Comparison of Toyota Land Cruiser with its Competitors

Abu Dhabi : The general shape of the Toyota Land Cruiser as we know today came into existence in the 1980s with the J60 series. The design evolved over the years as the J80 and the highly-acclaimed J100 were introduced, leading to the J200. The latter two were hugely successful in the UAE, among other GCC nations.

However, Toyota knew that it had to act fast to keep its prized nameplate relevant in a quickly changing market. The auto giant answered by launching the all-new Land Cruiser J300 – incorporating important changes and updates over the J200. Despite being draped in a veil of modernity, the J300 is still a body-on-frame SUV capable of dune-bashing at a moment’s notice.

While it’s arguably the best Land Cruiser yet, its competitors aren’t ones to be trifled with. There’s the American luxury nemesis in the form of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. The other American is muscular and strong-hearted, the Dodge Durango. The biggest threat to the Toyota Land Cruiser, however, is the new Nissan Patrol. Let’s see how these cars compare.

Price Comparison

1. The Toyota Land Cruiser has always been one of the most expensive models in its segment. The Land Cruiser J300 starts at AED 238,900 in the UAE, with the range-topping variant coming in at AED 412,900. There are 7 variants of the new Land Cruiser sold in the UAE, and they are as follows:

•       4.0L EXR – AED 238,900
•       4.0L Black Edition – AED 254,900
•       4.0L GXR – AED 269,900
•       4.0L VXR – AED 310,900
•       3.5L GXR – AED 329,900
•       3.5L VXR – AED 377,900
•       3.5L GR-Sport – AED 412,900

2. There are 9 variants of the new Nissan Patrol on sale right now in the UAE. The 2025 Patrol costs from AED 239,900 to AED 388,900, where its top variant costs less than the Land Cruiser equivalent. The variants on offer are as follows:

•       3.8L XE – AED 239,900
•       3.8L SE T2 – AED 258,900
•       3.8L SE Titanium – AED 293,900
•       3.8L SE Platinum City – AED 322,900
•       3.5L LE T1 – AED 297,900
•       3.5L LE T2 – AED 321,900
•       3.5L LE Titanium – AED 347,900
•       3.5L LE Titanium+ – AED 359,900
•       3.5L LE Platinum City – AED 388,900

3. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is a long-standing American icon. Jeep recently updated the Grand Cherokee, and there are at least 2 distinct variants on sale in the UAE. The variant details of these are as follows:

•       3.6L Limited – AED 239,999
•       3.6L Overland – AED 279,999

4. The oldest car here, the Dodge Durango steadfastly maintains its ‘muscle car on stilts’ persona. There are 3 variants of the Durango for UAE customers, which are as follows:

•       GT Premium RWD – AED 199,900
•       R/T Premium AWD – AED 219,900
•       SRT Hellcat Premium AWD – AED 414,900

Dimensions Comparison

Dimensions	Toyota Land Cruiser (J300)	Nissan Patrol	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Dodge Durango
Length	5,115 mm	5,350 mm	4,915 mm	5,105 mm
Width	1,980 mm	2,030 mm	1,969 mm	1,940 mm
Height	Up to 1,920 mm	Up to 1,955 mm	Up to 1,801 mm	Up to 1,851 mm
Wheelbase	2,850 mm	3,075 mm	2,964 mm	3,042 mm
Weight	Up to 2,520 kg	Up to 2,813 kg	Up to 2,288 kg	Up to 2,590 kg
Fuel capacity	110 liters	97 liters	87 liters	93 liters
Boot capacity	621 liters (appx.)	550 liters (appx.)	1,068 liters (appx.)	487 liters (appx.)
Wheel size	Up to 20 inches	Up to 22 inches	Up to 20 inches	Up to 20 inches

The Land Cruiser has a shorter overall length than the Patrol, while its wheelbase is shorter than all its competitors. Its minimum boot space is better than most of its rivals, with its fuel tank holding the maximum amount of petrol here. The new Patrol boasts the longest body and wheelbase.

The Patrol is also the heaviest car here and features 22-inch wheels – the largest size available here. Its huge dimensions make others take notice of the Patrol (and the Land Cruiser too), but that novelty comes at a price. Driving the Toyota and the Nissan within urban sprawl can get bothersome if you need to make tight U-turns.

Compared to the Land Cruiser, the new Grand Cherokee amalgamates an upmarket appearance with the Jeep brand’s rugged charm. It’s shorter in length and height than the others whilst being the least bulky as well. The Jeep’s wheelbase is respectable for its size, and its luggage capacity is arguably the best here.

The Arnold Schwarzenegger of the bunch, the Durango’s muscular appearance goes well with its ‘do not mess with me’ attitude. While it doesn’t have the most cavernous boot here, the Durango is fairly large and squared off from all sides. Unlike the more traditional Japanese 4x4s, the American SUVs are based on monocoque platforms.

Drivetrain and Performance Comparison

Specs	Toyota Land Cruiser	Nissan Patrol	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Dodge Durango
Engine	4.0-liter NA V6/3.5-liter twin-turbo V6	3.8-liter NA V6/3.5-liter twin-turbo V6	3.6-liter NA V6	3.6-liter NA V6/5.7-liter NA V8/6.2-liter supercharged V8
Gearbox	6-speed AT/10-speed AT	9-speed AT	8-speed AT	8-speed AT
Drive System	4WD	4WD	AWD	RWD/AWD
Power	271 hp/409 hp	316 hp/425 hp	293 hp	295 hp/360 hp/710 hp
Torque	385 Nm/650 Nm	386 Nm/700 Nm	353 Nm	353 Nm/529 Nm/875 Nm
Mileage	9.4 kmpl/9.3 kmpl	9.7 kmpl/10.1 kmpl	8.9 kmpl	9.3 kmpl/7.2 kmpl/5.9 kmpl
Top Speed	180 kmph/190 kmph	185 kmph/200 kmph	190 kmph	190 kmph/250 kmph/290 kmph
0-100 kmph	10 sec/8 sec	9 sec/7 sec	8.5 seconds (appx.)	7.7 sec/6.5 sec/3.7 sec

The Land Cruiser’s six-cylinder engines are capable and smooth, no matter what you throw at them. What they are not are punchy and won’t be setting any segment-topping performance benchmarks. The case is different when we bring in the Patrol. Its six-cylinder engines are comparatively more powerful and just as smooth (and more refined) than the Land Cruiser’s.

While both the Toyota and Nissan are very capable off-road, the Patrol still drives better on-road. It takes corners without feeling its weight and is more efficient as well. On the other hand, you’re likely to headbutt dunes harder when driving the Land Cruiser. The Grand Cherokee’s V6 produces less power than its competitors and isn’t a speed demon either.

It’s undeniably smooth and easygoing, not feeling stressed or sounding coarse at any point. The Grand Cherokee is reasonably quick, courtesy of its low mass and agile suspension. This also means that it rides well over uneven or broken tarmac without much complaint. While the Grand Cherokee can traverse rough trails and do some light off-roading, it’s nowhere near as rugged as the Japanese duo.

Some of the Durango’s most impressive ingredients are its two V8 engines, especially the screeching supercharged soul of an eight-cylinder. In a world rapidly being taken over by electric assistance, this old-school V8 is representative of a giant middle finger. The Durango SRT Hellcat is the fastest and most brutal SUV here, bar none.

Features Comparison

Exterior Features	Toyota Land Cruiser	Nissan Patrol	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Dodge Durango
Automatic LED headlights	Yes (w/ auto high-beam & washers)	Yes (w/ auto high-beam)	Yes (w/ auto high-beam	Yes (w/ auto high-beam
LED DRLs	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
LED foglights	Yes	Yes	Yes (front & rear)	No
Puddle lamps	No	Yes	No	No
Powered & auto-folding	Yes (w/ auto-dimming)	Yes	Yes (w/ auto-dimming)	Yes
Keyless entry	Yes (w/ remote engine start)	Yes (w/ remote engine start)	Yes (w/ remote engine start)	Yes
Powered tailgate	Yes (motion-sensing)	Yes (motion-sensing)	Yes (hands-free)	Yes
Rain-sensing wipers	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Roof bars	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Tow hooks	Yes	Yes	Yes	Available
Two-tone paint	No	Yes	Yes	No
Adaptive dampers	Yes (w/ optional lift kit)	Yes (w/ air suspension)	No	Yes (w/ optional Bilstein active dampers)

Interior Technologies	Toyota Land Cruiser	Nissan Patrol	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Dodge Durango
Push-button start	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Electric sunroof	Yes	Yes (panoramic)	Yes (panoramic)	Yes
Digital driver’s display	No (7-inch color MID)	Yes (12.3-inch)	Yes (10.25-inch)	No (digital MID)
Touchscreen infotainment	Yes (12.3-inch)	Yes (12.3-inch)	Yes (10.1-inch)	Yes (10.1-inch)
Wireless charger	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Apple CarPlay & Android Auto	Yes	Yes (wireless)	Yes (wireless)	Yes (wireless)
Connected car technology	Yes (Toyota Connect App)	Yes (MyNissan App & Google built-in)	No	No
Paddle shifters	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sound system	Yes (14-speaker JBL premium audio)	Yes (12-speaker Klipsch premium audio)	Yes (9-speaker Alpine premium audio)	Yes (19-speaker Harman/Kardon premium audio)
Rear-seat entertainment	Yes (dual 11-inch displays w/ headphones)	Yes (dual 12.8-inch displays)	No	No

Comfort Offerings	Toyota Land Cruiser	Nissan Patrol	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Dodge Durango
Leather upholstery	Yes (premium leather)	Yes (quilted leather)	Yes (Nappa leather)	Yes (Laguna leather w/ red belts)
Powered front seats	Yes (w/ power lumbar & memory)	Yes (w/ power lumbar & memory)	Yes (w/ power lumbar & memory)	Yes (w/ power lumbar & memory)
Ventilated and/or heated seats	Yes (first & second-row)	Yes (front only)	Yes (front only)	Yes (front only)
Massaging seats	No	Yes (front only)	No	No
Power-folding rear seats	Yes (third-row)	Yes (second & third-row)	No	No
Automatic climate control	Yes (four-zone)	Yes (three-zone)	Yes (four-zone)	Yes (three-zone)
LED mood lighting	No	Yes (64-color)	Yes (multi-color)	No
Active noise cancelling	No	No	Yes	No
Electrically-adjustable steering column	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Cool box	No	Yes	No	No

Safety Systems	Toyota Land Cruiser	Nissan Patrol	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Dodge Durango
Adaptive cruise control	Yes (w/ collision warning & Crawl Control)	Yes (w/ collision warning)	Yes (w/ collision warning)	Yes (w/ collision warning)
Automatic-emergency braking	Yes (front only)	Yes (front & rear)	Yes (front only)	Yes (front only)
Lane-departure warning	Yes (w/ LTA)	Yes (w/ LDP & LKA)	Yes (w/ LKA)	Yes (w/ LKA)
Blind-spot warning	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (w/ Trailer Tow Detection)
Cross-traffic alert	Yes (rear only)	Yes (front & rear)	Yes (rear only)	Yes (rear only)
Tire-pressure monitoring	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Surround-view cameras	Yes (w/ 3D Multi-Terrain Monitor)	Yes (w/ Invisible Hood View)	Yes (w/ rear camera washer)	No
Airbags	Yes (7)	Yes (7)	Yes (6)	Yes (6)
Head-up display	Yes	Yes	Yes + Night Vision	No
Trailer-sway control	No	No	Yes	No
Driver-attention alert	No	Yes	No	No
Differential lock	Yes (center & rear)	Yes (rear only)	No	No (but w/ LSD)
Hill-descent control	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

Conclusion

The new Toyota Land Cruiser J300 is the nameplate’s up-to-date iteration. There are meaningful updates here that make this LC instantly attractive for long-standing Land Cruiser fans. However, if you’re looking for a more practical and comfortable everyday 4x4, your best bet is likely to be the Nissan Patrol. It’s faster, more luxurious, slightly more efficient, and larger!

On the other hand, you’ve the American competition. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is great if you don’t want a tough off-roader adapted for the road. It drives well and has a feature-rich and comfortable cabin with plenty of space for the family. Get the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat if you want a boost of testosterone every day.