Toyota Land Cruiser vs Honda Pilot

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was offered in two trim levels, with the base model named the 1958, a nod to the year it first hit the US market. This version had a retro aesthetic, featuring round headlights, cloth seats, and basic equipment, available in three paint colors. It was priced at $58,195, offering a nostalgic look but lacking some modern amenities. The more upscale Land Cruiser trim, priced at $62,965, boasted a modern design, a wider color palette, and a more luxurious interior with larger screens and advanced off-roading capabilities. The Premium Package added leather, more tech, and a Heritage Blue and Grayscape paint option, bringing the price to $71,004. Despite its utilitarian interior, the Land Cruiser offered a technologically advanced cabin with dual 12.3-inch screens and intuitive steering-wheel controls.

The 2026 Honda Pilot underwent a makeover, adopting a more truck-like appearance with a larger, blockier grille and standard roof rails. The rear bumper mirrored the front's scuff plate, enhancing its rugged design. Inside, the Pilot retained its spacious and versatile cabin, with upgrades like larger infotainment and instrument panel screens. The top trims featured diamond-quilted synthetic suede seats with contrasting stitching, adding visual flair. The center console and door panels had a new trim element that varied in appearance depending on lighting. Despite these updates, the Pilot remained a practical midsize SUV with a tastefully designed interior, meeting or exceeding class expectations in material quality and construction.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser was equipped with Toyota’s i-Force Max hybrid system, combining a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor. This setup delivered 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, with a full-time 4WD system and electronic locking differentials, allowing for a 6,000-pound towing capacity. Standard features included Downhill Assist Control and Crawl Control, while the higher trim added Multi-Terrain Select modes, Multi-Terrain Monitor camera views, and a front stabilizer bar disconnect. Despite an EPA rating of 23 mpg combined, real-world testing yielded only 15.7 mpg. The Land Cruiser excelled as a daily driver and off-road adventurer, though it struggled on twisty roads due to its suspension tuning. It offered a high driving position with excellent visibility, making it easy to park and maneuver on trails. Off-road capabilities were enhanced by features like the front stabilizer bar disconnect and Crawl Control.

The 2026 Honda Pilot retained its 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Sport and EX-L trims offered FWD, with AWD as an option, while other trims came standard with AWD. The Pilot provided adequate acceleration and a confident V6 sound. The brake pedal effort was soft, suitable for a family SUV, though occasional downshifts caused subtle lurches. Honda improved the steering for 2026, offering better feedback and stability. The Pilot handled curves confidently but wasn't sporty, maintaining its role as a sensible three-row SUV.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser offered SofTex artificial leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel in the upgraded trim. The Premium Package added real leather and a power sunroof. While the front seats were comfortable, the second-row seats lacked thigh support and had an uncomfortable backrest angle. The running boards could be cumbersome for taller passengers. The rear window design was less practical compared to the 4Runner, and the center console's cool box reduced storage space. The Land Cruiser provided 46.2 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 82.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, though the high load floor required effort to load heavy items.

The 2026 Honda Pilot's cabin remained spacious and versatile, with a removable second-row center seat offering flexibility between a bench and captain's chairs. The center seat was suitable for smaller passengers, while the outboard seats provided ample legroom and comfort. Access to the third row was easy, with adequate space for smaller adults. The third-row materials were of lower quality, but USB charge ports were included. The Pilot offered 22.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 112.4 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. The front seats featured generous storage, with a long tray, large cupholders, and a spacious center armrest bin.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser upgraded its displays to dual 12.3-inch screens, offering a sophisticated appearance. The Toyota Audio Multimedia system included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Five connected service plans were available, with Drive Connect providing cloud-based navigation and a digital assistant. The Premium Package added a 14-speaker JBL sound system, wireless smartphone charger, head-up display, digital rearview mirror, and digital key technology.

The 2026 Honda Pilot featured a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 10.2-inch digital instrument panel. Physical shortcut buttons were replaced with customizable on-screen shortcuts. The system was responsive and easy to use, with legible graphics and large tiles. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, though the wireless phone charger required an upgrade to the EX-L trim. The Pilot retained unique features like multiple camera angles and the Cabin Talk intercom system.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering advanced driving assistance systems like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. It also included lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist. Additional features included a road sign reader, automatic high-beam headlights, and Predictive Driving Assist. The Land Cruiser received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with five stars in side-impact testing and three stars in rollover resistance.

The 2026 Honda Pilot's crash test scores were not available, but it was expected to perform similarly to the 2025 model, which received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. The Honda Sensing suite included forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and more. The safety features generally worked well, though the forward collision warning was slightly sensitive.