2025 Toyota Land Cruiser vs the Competition

The Bronco first appeared in 1966 as a compact 2-door off-road model on a bespoke platform designed to compete primarily with the Jeep CJ-5 and International Scout. In 1978, it switched to the full-size pickup truck platform, where it was a large 2-door SUV that competed primarily with the similarly sized Chevrolet Blazer until being discontinued in 1996 as Ford customers sought the smaller but more practical 4-door Explorer instead.

Ford reintroduced the Bronco for the 2021 model year, with a size between its two predecessors. Like the Land Cruiser, particularly the “1958” model, the Bronco features overt styling references to its debut model. The mid-sized model is available in both 2-door and 4-door configurations, comes standard with 4-wheel drive, and is again aimed directly at the Jeep CJ’s descendant, the Wrangler. Like the Wrangler, the Bronco comes in several trim levels, most of which represent a distinct step in off-road capability. Engine choices include a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4, a 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6, and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, available only in its top trim level. The closest Bronco trim to the $56,700 “1958” Land Cruiser is the Badlands. When equipped with the 2.7 V6 engine upgrade and optional automatic transmission, its price comes to $55,025.

• When compared to the Bronco’s upgraded 2.7-liter Twin-turbo V6, the Land Cruiser hybrid powertrain is still more powerful in both horsepower (326 vs. 315) and torque (465 lb-ft vs. 410).
• The Land Cruiser has significantly better fuel mileage vs the Bronco’s upgraded engine (22 / 25 / 23 vs. 19 / 20 / 21).
• The Land Cruiser offers a significantly higher maximum towing capacity than the Bronco (6,000 vs. 3,500 lb.).
• The Bronco offers a little more cargo capacity, with all seats up (37.5 vs. 38.3 cubic feet), but the Land Cruiser provides more maximum capacity (82.1 vs. 77.6 cubic feet).
• For rear passengers, the Land Cruiser offers slightly more legroom (36.7 vs. 36.3 inches). However, when seating three in the back, it provides significantly more shoulder room (59.2 vs. 56.5 inches) and hip room (57.0 vs. 54.8 inches).
• The Land Cruiser is better on the road, according to this quote from Motor Trend: “From the ride quality to the steering to its resistance to crosswinds, it’s the best road-tripper of the trio, hands down.”
• Standard features on the Land Cruiser that are not standard on the Bronco include:
  • Dual front knee airbags
  • Cornering brake control
  • Dual-zone climate control
  • Tow/Haul drive mode
  • Blind spot alert for trailering
  • Trailer hitch and brake controller
• Several standard safety and driver assist features on the Land Cruiser are optional or require a trim upgrade on the Bronco, including:
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Front automatic emergency braking for intersections
  • Rear automatic emergency braking
  • Front parking sensors
  • Traffic sign recognition
  • Safety brake pedal system
  • Vehicle exit safety system

The Wrangler descends from the original CJ (Civilian Jeep) models developed for service in World War II. After models CJ 1-7, the Wrangler name was introduced in 2007 alongside the first-ever 4-door model. It has retained its basic shape and off-road focus from its wartime days, although it has grown, evolved, and adapted to government regulations and consumer expectations. The primary Wrangler engine is a 3.6-liter V6, while a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 and a plug-in hybrid using the 2.0-liter powertrain are also available. The Wrangler comes in eight trim levels, with prices ranging from $31,995 to just under $100K. The model of focus for this comparison is the 4-door Sahara 4xe, as its $57,695 MSRP most closely aligns with the $56,700 Land Cruiser 1958 model, and they are both hybrids.

• The Wrangler 4xe’s hybrid drivetrain has more horsepower than the Land Cruiser (326 vs. 275)
• The torque figures for both models are very close, but the Land Cruiser reaches its peak at much lower rpm (465 lb-ft @ 1700 vs. 470@3000)
• While the Wrangler 4xe offers 22 EV-only miles, in hybrid mode, it offers 20 combined mpg compared to 23 for the Land Cruiser.
• The Land Cruiser’s towing capacity of 6,000 pounds is significantly higher than that of the Wrangler 4xe, which has a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.
• The Land Cruiser’s nine more inches of width provides more front and rear shoulder room (58.5 / 59.2 inches vs. 55.8 / 55.8)
• The Land Cruiser has 43.0 inches of front legroom compared to 40.8 inches for the Wrangler, allowing seats to slide forward more to compensate for the less stated rear legroom (36.7 vs. 38.2).
• You can fit more cargo behind the rear seats in the Land Cruiser, with 37.5 cubic feet vs. 27.7 for the Wrangler.
• The Land Cruiser also has vastly more maximum cargo capacity than the Wrangler 4xe (82.1 vs. 67.4 cubic feet).
• According to MotorTrend, the Land Cruiser’s brakes are significantly more effective than the Wrangler’s. In their tests, a
• Land Cruiser came to a stop from 60 mph in 117 feet, while their Wrangler Unlimited 4XE test vehicle required 136 feet for the same test.
• Any reviewer will confirm that the Land Cruiser is quieter, smoother, and easier to handle on the highway than the Wrangler.
• Standard features on the Land Cruiser that are not standard on the Wrangler include:
  • Dual front knee airbags
  • Cornering brake control
  • Dual-zone climate control
  • Reclining rear seats
  • Electronic parking brake
  • Tow/Haul drive mode
  • Trailer hitch and brake controller
• Several standard safety and driver assist features on the Land Cruiser are optional or require a trim upgrade on the Wrangler Sahara 4xe, including:
  • Front automatic emergency braking for pedestrians and intersections
  • Rear automatic emergency braking
  • Blind spot alert
  • Rear cross-traffic alert
  • Driver attention alert system
  • Evasive steering assist
  • Lane keeping assist
  • Front and rear parking sensors
  • Traffic sign recognition
  • Safety brake pedal system
  • Vehicle exit safety system

Originally expected to replace the Jeep Cherokee XJ, which helped spur the popularity of SUVs, the Grand Cherokee instead became an addition to the Jeep model line when it debuted as a 1993 model. Now in its fifth generation, the Grand Cherokee has become Jeep’s best-selling model, combining both off-road capability and on-road functionality. The Grand Cherokee is available in rear- or four-wheel drive, and there are three 4×4 systems across the model line. Like the Wrangler, the Grand Cherokee’s core engine is a 3.6-liter V6, with a 4XE hybrid variant powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 plus electric motor found in the Wrangler 4xe. The closest price-competitive model to the $56,700 Land Cruiser 1958 is the Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4 at $56,995.

• The Land Cruiser outperforms the Grand Cherokee’s 3.6-liter V6 in both horsepower (326 vs. 293) and torque (465 lb-ft vs. 260).
• When comparing the Grand Cherokee 4xe Plug-in Hybrid to the Land Cruiser Hybrid drivetrain, the Jeep offers more horsepower (326 vs. 375), while the differences in torque are close. However, the Land Cruiser reaches its peak at a lower rpm (465 lb-ft @1700 vs. 470 @3000).
• At 22/25/23, the Land Cruiser’s EPA-estimated city, highway, and combined mpg are slightly greater than those of the Grand Cherokee with the V6 (19/26/22).
• The Grand Cherokee 4xe Plug-in Hybrid offers approximately 26 miles of EV-only driving range per charge. Additionally, the Grand Cherokee and the Land Cruiser with the hybrid drivetrain achieve a combined fuel efficiency of 23 mpg.
• When all seats are up, the Land Cruiser and Grand Cherokee exhibit nearly identical cargo capacities (37.5 vs. 37.7 cubic feet). When the second-row seats are down, the Land Cruiser offers greater cargo space (82.1 vs. 70.8).
• The Land Cruiser offers 43.0 inches of front legroom compared to 41.3 inches in the Grand Cherokee, allowing the seats to slide forward more to compensate for the lesser stated rear legroom (36.7 vs. 38.2).
• Standard features on the Land Cruiser that are not included as standard on the Grand Cherokee consist of:
  • Cornering brake control
  • Dual-zone climate control
  • Reclining rear seats
  • Tow/Haul drive mode
  • Trailer hitch and brake controller
  • Lift-up tailgate window
• Driver assistance and safety technologies that come standard on the Land Cruiser SR5 but are not included on the similarly priced Grand Cherokee Altitude are:
  • Driver attention alert system
  • Evasive steering assist
  • Vehicle exit safety system
  • Safety brake pedal system
  • Traffic sign recognition
  • Rear seatbelt pre-tensioners (both have front pretensioners)