2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was designed to project a sportier image within the Range Rover lineup. Its tall stance was complemented by a shorter wheelbase and a chopped top, giving it a more athletic appearance compared to the traditional Range Rover. The large front air intakes and faux vents on the hood and fenders added to its sporty look, although from certain angles, it appeared a bit too tall and narrow, lacking the wide, planted look of some other luxury SUVs. The SV Edition Two, the highest-performance model, featured 23-inch carbon-fibre wheels and a carbon-fibre hood with an exposed patch, enhancing its sporty credentials. Despite its subtle exterior, the interior was adorned with red leather upholstery, sport seats with light-up “SV” inserts, and illuminated steering-wheel paddle shifters, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic with a focus on luxury.

In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered a more traditional SUV design with a focus on utility and off-road capability. The base model, known as the 1958, featured a retro look with round headlights and basic equipment, while the Cruiser trim provided a more modern and upscale appearance. The Cruiser trim also included critical off-roading hardware and software, making it a more appealing choice for those seeking adventure. The interior of the Cruiser trim was more refined than the 1958, with options for leather upholstery and larger screens. However, the rear seats lacked comfort, and the high load floor made loading heavy items challenging. Despite these drawbacks, the Land Cruiser's utilitarian design maximized off-road clearances and provided ample room for passengers and cargo.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base Dynamic SE model featured a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A plug-in hybrid variant based on this engine delivered 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim offered a more powerful plug-in hybrid with 543 hp and 590 lb-ft. Additionally, a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine was available, producing 523 hp and 553 lb-ft, with mild-hybrid assistance for improved fuel economy. The SV Edition Two, the most powerful model, boasted 626 hp, achieving 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 290 km/h. The Range Rover Sport excelled in both on-road performance and off-road capability, with features like sport-tuned air suspension, four-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring enhancing its agility and comfort.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was equipped with 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 produced 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque, with a maximum towing capacity of 2,720 kg. The Land Cruiser featured a full-time four-wheel-drive system with electronic locking differentials, along with standard off-road features like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. The Cruiser trim added Multi-Terrain Select modes, Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect feature. Despite its off-road prowess, the Land Cruiser struggled with handling on twisty roads due to its tires and suspension tuning. However, it excelled in urban and suburban environments, offering a comfortable ride and impressive off-road capability.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was positioned between the Range Rover Velar and the full-size Range Rover, offering a midsize two-row, five-seater configuration. While it provided ample headroom for front-seat occupants, it fell short in legroom compared to competitors like the Acura MDX and Audi Q7. The sloping roofline did not significantly impact rear-seat headroom, and reclining rear seats were standard. The Sport offered 835 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 1,860 litres with the rear seats folded. Its maximum towing capacity was 3,500 kg for turbo-six and V8 models, slightly higher than some rivals.

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 thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The Land Cruiser offered 1,062 litres of cargo space, with a maximum of 2,324 litres when the rear seats were folded. However, the high load floor made loading heavy items challenging.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The minimalist design, while visually appealing, had functional limitations, as many controls were relegated to the touchscreen. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, and the gauge cluster offered various configurations. The SV Edition Two included “Body and Soul Seats” with embedded transducers, providing a unique, albeit somewhat gimmicky, experience.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, in the Cruiser trim, upgraded to two 12.3-inch displays with the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music. The system included a cloud-based navigation system and a conversational 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 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came standard with a comprehensive suite of driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, though the parking sensors were overly sensitive. At the time of writing, safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, featuring forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centring assist. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist provided semi-autonomous highway driving capabilities. Additional safety features included a road sign reader, automatic high-beam headlights, and Proactive Driving Assist. 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 NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing but a three-star rollover resistance rating.