2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Review

Getting a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser is a deliberate choice made by the part of the brain that controls wants, not needs.

No one needs to quietly be the coolest person at the off-road park, just like nobody needs full-time four-wheel drive and two locking differentials to drop their kids off at school. That’s the sort of stuff you want.

Styling 9.5 / 10

Toyota makes about a dozen trucks and SUVs with this platform — OK, maybe it just feels like a dozen — and the Land Cruiser’s styling is probably one of the biggest reasons to get it over the others. Shamelessly nostalgic without feeling hokey, it’s boxy, upright, and chunky, and looks just like the more luxurious Lexus GX in profile. There are two front ends to choose from: the more expensive one gets a modern, squared-off design, while this base version, dubbed the 1958, gets retro round headlights that give it a deeply endearing, puppy dog look. 

Inside, the vibe is similarly utilitarian and rugged. Screens are integrated into a big housing, the space is stylized just the right amount, and I’m a sucker for the old-school-yet-modern steering wheel that has the TOYOTA script slapped across it almost nonchalantly. 

Safety 7 / 10

Toyota’s latest advanced safety and driver-assistance suite encompasses adaptive cruise control, lane-tracing assist, and road sign recognition, among others, but this base Land Cruiser misses out on the traffic jam assist and front cross-traffic alert, which are exclusive to the most expensive version.

In practice, the assisted highway driving functions reasonably well but wasn’t confidence-inspiring enough for me to feel comfortable relying on it, especially given how big and heavy it is. (A large dog without a leash is a much bigger liability to others than a small one is.) But outward visibility is good thanks to the large windows all around. 

As of this writing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) hadn’t yet crash-tested the Land Cruiser.

Features 8 / 10

As standard, the Land Cruiser 1958 tested comes with crawl and downhill assist control, an eight-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a seven-inch digital instrument display, heated fabric seats, a rear camera washer, four USB-C charge ports, and a six-speaker stereo. Jump up to the Cruiser for about $9,000 more and you get the different front-end styling, a wireless charger, power tailgate, 10-speaker stereo, six charging ports, two 12.3-inch screens, and faux-leather seats that are power-adjust and ventilated up front. There’s also a multi-terrain monitoring system, multi-terrain select, and a front stabilizer disconnect mechanism to help when the terrain gets rough. 

Add the Premium package ($6,002) and there’s four extra speakers, paddle shifters, a digital key, head-up display, and a digital rearview mirror. There’s also leather upholstery, plus the driver’s seat gets memory settings and the passenger side has power adjustability. There’s also a cooler in the center console.

User-Friendliness 9 / 10

While other automakers continue to fiddle with haptic touch for this and voice control for that, Toyota is sticking with what works. There’s a dedicated row of hard switches with an LCD panel for climate controls, the buttons on the steering wheel are straightforward, there’s a volume knob next to the touchscreen, and all the drivetrain, off-road, and differential adjustments are done with real buttons and switches. There’s even a little button on the bottom right of the rear window that lets you flip it open. There are no gimmicks here. No unnecessary learning curve. No complaints.

Practicality 8 / 10

The Land Cruiser may be huge, but in Canada it only seats five. In overseas markets, this SUV seats seven, and there are cup holders in the cargo area because of this that Toyota didn’t bother removing. A cargo area of 1,308 L is quite vast, but the floor here is high, exacerbated by its need to accommodate a hybrid battery.

The back seats are appropriately and unsurprisingly large. Most regular-sized adults will fit back here with lots of extra leg- and headroom to spare. These passengers get their own air vents and charging ports, which is appreciated. Wherever you sit in the Land Cruiser, though, getting in and out of it is a climb, but the running boards and grab handles make it feel like an adventure, not a nuisance.

Comfort 6.5 / 10

This being an off-road rig, the ride is jiggly despite Toyota’s best efforts to smooth out the experience. It’s nice on the highway thanks to its ride height and dominating demeanor, but navigating craggly city streets, speed bumps, and potholes, the Land Cruiser’s suspension is bouncy almost to the point of annoyance. 

Base Land Cruiser seats are covered in cloth but comfy and heated, as is the steering wheel. You can get ventilated front seats with power, memory, and leather, but you’ll have to spring for one of the higher trims. Dual-zone climate control is standard, while three zones are locked behind the Cruiser model.

Power 8.5 / 10

Regardless of trim, the Land Cruiser is powered by a turbocharged 2.4L four-cylinder and an electric motor that combine to deliver 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. This is quite a lot, and when paired with a throttle pedal that’s more sensitive and pokey than expected, Toyota has built an off-road SUV that positively scoots.

The hybrid integration is pretty smooth, and it all goes through an eight-speed automatic transmission that does its thing in the background quietly. A trailer hitch is standard, and the Land Cruiser can tow 2,722 kg (6,000 lb).

Driving Feel 8 / 10

Around town, there’s a truck-like feel to the steering, but not disconcertingly or unpleasantly so. The brakes are strong, measuring 432 mm (17.0 in) at all four corners, and the pedal is well-calibrated and easy to use smoothly. It feels fluid, stable, and reasonably quiet on the highway, too — not always a given when a vehicle is optimized for clambering over rocks rather than crawling along the highway — and it can even be a satisfying roadtripper, with a very tall driving position that gives you a comfortably commanding view of the road.

Fuel Economy 7.5 / 10

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) officially rates the Land Cruiser for 10.7 L/100 km in the city, 9.5 on the highway, and 10.1 combined. Over the course of a week and nearly 500 km of mixed driving, I observed an average of 11.8 L/100 km — not bad considering how much this SUV weighs and how quickly it can get up and go.

Value 5.5 / 10

The 2025 Land Cruiser starts at $72,125 including freight ($1,930), and that’s how much this base 1958 one costs as-tested. A Cruiser trim with the less retro front end, bigger screen, and more amenities starts at $81,725, while a loaded Premium version goes for $87,727. That’s a lot of money, especially considering the Lexus GX 550, essentially the same vehicle except nicer with a more powerful V6 and seating for seven, starts at just $89,255.

The Verdict

In spite of that rational analysis, however, I get why someone would go for the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser over its corporate cousin. On vibes and appearances, it feels like a more honest vehicle. Among true, rough-and-tumble off-roaders, the Toyota badge arguably commands more respect than a Lexus one would. You see a GX rolling down the road, and think, “That’s cool, but I bet it never sees gravel.” You see a Land Cruiser, and that’s not necessarily the case.

Anyone simply looking for a big Toyota SUV to tool around tarmac and haul their kids to school and soccer would definitely be better served by a Grand Highlander that rides more comfortably, seats more people, and is easier to get in and out of. That makes the Land Cruiser a niche vehicle for a niche crowd — if you want one, you want one, and “value” is sort of secondary.