2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2025 Porsche Cayenne

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne presented itself as a versatile SUV, available in both a standard model with a squared-off rear end and a sporty Cayenne Coupe. The lineup ranged from the base Cayenne to the high-performance Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, each with unique exterior features. The GTS trim, which was the focus of our review, boasted high gloss black trim, a distinctive front fascia with larger air intakes, and tinted headlights. Red brake calipers were visible through 21-inch anthracite grey wheels, and the Cayenne Coupe featured an adaptive rear spoiler. Inside, the Cayenne offered extensive customization options, from colour choices like Carmine Red to various trim and seat belt options. The cabin was well-organized, with mechanical controls for essential features and a dashboard-mounted shifter toggle that freed up storage space.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, in its second model year, was available 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 retro styling, while the Cruiser trim offered a modern look with additional colours and a more luxurious interior. The Cruiser trim also included critical off-roading hardware and software, making it the preferred choice for those seeking a blend of style and capability. The Premium Package added leather upholstery, a Heritage Blue and Grey paint option, 20-inch wheels, and an accessory roof rack. The Land Cruiser's traditional two-box SUV design maximized off-road clearances and interior space, while its utilitarian interior featured traditional switchgear and dual 12.3-inch digital screens for a technologically advanced appearance.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne offered a range of engines, all capable of delivering impressive performance. The base model featured a 3.0-litre V6 engine producing 348 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. For those seeking more power, the Cayenne S offered a V8 engine with 468 hp, while the Turbo GT, available only as a coupe, boasted 650 hp. Plug-in hybrid options provided up to 729 hp for peak performance. The GTS trim, with its twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine, delivered 493 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque, making it a thrilling drive. The Cayenne GTS could accelerate to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 275 km/h. The GTS trim featured precise steering, a lowered centre of gravity, and an active suspension system, resulting in agile handling despite its 2,250-kilogram curb weight. The Cayenne's versatility allowed it to switch between sporty and comfortable driving modes, making it suitable for both spirited drives and daily commutes.

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 produced 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, transferred through a full-time 4WD system with electronic locking differentials. The Land Cruiser had a maximum towing capacity of 2,720 kilograms and came equipped with standard off-roading 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. While the Land Cruiser excelled in off-road capability, its handling on twisty roads was less impressive due to its tires and suspension tuning. The Land Cruiser's suspension absorbed bumps and rough terrain, making it a comfortable daily driver and capable off-roader.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne offered a la carte customization, with the base model featuring standard eight-way power-adjustable seats, two-zone climate control, and ambient lighting. Higher trims like the GTS added a GT Sport steering wheel and Race-Tex headliner, with options for Race-Tex or leather interiors. The Cayenne's options list was extensive, allowing buyers to personalize everything from door sills to seat belts. However, the Cayenne only accommodated five passengers, with no third-row seating option. The standard Cayenne provided 772 litres of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 1,708 litres with the seats folded. The coupe version offered slightly less space, and plug-in hybrid models had reduced cargo capacity due to the battery placement.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim replaced cloth upholstery with SofTex artificial leather, adding ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The Premium Package introduced 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 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 required effort when loading heavy items.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne featured a curved 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with the Porsche Communication Management system. It included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Spotify, Apple Music, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. An optional 10.9-inch passenger screen allowed for navigation and media control. The Cayenne's screens were well-organized and responsive, with voice control options. A head-up display provided essential information, though it appeared dim with polarized sunglasses. The Cayenne also included four high-speed USB-C charging ports and a cooled wireless charging area.

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 satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Four connected service plans were available, including Drive Connect with 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, a digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne included standard safety features like parking sensors, forward collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring. However, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure warning were optional. Porsche's InnoDrive adaptive cruise control system offered advanced features but was not tested during our review. The Cayenne had not been rated by NHTSA or IIHS for safety.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including 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. 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 NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing but a three-star rollover resistance rating.