2024 Toyota Land Cruiser vs 2024 Honda Passport

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser embraced its iconic heritage with a boxy, flat-roof design that evoked nostalgia while incorporating modern aesthetics. Each of its three trims featured designs reminiscent of past Cruiser models. The heritage grille with "TOYOTA" spelled out across the front was a nod to the 40 series. The base 1958 and top-tier First Edition trims sported round headlights, echoing the 20 series, while the middle-grade trim had rectangular headlights inspired by the FJ62. All lighting was LED, which added a contemporary twist to its classic-inspired look. This model also included color-selectable fog lights from RIGID Industries in the two higher trims, enhancing its modern flair.

Updates for driver comfort were evident with the lowered beltline for improved visibility. The Land Cruiser rolled on 18-inch alloy wheels standard, with 20-inch options for the middle trim. The First Edition came outfitted with standard off-road gear, including a roof rack, front skid plate, and mudflaps, ensuring it was adventure-ready.

Inside, the base 1958 trim featured cloth seats, SofTex upholstery on the middle trim, and real leather with unique logos on the First Edition. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard across all trims, with the Premium Package offering additional comforts like a moonroof and ventilated front seats. The cabin of the mid-grade model was visually aligned with Toyota’s truck lineup, featuring cushy seats, a padded center console, and attractive contrast stitching, highlighting comfort along with capability.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Passport retained much of its previous design language, despite Honda’s recent updates across other models, like the Civic and Accord. The Passport received minor tweaks in 2022, such as a more upright grille and squared-off corners, but overall, it looked similar to past versions.

Honda kept the Passport lineup straightforward with three trims: EX-L, TrailSport, and Black Edition. Unlike some competitors that offered entry-level trims with fewer features, all Passport trims came with leather seats, a power moonroof, identical touchscreens, and standard AWD. The mid-level TrailSport trim aimed to be the rugged choice, equipped with all-terrain tires and standard features like roof rails and LED fog lights.

Inside, the Passport TrailSport boasted black leather upholstery with orange stitching and an embroidered TrailSport emblem on the front headrests. The overall interior design was simple and unassuming, with plenty of utilitarian plastic well integrated with softer materials. Air vents were large, controls were straightforward, and the cabin offered plenty of storage space.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser featured a hybrid powertrain known as the i-Force MAX. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, combined with a 1.87-kWh battery pack and a 48-hp electric motor, produced an impressive 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. This setup was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard full-time 4WD with an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case for high and low range. The Multi-Terrain Select system, standard on mid-tier and First Edition trims, operated in both 4Hi and 4Lo modes.

Standard equipment included an automatic limited-slip differential and rear- and center-locking differentials. The ability to disconnect the front sway bar, available on middle and top trims, allowed for more off-road articulation without compromising on-road comfort. The latest CRAWL control function, with its low-speed cruise control feature, provided precision over challenging terrains and operated silently.

On the other hand, the 2024 Honda Passport stuck to a traditional approach with its 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission, the Passport provided predictable acceleration and smooth gear shifts. However, its naturally aspirated V6 required higher RPMs to reach peak torque compared to turbocharged counterparts. This, combined with an EPA fuel economy rating of 19 mpg city, 24 highway, and 21 combined, highlighted its more conventional engineering approach.

The TrailSport trim added unique mechanical tweaks, such as wider tracks and specialized off-road suspension tuning for better articulation. Equipped with Honda’s torque-vectoring iVTM4 AWD system and a traction-management system with various modes for different terrains, the Passport was geared for off-road activities. However, road and wind noise were noticeable at highway speeds, though significantly quieter around town.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser, being a two-row SUV, offered headroom of 36.1 inches in the front and 35.3 in the rear, with legroom of 33.0 inches front and 26.7 rear. The center console was user-friendly, housing controls for off-road functions conveniently placed. The available center console cool box, standard on the First Edition, added a touch of luxury to the rugged interior. The rear cargo area, with a raised load floor and 37.5 cubic feet of space, was practical and easy to clean, though the cloth seatbacks in the second row were a minor inconvenience. A 120-volt AC outlet, powered by a 2400-watt inverter, was standard, enhancing its utilitarian appeal.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Honda Passport excelled in cargo capacity, leading its segment with 41.2 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and underfloor storage in the trunk, expanding to 77.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down. The 60/40-split rear seats sat flush with the trunk floor, making it easy to load longer items. The Passport’s spacious cabin comfortably accommodated five adults, with excellent cupholder distribution and ample storage solutions, such as the reimagined center console bin.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser's higher trims came equipped with the Multi-Terrain Monitor (MTM) system, displayed on a 12.3-inch touchscreen, enhancing off-road visibility. The system activated automatically at low speeds or via a center console button. For infotainment, the larger screen was preferred over the 8-inch base version, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The mid-tier trim had a 10-speaker sound system, upgradeable to the First Edition’s 14-speaker JBL setup with the Premium Package, which also included a head-up display and digital rear-view mirror.

In comparison, the 2024 Honda Passport lagged with its 8-inch touchscreen, which felt undersized in its spacious cabin. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and a wireless charging pad. However, the tech showed some faults, such as the inconveniently persistent turn-by-turn directions on the driver’s information display. The seven-speaker audio system in the TrailSport trim was deemed subpar, with audiophiles likely better served by other models in its class.

The 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser had not been rated by major safety organizations like the IIHS or NHTSA, though its platform-mates like the Tundra had performed well. Standard across all trims was Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, and more. Higher trims had additional features like lane-keep assist, front cross-traffic alert, and traffic jam assist.

In contrast, the 2024 Honda Passport came loaded with standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot and cross-traffic monitoring, and adaptive cruise control under the Honda Sensing umbrella. However, it had fared less well in crash tests, with the IIHS giving it lower ratings in certain tests and excluding it from the Top Safety Pick list. The NHTSA awarded it five stars overall but noted lower scores in frontal and rollover crash tests.