2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2025 Land Rover Defender presented a rugged yet customizable aesthetic, with the Defender 110 four-door model striking a balance between the stubby 90 and the visually heavy 130. Despite its unconventional design, the Defender exuded a rugged charm, offering a plethora of customization options. In Canada, the base price ranged from $79,050 for the 90 model to $160,720 for the 130 V8, with the OCTA variant priced at $198,460. Our test vehicle, a Defender 130 X trim, was priced at $125,500, featuring black exterior elements, upgraded interior materials, and comprehensive off-roading technology. The test model, painted in Gondwana Stone, lacked the new matte paint protection film, and its orange brake calipers clashed with the murky brown colour. Inside, the Defender X boasted premium Windsor hides and Kvadrat fabric, with an industrial-themed cabin that emphasized quality materials over traditional luxury.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, offered in two trims, the base 1958 and the more upscale Cruiser, showcased a blend of retro and modern design elements. The 1958 trim, priced at $73,270, featured round headlights and cloth seats, while the Cruiser trim, at $82,030, offered a more sophisticated look with additional colours and a nicer interior. Our test vehicle, equipped with the Premium Package, Heritage Blue and Grey paint, and a roof rack, had an MSRP of $90,603. The Land Cruiser's traditional two-box SUV design maximized off-road capabilities and interior space, with a utilitarian interior featuring traditional switchgear. The Cruiser trim's Java-coloured leather added a touch of luxury, complemented by dual 12.3-inch digital screens. Despite its utilitarian nature, the Land Cruiser's interior felt more refined than the 1958, offering a comfortable and technologically advanced driving experience.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender's turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, paired with a mild-hybrid system, delivered 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain, coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel-drive, provided robust acceleration and a maximum towing capacity of 3,720 kilograms. The Defender 130 X accelerated to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, with an adaptive air suspension and Terrain Response 2 driving modes enhancing its off-road capabilities. Despite its off-road prowess, the Defender 130 was primarily driven on pavement during testing, where it handled urban environments with ease. However, its 20-inch wheels and Pirelli tires limited its performance on twisty roads, and its 2,578-kilogram curb weight affected handling. The Defender's fuel economy was observed at 14.5 L/100 km, slightly higher than the expected 13.0 L/100 km.

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 to produce 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. This setup, paired with a full-time four-wheel-drive system, allowed for a towing capacity of 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 official fuel economy rating of 10.1 L/100 km, the Land Cruiser achieved 15.0 L/100 km during testing. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, though its handling on twisty roads was limited by its tires and suspension. The SUV's high seating position and excellent visibility made it easy to maneuver, while its off-road features provided ample capability.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender 130 offered three rows of spacious seating, with 12-way power-adjustable front seats featuring heating and ventilation. The panoramic sunroof and large windows created an open and airy cabin, though the square side mirrors required careful positioning. The Defender's cargo space was limited, with 433 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,237 litres with the third row folded, and a maximum of 2,520 litres with all rear seats down. The side-hinged cargo door was heavy and awkward, but a button in the cargo area allowed for lowering the air suspension to ease loading.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim replaced cloth upholstery with SofTex artificial leather, with the Premium Package adding real leather and a power sunroof. The front seats were comfortable, but the second-row seats lacked support. 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 back seat folded was 2,324 litres. The Land Cruiser's rear window design limited airflow, and the centre console's cool box reduced storage space.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with an 11.4-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a configurable digital driver display. The system's response to voice commands was slower than preferred, but its accuracy was impressive. The user experience was more intuitive than previous iterations, and the Meridian premium sound system was noteworthy. Additional features included a head-up display, ClearSight digital rearview mirror, and a surround-view camera system, enhancing visibility and parking ease.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim upgraded to two 12.3-inch displays with the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and connected service plans. The Drive Connect feature provided cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant, passing voice recognition tests with ease. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL sound system, a head-up display, and digital key technology, enhancing the overall technological experience.

The 2025 Land Rover Defender was equipped with several driver aids, including automatic high beam headlights, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assist. The system operated smoothly, though the lane keep assist occasionally attempted to steer the vehicle into a turnout area. Crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of review.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-centring assist. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist provided semi-autonomous highway driving, though they struggled in certain conditions. The front cross-traffic alert system proved valuable in daily driving. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing and three stars in rollover resistance.