Toyota Land Cruiser vs Toyota Grand Highlander

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a standout in Toyota's lineup of crossovers and SUVs, offering a range of options from all-gas to hybrid-powered models. Built on the TNGA-K platform, it shared its underpinnings with the regular Highlander, RAV4, Sienna, and Camry, distinguishing itself from the body-on-frame Sequoia. With a length of 5,115 millimetres and a wheelbase of 2,950 mm, it was larger than competitors like the Kia Telluride, providing a spacious interior. Its ground clearance of 20.3 centimetres made it suitable for dirt roads, though it wasn't designed for off-road adventures. The Grand Highlander's styling was inspired by rugged vehicles, featuring a conservative yet blocky design reminiscent of the Ford Explorer and Honda Pilot. It was available in three trims: XLE, Limited, and Platinum, with interior options ranging from black Softex synthetic leather to real leather in higher trims. The vehicle boasted a comfortable and well-built interior, making it an excellent choice for road trips.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, offered in two trims, the 1958 and Cruiser, paid homage to its heritage with a retro look in the base model. The Cruiser trim, however, provided a more modern and upscale appearance, featuring larger screens and critical off-roading hardware. The Premium Package added leather and advanced tech features. The Land Cruiser's traditional two-box SUV design maximized off-road clearances and visibility, with a purposeful look underscored by dark grey cladding. The interior was utilitarian, with traditional switchgear and a Java-coloured leather option. The dual 12.3-inch digital screens added a touch of technological advancement. Despite its utilitarian nature, the Land Cruiser's interior was more refined than the 1958 model, offering a comfortable driving experience. However, the vehicle's limited colour options and high load floor height were noted drawbacks.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, starting with a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. For those prioritizing fuel efficiency, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid option delivered 245 combined net horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. At the top of the range, the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max powertrain boasted 362 horsepower and 400 combined net pound-feet of torque. All powertrains came with all-wheel drive in Canada. While not a sports car, the Hybrid Max provided impressive acceleration with a zero-to-60 time of 6.3 seconds. The Grand Highlander's size made it less maneuverable than its smaller counterpart, the Highlander, and its steering feel was somewhat numb. However, its brakes were solid, and acceleration was adequate. The vehicle offered three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—with additional off-road modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models.

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's towing capacity was 2,720 kilograms. Standard features included Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control, with the Cruiser trim adding Multi-Terrain Select off-roading modes and a front stabilizer bar disconnect. Despite an official fuel economy rating of 10.1 L/100 km, real-world testing showed 15.0 L/100 km. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, though it struggled on twisty roads due to its suspension tuning. It offered a high driving position with excellent visibility and off-road capabilities, including up to 21.5 centimetres of ground clearance. However, its handling on curves and corners was less than ideal, requiring a slow and steady approach.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its primary rivals, measuring over 5 metres in length with a 2,950 mm wheelbase. This extra length translated to increased storage space, with a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, surpassing the Kia Telluride by over 300 litres. With seats in position, it offered 1,640 litres behind the second row and 583 litres with all three rows up. The Grand Highlander provided a comfortable and spacious interior, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in every row, making it suitable for adults in the third row.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim upgraded from cloth to SofTex artificial leather, 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's rear window design was less than ideal, and the centre console's cool box seemed unnecessary. The vehicle offered 1,062 litres of cargo space, with a maximum of 2,324 litres with the back seat folded. However, the high load floor height required effort when loading heavy items.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering a visually stunning interface. An intelligent assistant was available via a connected-services subscription, allowing voice commands for tasks like adjusting temperature and changing radio stations. The system included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an 11-speaker JBL stereo on higher trims. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were also available.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser's Cruiser trim featured two 12.3-inch displays, upgrading from the 1958 model's smaller screens. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Four connected service plans were available, with Drive Connect offering 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 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not yet been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) as standard. This suite included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The adaptive cruise control offered four following-distance settings.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser also featured TSS 3.0, with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist detection. It included 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 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.