2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Owner Says “The Hybrid Gets Worse MPG Than My Hemi” After 500 Miles, But Praises the Ride, Handling, and Tech as “Worth the Switch” from His Ram 1500

The Land Cruiser legend was forged in rough country and refined on long horizons. Since the early FJ days, it has been the anvil where Toyota hammered out durability and trust. The newest 250 series returns to North America lean in proportion and rich in purpose, trading cylinder count for calibration, and spectacle for substance. 

The question now is not whether it honors the badge, but how it translates that hard-won heritage into modern traffic, modern trails, and modern expectations.

"Just had a 500-mile run on my new LC. I went with a 2022 Ram 1500 Backcountry and came back with the 2025 LC without the premium package. Overall, I’m happy with the switch.

Most of the tech feels like a real upgrade. The 360 camera and transparent undercarriage make parking a total breeze. Safety Sense 3.0 is far more sophisticated than Safety Sense 2.0 on my wife’s 2022 Sienna, and the blind spot monitor finally comes with a beep sound. The 2.4T i-Force Max feels adequate for most occasions, from 45 mph local roads to 80 mph highway driving. There are no more Hemi “vroom vroom” moments, but I can live with that.

The suspension tuning is fantastic, with very little body roll for its size and height. The steering is precise, light at low speeds, and solid on the highway. The OEM Michelin LTX Trail tires are quiet, comfortable, and perform flawlessly in heavy rain. Ride quality is good for a truck-based, body-on-frame off-roader. There is some wind noise on the highway, but it’s very bearable.

The SofTex seats are solid as usual. The kids have already stained them a few times, but everything wipes right off. The seats could use a bit more cushioning, but overall they’re comfortable. The air conditioner is ice cold and reminds me of the AC in my dad’s old VW Jetta when I was a kid. All the controls are physical buttons with no touchscreen nonsense, which I love. The standard audio system is surprisingly good, which was one of my biggest concerns. It feels a bit small inside, but my wife thinks it has more hidden legroom than it appears. The pop-up rear window is great, and the full-time 4WD gives extra confidence on long road trips. Daytona Toyota also offered a free lifetime powertrain warranty that covers the hybrid system, and it’s Toyota-backed, so it can be used at any dealership, at least according to the finance manager.

The ventilated seats are disappointing, especially around the lower back. I don’t think that area is ventilated at all, and the same goes for the passenger side. Gas mileage is poor so far. My Hemi truck averaged 22 mpg on the way there, and the LC only managed 20 mpg on the return trip. I don’t care much about mileage, but it’s odd that a 2.4T hybrid burns more gas than a 5.7 Hemi. The small gas tank makes it worse. The front hood also shakes at highway speeds, and I’ve heard the GX550 has the same issue.

I miss the storage space and the number of cup holders in my Ram. There’s no sunglass compartment, the center storage is tiny, and although there are a few hidden compartments, my tools, recovery ropes, air compressor, and other gear filled them up quickly. There are two cup holders in the trunk that the kids can’t reach, and the inverter plug is back there, too, so it’s not usable for passengers while driving. I had to use it to charge my phone with a wall charger. The area where my left leg rests is hard plastic, while the right side is padded but out of reach. The side mirrors look big but feel small, and the blind spot area is huge. The rear seats don’t fold flat like in other SUVs. I haven’t seen a Toyota with seats that fold completely flat since my wife’s 2004 Matrix back in college, which I loved. I’ll probably need an aftermarket fix to make it camping-ready.

Overall, there are far more pros than cons, and I’ve been very nitpicky. Since I don’t do much heavy truck work anyway, and after all the bad luck with my Ram, which was in two accidents, not my fault, and spent seven months in the body shop out of 34 total months of ownership, this change feels well justified. Surprisingly, this more expensive vehicle even lowered my insurance premiums.

I’d give the LC a solid 9 out of 10. If there were a fix for the small gas tank, it would easily be a 9.5. I’m happy to be back to an all-Toyota setup."

It is a field report from someone who walked into a dealership in a Ram 1500 and drove home in a Land Cruiser, then measured the honeymoon over 500 mixed miles. The powertrain trade is the headline. The i-Force Max hybrid does not rumble like a Hemi, yet it delivers measured thrust and quiet confidence from 45 to 80. Highway composure is the surprise. Several shoppers have worried about floating on long straights. Ryan Marley noted that concern, then found reassurance in the owner’s take. The key is expectation management. This is a tall, body-on-frame tool that turns in with more precision than its stance suggests, and it tracks with the kind of calm that keeps families talking rather than bracing.

Toyota Land Cruiser: What It’s Made For 

• This vehicle tackles rocky trails and muddy inclines with a composed confidence that makes challenging terrain feel routine, yet it transitions to highway cruising with surprising refinement for such a capable off-roader
• The build quality is immediately apparent, doors close with a vault-like solidity, and after years of ownership, interior materials show minimal wear, even with heavy family use and outdoor adventures
• Cargo space is genuinely cavernous with the third row folded, easily swallowing camping gear, sports equipment, and luggage for extended trips without playing tetris with your belongings
• The legendary reliability reputation isn't just marketing hype; routine maintenance is straightforward, and the mechanical simplicity means fewer unexpected shop visits compared to more complex luxury SUVs

The tech is where Toyota chose to spend its chips, and it shows. The 360 camera with a transparent undercarriage view converts parking lots and rock gardens into solvable puzzles. Safety Sense 3.0 behaves like a finished thought rather than a beta feature set. The blind spot monitor finally talks when it needs to. Most telling for enthusiasts, the cabin keeps its physical buttons. In a market addicted to nested menus, the Land Cruiser’s controls land under your fingers with the right click and resistance. That is not nostalgia. It is ergonomics done by people who expect gloves, vibration, and real-world attention spans.

Every legend carries a quirk or three. Early fuel economy did not flatter the hybrid on this owner’s loop. Twenty mpg against the Ram’s 22 on the way out raises eyebrows, and the modest tank stretches no legs. It is a data point, not a verdict. Hybrids often loosen up after break-in, and terrain, temperature, and load swing the numbers. What matters here is the owner’s context. He did not buy a Land Cruiser to sip fuel like a compact. He bought it to go anywhere, anytime, with a margin of safety and a reservoir of capability. On that score, the verdict reads clear. Ride quality is stout yet civil. Michelin LTX Trails hush the cabin in the rain. Wind noise exists, not as a flaw but as a reminder that this roofline is ready for crosswinds and crossbars.

Packaging is the place where Toyota feels most purposeful and least indulgent. Storage nooks are fewer than in the Ram. The inverter lives in the cargo area, where it serves camp life better than back-seat charging. The second row does not fold flat, which sparks real debate among owners who camp and haul. Here, the community earns its keep. Kenny Lee Lewis found a clean fix with a pair of inexpensive leveling mattresses, then demonstrated the hybrid’s quiet competence as a generator for a CPAP. That is the Land Cruiser ethos in miniature. Find a way. Make it work. Head for the trail.

The rear-seat issue resonates because it collides with daily utility. John Bettencourt called it a miss, and he is not wrong. Flat-folding seats turn an SUV into a box-swallowing mule. When a 2004 Matrix did it better, questions are fair. The counter is that Toyota chased seat comfort, structure, and hardware integrity. The result asks owners to meet the truck halfway with a simple kit. Given the platform’s mission, many will. The payoff is a cabin that feels solid, with Softex that shrugs off kids and an air conditioner that bites like a Jetta remembered from childhood.

Add it up, and the scorecard looks familiar. The Land Cruiser is not trying to out-lux a Lexus or cosplay as a sports wagon. It is a confident, compact-feeling, full-time 4WD tool that rewards good inputs and bad weather. It keeps its promises where it counts. The owner here calls it a nine out of ten, and that number aligns with the nameplate’s history. This is a vehicle you buy for the years after the new-car smell fades. You buy it because parking lots, state lines, and switchbacks all feel like home. You buy it because when it is time to go, you want to go without thinking twice.

Image Sources: Toyota Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.