Land Rover Range Rover vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover was a testament to understated luxury, maintaining its classic design lineage while offering multiple configurations. Buyers could choose between standard-wheelbase and long-wheelbase versions, with the latter available with a third row of seats. The trim levels included SE, Autobiography, and SV, though not all were available across every body style. The exterior design, with its minimal detailing and recognizable features like the vertical trim piece and angled rear roof pillar, exuded a subtle high-end status without the ostentation of some competitors. Inside, the Range Rover's interior focused on simplicity, with a sparse dashboard dominated by a touchscreen and a few controls, though some found the use of plastic materials a bit excessive for a luxury vehicle.

In contrast, the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid embraced a more conservative design, reminiscent of the popular RAV4 but on a larger scale. This approach resulted in a spacious SUV capable of seating up to eight passengers, with a focus on functionality over form. The interior, especially in the Platinum trim, offered a layer of luxury with leather and artificial suede upholstery, though some storage areas were unlined, potentially contributing to cabin noise. The Grand Highlander prioritized practicality, with logically laid-out controls and a climate system designed for ease of use, though the infotainment interface left room for improvement with its small volume knob and lack of a tuning knob.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered a range of powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and 4WD. The entry-level engine was a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six with a mild hybrid system, delivering 395 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. A plug-in hybrid version of this engine produced 543 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The V8 option, sourced from BMW, was a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre engine, generating 523 hp and 553 lb-ft in SE and Autobiography models, and 606 hp in the SV variant, which could accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. Despite its size, the Range Rover excelled in comfort and refinement, with excellent ride quality and body control, making it easy to drive delicately. Off-road capabilities were ensured by features like a two-speed transfer case, Terrain Response drive modes, and height-adjustable air suspension, providing up to 28 centimetres of ground clearance.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max focused on performance with its turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 net horsepower. This setup allowed the Grand Highlander to accelerate swiftly, aided by a traditional six-speed automatic transmission that avoided the droning typical of CVTs. While the Hybrid Max sacrificed some fuel efficiency, achieving 8.8 L/100 km combined, it offered a towing capacity of up to 2,268 kilograms. During testing, fuel economy averaged 9.1 L/100 km on a balanced city and highway route. The Hybrid Max provided rewarding acceleration, with electric motors eliminating turbo lag, and a soft ride quality that absorbed road imperfections. However, handling was secure only up to a point, with early tire scrub and squeal during aggressive driving.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered versatile seating configurations, with three-row models accommodating seven passengers and two-row models seating five. The long-wheelbase version without a third row boasted an impressive 1,220 millimetres of second-row legroom. Cargo space was limited with the third row in place, offering just 212 litres, but expanded to 857 litres with the third row folded and 2,050 litres with both rear rows down. A split tailgate and air suspension facilitated loading and unloading. The Range Rover could tow up to 3,720 kilograms, aligning with segment expectations.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid provided comfortable seating across all three rows, with a maximum cargo capacity of over 2,700 litres. The Platinum trim featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery, offering heated and ventilated front and second-row seats. The second-row captain’s chairs allowed for easy access to the third row, which was spacious enough for adults and tall teens. Cargo space behind the third row was 586 litres, expanding to 1,640 litres with the third row folded and 2,761 litres with the second row down, nearly matching the capacity of a minivan.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover came equipped with a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen, featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 35-speaker Meridian audio system was available on higher trims. The Pivi Pro infotainment system, while improved, suffered from a lack of physical controls, making it less intuitive to use. The natural-language voice recognition system helped mitigate some of these issues, allowing for easy control of functions like radio and temperature settings.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system across all trims, with higher trims offering a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel. The system supported wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and various Toyota Connected Services. While the infotainment system was generally user-friendly, it lacked the ability to display multiple main-menu screens simultaneously, and the low-contrast font could be difficult to read. The digital voice assistant was responsive and accurate, enhancing the overall user experience. The Platinum trim included advanced features like a head-up display and a JBL premium audio system.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover included standard driver assistance features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, and a 360-degree camera system. While the driver aids performed well, the camera view did not always activate automatically, and the parking aids were overly sensitive. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were unavailable at the time of writing.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a comprehensive suite of safety features, including lane keep assist and Proactive Driving Assist. While the safety tech generally operated smoothly, the PDA system was found to be more of an annoyance than a help. The Grand Highlander received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but did not achieve the IIHS Top Safety Pick due to "Acceptable" ratings in certain areas.