating.