Toyota Land Cruiser vs Subaru Ascent

The 2024 Subaru Ascent had a design that was both functional and practical, though it lacked sophistication and modernity. Subaru's designers had a history of creating appealing vehicles only to alter them unfavourably during refreshes, and the Ascent was no exception. The latest model featured visually offensive tusks and a bold spear running across the grille into the headlights, which detracted from its overall appeal. Despite these design choices, the Ascent's interior materials in the Premier trim were of good quality, with premium Nappa leather upholstery and a surround-view camera among its exclusive features. The design followed Subaru's traditional playbook, appearing as though modular components were snapped together like a giant Lego set.

In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered a more traditional two-box SUV design that maximized off-road clearances, visibility, and space for passengers and cargo. The Cruiser trim, which was the more modern and upscale version, featured a purposeful look with dark grey cladding around the lower perimeter, emphasizing its utility. The interior was utilitarian, with traditional switchgear and a Java-coloured leather that added desirable colour contrast. The dual 12.3-inch digital driver and infotainment screens gave it a technologically advanced appearance. The Land Cruiser's design was both functional and stylish, appealing to those who appreciated a classic SUV look with modern touches.

The 2024 Subaru Ascent was equipped with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 260 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 277 pound-feet of torque between 2,000 and 4,800 rpm. It featured a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and a standard all-wheel-drive system with active torque vectoring. The Ascent could tow up to 2,270 kilograms, making it a versatile option for various driving conditions. It excelled in urban and suburban environments, as well as on rural gravel roads and remote dirt trails. The turbocharged engine provided good power, and the CVT mimicked a conventional automatic transmission effectively most of the time. However, the Ascent struggled on twisty mountain roads due to its weight, suspension tuning, and all-season tires. Its fuel economy ratings were 12.3 L/100 km in the city, 9.4 on the highway, and 11.0 combined, though real-world testing showed higher consumption.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured 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. It produced 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 included features like Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control. Despite its official fuel economy rating of 10.1 L/100 km combined, real-world testing showed a higher consumption of 15.0 L/100 km. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, with impressive suspension tuning that absorbed bumps and provided a smooth ride. However, it struggled on twisty mountain roads due to its tires and suspension tuning, making slow and steady driving the best approach.

The 2024 Subaru Ascent prioritized function over form, with features like a dashboard shelf, large cupholders, and backpack pegs on the second-row seatbacks. The Premier trim offered comfortable front seats wrapped in premium Nappa leather, though the front passenger seat lacked a height adjuster. The rear doors opened to nearly a 90-degree angle, making it easy to load children and cargo. The Ascent's roof rails had a static load capability of 317 kilograms, suitable for a rooftop tent. The third-row seat provided acceptable comfort for short trips, with air conditioning vents and storage space. Cargo space behind the third-row seat measured 458 litres, expanding to 1,232 litres with the third-row seats folded and 2,140 litres with the second-row seats folded.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim replaced cloth upholstery with SofTex artificial leather, and the Premium Package added real leather. The front seats were comfortable and supportive, but the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The rear window design was less practical than the 4Runner's, and the centre console's cool box seemed unnecessary. The Land Cruiser offered 1,062 litres of cargo space behind the rear liftgate, with a maximum cargo space of 2,324 litres when the back seat was folded. The high load floor required effort when loading heavy items, but the cargo area was cube-shaped and practical.

The 2024 Subaru Ascent featured the Starlink infotainment system with an 11.6-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and text-messaging capability. Higher trims included a navigation system and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system. The display had issues with visibility in direct sunlight, and the native voice-recognition system was subpar. However, physical buttons and knobs controlled commonly used functions, and Cabin Connect projected the driver's voice through the stereo speakers. The Premier trim included a surround-view camera and a digital rearview camera.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim upgraded to two 12.3-inch displays with the Toyota Audio Multimedia (TAM) 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 a cloud-based navigation system and a digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system, a wireless smartphone charger, a head-up display, a digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2024 Subaru Ascent was equipped with Subaru's EyeSight collection of safety features, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centring assist, adaptive cruise control, and evasive steering assist. It received five-star ratings from the NHTSA in all assessments except rollover resistance, where it earned four stars. The IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+ rating. However, the lane-centring assist technology had issues with uncertainty and resistance to driver inputs, making the Ascent feel unstable at times.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser included Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0), featuring forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centring assist. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist provided a semi-autonomous highway driving aid. 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 four stars in the frontal-impact test, five stars in side-impact testing, and a three-star rollover resistance rating.