2024 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser was a nod to its iconic past with a boxy design and flat roof, reminiscent of its predecessors. It featured a heritage grille with "TOYOTA" spelled out, round headlights on the First Edition, and rectangular ones on other trims, all LED-lit. The vehicle's design was a blend of classic inspiration and modern standards, with colour-selectable fog lights adding a contemporary twist. Driver comfort was enhanced with a lowered beltline for better visibility, and the vehicle came standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, with 20-inch options available. Inside, the base trim had cloth seats, while higher trims boasted SofTex or real leather with unique logos. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard, with additional features like a moonroof and ventilated seats in higher trims, emphasizing comfort and capability.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid, particularly the RX 500h F Sport Black Line, was a $90,000 SUV with an exclusive Incognito paint job and orange brake calipers. Despite these features, its design was considered unremarkable, with a large front grille and dramatic rear haunches. The RX lineup included three models: the RX 350h, RX 500h, and RX 450h+, each offering different power and efficiency levels. All models had standard AWD in Canada, with various packages available. The RX's interior was contemporary, with quality materials and ambient lighting, though the controls were a mix of baffling and brilliant. The RX avoided the single curved display trend, maintaining a unique interior look.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser was equipped with a hybrid powertrain, featuring a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 1.87-kWh battery pack, and a 48-hp electric motor, producing a total of 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It had an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard full-time 4WD, with an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case. The Multi-Terrain Select system operated in both 4Hi and 4Lo, and the vehicle included an automatic limited-slip differential, rear- and centre-locking differentials, and a push-button disconnect for the front sway bar. The updated CRAWL control function offered five speed settings and operated silently, enhancing off-road capability.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid offered three models with varying performance. The RX 350h had 246 hp and 233 lb-ft of torque, with a hybrid powertrain based on a 2.5-litre engine. The RX 450h+ PHEV had a total output of 304 hp and a 0-100 km/h time of 6.5 seconds. The RX 500h featured a turbocharged 2.4-litre engine, producing 366 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-100 km/h time of 6.2 seconds. It had a sport-tuned adaptive damping suspension, 21-inch wheels, and the Direct4 AWD system. The RX 500h was quick and powerful but less fuel-efficient, averaging 13.5 L/100 km. It was quiet on highways but firm on city streets, with a lack of communication between the road and driver.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser had two rows of seating, with headroom measuring 917 mm in the front and 897 mm in the back, and legroom at 838 mm front and 678 mm rear. The centre console provided easy access to off-road features, and the vehicle included a wireless charging pad and a centre console cool box. The cargo area had a raised load floor, rubber mat, and a total volume of 1,063 litres, with a 120-volt AC outlet and USB-C ports in higher trims.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid focused on occupant comfort and cargo space, with heated and ventilated front seats and a panoramic sunroof over the rear seat. The rear seats were power-reclining, heated, and ventilated, providing ample room for adults. The RX offered practical interior storage, though the rear centre armrest lacked lining. The cargo space measured 838 litres, with hooks for grocery bags and a small storage area under the load floor. Folding down the second row increased cargo volume to 1,308 litres.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser featured the Multi-Terrain Monitor system, standard above the base trim, with a 12.3-inch centre touchscreen display. The infotainment system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with USB-C ports for front and rear passengers. The upgraded trim offered a 10-speaker sound system or a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system with the Premium Package or First Edition package, along with a head-up display and digital rear-view mirror.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid was equipped with digital key functionality, a camera-based digital rearview mirror, and a hands-free power liftgate. The RX 500h model had a 14-inch touchscreen display with a modern Lexus Interface infotainment system, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and cloud-based navigation. The test vehicle experienced an intermittent glitch with satellite radio, and the head-up display was smaller than some rivals. The optional 21-speaker Mark Levinson audio system sounded great, but the steering wheel controls were distracting.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but its platform-mate, the 2024 Tundra, earned a Top Safety Pick award. The Land Cruiser came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign assist, and Proactive Driving Assist. The Premium Package and First Edition added lane-change assist, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist.

The 2025 Lexus RX Hybrid included Safety Connect, a free service for up to ten years, with automatic collision notification, an SOS emergency assistance button, and roadside assistance. Lexus Safety System+ 3.0 was standard, with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, and adaptive cruise control. The RX Hybrid also had a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert. The surround-view camera was a must-have upgrade, and the RX earned a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA, though the IIHS rated it Poor in a frontal-impact test.