Toyota Land Cruiser vs Ford Escape

The 2024 Ford Escape carried forward the significant updates from its 2023 redesign, which included a restyled front end, new wheel designs, and enhanced technology features. These changes gave the Escape a more aggressive appearance, replacing the previous model's softer look. Despite these updates, the overall design remained largely unchanged, maintaining a generally appealing aesthetic. The Escape was available in several trims, including the ST-Line Elite, which featured premium options like Rapid Red paint and a Panoramic Vista Roof. However, the interior, while initially appearing upscale with diamond-stitched leather, revealed some shortcomings in material quality, leading to questions about its high price point.

In contrast, the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered a more traditional SUV design with a focus on off-road capability. The base model, known as the 1958, featured a retro look with round headlights and basic equipment, while the more expensive Land Cruiser trim provided a modern, upscale appearance with additional off-roading features. The Land Cruiser's interior was utilitarian yet comfortable, with the Premium Package adding real leather and advanced technology. Despite its high price, the Land Cruiser's design and features made it a compelling choice for those seeking a capable off-road vehicle with a touch of luxury.

The 2024 Ford Escape ST-Line Elite offered two powertrain options: a 192-horsepower hybrid with an expected 39 mpg in combined driving, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, averaging 26 mpg. Our test vehicle featured the turbo engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. While the turbocharged engine provided quick acceleration, the overall driving dynamics did not match the sporty appearance promised by the ST badge. The ride was soft and compliant, with handling that felt nimble but allowed too much body motion. The Escape's braking was responsive, but the steering felt sluggish. Despite its sporty look, the Escape was more suited for comfortable, everyday driving rather than spirited performance.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came equipped with Toyota’s i-Force Max hybrid system, combining a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor to produce 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. This power was delivered through a full-time four-wheel-drive system, allowing for a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds. The Land Cruiser excelled in off-road situations, thanks to features like Multi-Terrain Select and Crawl Control. However, its on-road performance was less impressive, with a tendency to lean in corners and a suspension that prioritized comfort over handling precision. The Land Cruiser's fuel economy was rated at 23 mpg combined, but real-world testing showed a lower average of 15.7 mpg.

The 2024 Ford Escape ST-Line featured a black interior with cloth inserts and artificial leather bolsters, accented by red stitching. The ST-Line Elite trim offered optional leather seats, but the material quality was disappointing. The front seats were large and supportive, while the rear seats provided comfort when slid to their rearmost position. Interior storage was generous in the front, but less so for rear passengers. The Escape offered 37.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 65.4 cubic feet with the seats folded down.

In the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser, upgrading from the 1958 model to the Land Cruiser trim replaced cloth upholstery with SofTex artificial leather, with the Premium Package adding real leather. The front seats were comfortable and supportive, but the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The Land Cruiser offered 46.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 82.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. However, the high load floor made loading heavy items challenging.

The 2024 Ford Escape featured digital instrumentation, with upper trims like the ST-Line Elite offering a 12.3-inch display. The 13.2-inch Sync 4 infotainment system impressed with its landscape format and intuitive layout, though the color theme and font choices were less favorable. The system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with additional features like Amazon Alexa and a Bang & Olufsen sound system available. However, the infotainment system experienced lag, and the wireless charger heated devices excessively. The optional head-up display and Active Park Assist 2.0 added convenience but were not essential.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser upgraded from the 1958 model's 7-inch display to dual 12.3-inch screens with the Toyota Audio Multimedia system. This system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with various connected services. The Premium Package added a JBL sound system, wireless charger, head-up display, and digital key technology. The voice recognition system performed well, providing accurate and quick responses to commands.

The 2024 Ford Escape came with Ford Co-Pilot360, a suite of driving assistance systems including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist. The ST-Line Elite added features like adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system. However, the lane-keeping systems displayed inconsistent behavior, and the predictive speed assist was overly cautious. The Escape received favorable crash-test ratings from the NHTSA, with five-star ratings in most categories.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser featured Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering advanced driving assistance systems like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-centering assist. The Premium Package added features like front cross-traffic alert and Traffic Jam Assist. While some systems required manual intervention, the front cross-traffic alert proved valuable in certain situations. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with strong side-impact scores but a lower rollover resistance rating.