2024 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2023 Subaru Outback

The 2023 Subaru Outback underwent a facelift, featuring a new front end with redesigned LED headlights, a restyled grille, and a revised bumper with dark gray vertical cladding. This design gave the Outback an aggressive appearance, further enhanced by a jutting simulated skid plate, fog lights in oversized housings, and asymmetrical wheel arch trim reminiscent of the Wilderness model. The Onyx Edition, with its black wheels and trim, complemented the bold cladding, making it a more appealing choice for those who preferred a darker paint color to tone down the design's excesses. The Outback offered six trim levels, with the Onyx Edition becoming more accessible due to its availability with the base powertrain, starting at $33,495. The Touring trim, with its Cosmic Blue paint and Java Brown premium Nappa leather upholstery, provided a luxurious interior that contrasted beautifully with the black interior, offering an upscale and cohesive look.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, known for its iconic boxy design, featured a flat roof and heritage details across its three trims, paying homage to its predecessors. The heritage grille with "TOYOTA" spelled out was a nod to the 40 series, while the round headlights on the base 1958 trim and First Edition echoed the 20 series. The rectangular headlights on the middle-grade trim referred to the FJ62. All lighting was LED, aligning with modern standards. The two higher trims offered color-selectable fog lights from RIGID Industries, adding a contemporary twist. The beltline was lowered for improved visibility, and all trims came with 18-inch alloy wheels, with 20-inch wheels available for the middle trim. The First Edition included additional off-road gear like a roof rack, front skid plate, and mudflaps, enhancing its rugged appeal.

The 2023 Subaru Outback featured horizontally opposed engines, known for their flat design, which helped reduce the vehicle's center of gravity. The standard engine produced 182 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 176 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. However, the 3,781-pound test vehicle felt underpowered, especially during passing and climbing. The EPA estimated a combined fuel economy of 28 mpg, but real-world testing returned 25.6 mpg. The Outback XT models, with a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine, offered 260 hp at 5,600 rpm and 277 lb-ft of torque between 2,000 rpm and 4,800 rpm, providing better acceleration and responsiveness. The XT models were less fuel-efficient, with most rated at 25 mpg combined. All Outback models came with a CVT that mimicked an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD with an Active Torque Split system. The Outback excelled off-road, handling challenging terrain with ease, thanks to its X-Mode traction system and generous ground clearance.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser featured a hybrid powertrain with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 1.87-kWh battery pack, and a 48-hp electric motor, producing a total of 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. It had an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard full-time 4WD with an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case. The Multi-Terrain Select system, available on mid-tier and First Edition models, operated in both 4Hi and 4Lo. The Land Cruiser included an automatic limited-slip differential and rear- and center-locking differentials. The middle and top trims offered a push-button disconnect for the front sway bar, enhancing off-road articulation. The updated CRAWL control function provided low-speed cruise control with five speed settings, operating silently over challenging terrain. The Land Cruiser's transmission was unobtrusive, allowing for a smooth off-road experience.

The 2023 Subaru Outback prioritized utility with features like a purposeful roof rack, flat door sill trim, and a dashboard storage shelf. The Touring trim offered a 12-way power-adjustable driver's seat with a manually-adjustable thigh support bolster and an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, both heated and ventilated. The rear outboard seats were also heated, and the steering wheel was heated and wrapped in premium Nappa leather. The Outback provided ample legroom and comfort for long journeys, though wind noise was noticeable on the highway. The cargo space measured 32.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 75.6 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. The robust roof rack and flat door sills facilitated easy access to the roof, though more practical storage space could be added by redesigning the transmission shifter.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, based on the Prado, offered two rows of seating with headroom measuring 36.1 inches in the front and 35.3 inches in the back. Legroom was 33.0 inches in the front and 26.7 inches in the rear. The center console provided easy access to off-road features, with buttons for the stabilizer-bar disconnect and center and rear lockers. The infotainment screen was easily reachable, and the wireless charging pad was conveniently located. The cargo area, with a raised load floor, offered 37.5 cubic feet of space and included a 120-volt AC outlet and USB-C ports in higher trims. The middle-trim test car featured a rubber mat for easy cleaning, though the cloth on the second-row seats was less practical for dirty items.

The 2023 Subaru Outback, except for the Base trim, featured a Starlink 11.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system with physical controls for volume, tuning, and climate control. The base model had a 7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, wired Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Higher trims offered wireless connectivity for Apple and Android platforms, a navigation system, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system. The Starlink system was improved for 2023, though the graphics and voice recognition system were lacking. Additional technologies included a camera-based digital rearview mirror and a 180-degree front-view camera, though a surround-view camera was not available.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser featured the Multi-Terrain Monitor (MTM) system, standard on the two higher trims, with a 12.3-inch center touchscreen display. MTM activated automatically at low speeds, providing a clear view of the terrain. The infotainment system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with USB-C ports for front and rear passengers. The base model had an 8-inch display and a six-speaker sound system, while the middle trim offered a 10-speaker system with an optional upgrade to a 14-speaker JBL premium sound system. The Premium Package added a head-up display and a digital rear-view mirror.

The 2023 Subaru Outback was highly rated by the IIHS, earning top marks across the board. The EyeSight system included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. Higher trims offered a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert and an Automatic Emergency Steering system. The Outback also featured a Wide-Angle Mono Camera for better pedestrian and cyclist detection. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist systems were less impressive, with artificial steering feel. The rear automatic braking system was incompatible with some driveways, requiring manual deactivation.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, but Toyota's track record and the Tundra's Top Safety Pick award provided some confidence in its safety. All Land Cruisers came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, including adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign assist, and Proactive Driving Assist. The Premium Package added lane-keep assist, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist.