Compare the2024 Toyota Land CruiserVS 2024 BMW X3

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Land Cruiser have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Land Cruiser are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Land Cruiser are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Land Cruiser. But it costs extra on the X3.

Both the Land Cruiser and X3 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Land Cruiser has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The X3’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Land Cruiser and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Toyota Land Cruiser weighs 646 to 959 pounds more than the BMW X3. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the Land Cruiser 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Toyota dealers as there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Land Cruiser’s warranty.

The battery on the Land Cruiser is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Land Cruiser’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The X3’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, BMW is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. BMW is ranked 9th.

The Land Cruiser’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 78 more horsepower (326 vs. 248) and 207 lbs.-ft. more torque (465 vs. 258) than the X3 s/xDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Land Cruiser’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (465 vs. 369) than the X3 M40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Land Cruiser uses regular unleaded gasoline. The X3 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

For better stopping power the Land Cruiser’s standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the X3:

The Land Cruiser stops much shorter than the X3:

For better traction, the Land Cruiser’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X3 (265/60R20 vs. 245/45R20).

The Toyota Land Cruiser’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The BMW X3 only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Land Cruiser has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the X3; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

The Land Cruiser (except 1958) has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The X3 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Land Cruiser is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X3.

For greater off-road capability the Land Cruiser has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X3 (8.7 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Land Cruiser to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Land Cruiser is quieter than the X3 M40i xDrive:

The Land Cruiser has .9 inches more front shoulder room and 3.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

The Land Cruiser has a much larger cargo volume than the X3 with its rear seat up (37.5 vs. 28.7 cubic feet).

The Land Cruiser’s cargo area is larger than the X3’s in almost every dimension:

The Land Cruiser’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The X3’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Land Cruiser’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X3’s (6000 vs. 4400 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Land Cruiser uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X3 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Land Cruiser (except 1958)’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Land Cruiser’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The X3 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Land Cruiser’s standard Smart Key System allow you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Comfort Go standard on the X3 only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Land Cruiser has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X3 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Land Cruiser has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the X3.

The Land Cruiser has a 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.