Toyota Land Cruiser vs Audi Q3

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was offered in two trim levels, with the base model named the 1958, a nod to its North American debut year. This version featured a retro aesthetic with round headlights and basic equipment, available in three paint colours. Despite its nostalgic charm, the 1958 model was priced at $73,270, including destination charges, making it a significant investment. The Cruiser trim, priced at $82,030, presented a more modern and upscale appearance, with additional colour options and a more refined interior. It also included essential off-roading features and offered a Premium Package for further enhancements. The Cruiser trim test vehicle, equipped with the Premium Package, Heritage Blue and Grey paint, and 20-inch wheels, reached a price of $90,603. The Land Cruiser's design emphasized off-road capabilities, with a traditional two-box SUV shape and dark grey cladding underscoring its utility. The interior, while utilitarian, was enhanced with Java-coloured leather and dual 12.3-inch digital screens, providing a technologically advanced feel.

The 2026 Audi Q3 aimed to enhance its SUV-like appearance with a taller front end and elongated hood, featuring the traditional Audi “singleframe” grille. However, its design was criticized for being cluttered, with elements like faux air intakes and textured plastic on the rear bumper. Despite this, the Q3 maintained a distinct look with its “UFO line” that created a floating appearance. The Q3 featured available headlights with programmable looks and OLED taillights on the Technik trim. Built on the Volkswagen Group MQB architecture, the Q3 included standard sportier S Line styling features, such as a black grille and rear diffuser. The interior boasted leather upholstery and wood dashboard trim, with a distinct cabin design. While there was still a significant amount of plastic, the overall quality was deemed appropriate for its entry-luxury price point.

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 eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor. This setup delivered 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, with a full-time four-wheel-drive system and electronic locking differentials. The Land Cruiser had a maximum towing capacity of 2,720 kilograms and featured standard off-roading aids like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. The Cruiser trim added Multi-Terrain Select modes and a front stabilizer bar disconnect feature. Despite an official fuel economy rating of 10.1 L/100 km, real-world testing showed a less efficient 15.0 L/100 km. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, though it struggled with handling on twisty roads due to its suspension tuning. It offered a high driving position with excellent visibility and off-road capability, thanks to features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect and Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views.

The 2026 Audi Q3 retained a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with increased output of 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. This allowed the Q3 to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. The eight-speed automatic transmission was replaced with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and all-wheel drive remained standard. The Q3 was quicker than competitors like the BMW X1 xDrive28i and Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4Matic, though real-world performance was hindered by transmission calibration and accelerator pedal modulation. At higher speeds, the Q3 offered a refined and laid-back driving experience, though steering and suspension were less engaging than some rivals. The addition of laminated acoustic front-door glass reduced wind noise, and ride quality was considered good for its segment, even with larger 20-inch wheels.

Upgrading from the Land Cruiser 1958 to the Cruiser trim replaced cloth upholstery with SofTex artificial leather, and added ventilated front seats. The Premium Package included real leather and a power sunroof. While front seats were comfortable, second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The Land Cruiser offered 1,062 litres of cargo space, expandable to 2,324 litres with the rear seats folded. However, the high load floor required effort when loading heavy items.

The 2026 Audi Q3 grew slightly in size, offering a standard reclining and sliding second-row bench seat. Cargo space increased to 707 litres with the rear seat upright, and 1,414 litres with it folded. While first-row headroom decreased, the Q3 maximized interior space effectively. It offered more cargo space than rivals behind the second row, though towing capacity was modest at 680 kilograms. The Q3 introduced a new control layout, with a bar replacing the shifter and turn signal stalks, freeing up space for cupholders and a wireless device charger.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim upgraded to dual 12.3-inch displays, featuring the Toyota Audio Multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offered four connected service plans and a cloud-based navigation system with a digital assistant. The Premium Package included a 14-speaker JBL sound system, a wireless smartphone charger, and additional features like a head-up display and digital key technology.

The 2026 Audi Q3 featured the Digital Stage screen setup, with an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.8-inch touchscreen. The MMI infotainment system, based on Android Automotive OS, included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, USB-C ports, and a natural-language voice recognition system with ChatGPT integration. The Technik trim offered a head-up display and a 12-speaker Sonos audio system, though sound quality was criticized for lacking midrange.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, with features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. It also offered adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist, though performance varied. 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.

The 2026 Audi Q3 offered standard driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and blind spot monitoring. The Technik trim added a 360-degree camera system and Adaptive Cruise Assist. Crash-test ratings were unavailable, but the previous generation showed room for improvement in IIHS tests.