From the moment the Land Cruiser arrived on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, we knew this wasn’t the bulky behemoth of Land Cruisers past. The 2025 version was more compact, more efficient, and in many ways, more refined, yet still maintaining that rugged personality that fans have loved for decades.

We were fortunate to have the Land Cruiser during a particularly eventful week that tested its towing strength, cargo capacity and everyday drivability — exactly what you want to put an SUV like this through.

Hybrid power, traditional strength

Under the hood, the 2025 Land Cruiser sported a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with Toyota’s i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain. This setup produced 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, more than enough grunt for towing, hauling and getting most anywhere no matter what the terrain would be. Power was delivered through an eight-speed automatic transmission, and Toyota’s full-time four-wheel-drive system with a center-locking differential comes standard.

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Even with all this power, the hybrid system brought surprising efficiency to the table. We averaged just over 24 mpg throughout the week — impressive considering how often we had the Land Cruiser loaded up with sound equipment and pulling trailers.

Towing duty in the real world

Our week kicked off with a big to do list: hauling a trailer up to Salt Lake City to pick up professional instruments and gear for a concert at the Spring Acres Arts Park amphitheater in Springville. With the trailer attached full of gear that even bled over with guitars and a keyboard in the back, the Land Cruiser didn’t flinch. The SUV handled the freeway with confidence, and the Trailer Brake Controller and available Tow/Haul mode made navigating the weight feel secure and predictable.

Later in the week, we had more equipment to deliver to the park for the big weekend show. Again, the Land Cruiser was the right vehicle for the job. We pulled an additional trailer full of a sound system, using the available backup camera with trailer guidance lines — an underrated feature when trying to get a trailer parked in just the right spot backstage at the amphitheater.

The powered rear liftgate and split tailgate configuration made it easy to load and unload gear. And when we weren’t hauling gear in a trailer, we took full advantage of the flat-folding rear seats to pack in multiple speaker cabinets, stands, cables and road cases for our Sunday in the Park event in Mapleton.

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It’s rare for one vehicle to be equally good at daily driving and concert prep — but the Land Cruiser handled both with ease.

Everyday comfort, with a hint of adventure

In the midst of all the heavy lifting, we still used the Land Cruiser as our daily driver for the week. Running errands around Springville, commuting into Provo and even enjoying an evening drive up Hobble Creek Canyon were all made more enjoyable thanks to the Land Cruiser’s balanced ride and smooth hybrid performance.

Inside, the cabin struck the perfect balance between rugged and refined. Our test model featured heated and ventilated SofTex-trimmed seats, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a new 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The screen is slightly smaller than what we’ve seen in some luxury SUVs, but the software was responsive and easy to navigate.

Storage compartments throughout the cabin were put to good use during our week. The deep center console that was cooled kept water cool, and the rear cargo area swallowed everything else we needed to bring to each event.

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One thing we particularly appreciated was how quiet the cabin stayed, even when towing. Toyota’s engineers have clearly spent time working on insulation and sound dampening. Whether on a conference call or just enjoying some music, the Land Cruiser’s interior remained calm and composed.

Designed for Utah’s backroads

While we didn’t do any hardcore off-roading during our week, we did take the Land Cruiser down a few dirt roads near Mapleton to scout some future event locations. The Multi-Terrain Select system, which adjusts throttle, steering and traction based on terrain, worked well on gravel and uneven surfaces. The available CRAWL Control and Downhill Assist Control features are designed for much more than we threw at it — but we wouldn’t hesitate to take this SUV up to our favorite trailheads or campsites around the state.

Ground clearance was a solid 8.7 inches, and with short overhangs, the Land Cruiser feels ready for adventure, even if its primary job in our case was concert logistics.

A new chapter for a legend

Craig Conover, Daily Herald

Toyota’s decision to bring back the Land Cruiser as a slightly smaller, hybrid-powered SUV was a smart one. It still has all the capability buyers expect from the Land Cruiser name but with a more modern twist that makes it approachable for everyday drivers and families.

Pricing starts in the mid-$50,000 range, making it more accessible than its Lexus GX cousin or even the outgoing Land Cruiser model. With standard safety features like Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 — including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert — the Land Cruiser is as safe as it is strong.

During our week together, we learned that the new Land Cruiser is more than just a nostalgic nameplate — it’s a capable workhorse that can play the part of a luxury commuter, a weekend trail runner, and yes, a concert crew MVP.

At the end of the week

Whether we were cruising around town or hauling gear for events, the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid proved to be up for the task. It gave us peace of mind while towing, plenty of space when hauling and a surprisingly smooth ride for day-to-day use. This is a vehicle that fits just as easily into a suburban driveway as it does at a mountain trailhead.

Base price: $61,470

Destination charge: $1,450

Price as driven: $70,164