Nissan Pathfinder vs Toyota Land Cruiser

2026 Nissan Pathfinder vs 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser — two standard SUVs compared on efficiency, size, safety and reliability.

Nissan Pathfinder

2026 Nissan Pathfinder

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WDAWD/4WD
VS4 – 2Nissan Pathfinder wins 4 of 6 categories
Toyota Land Cruiser

2026 Toyota Land Cruiser

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WDAWD/4WDHybrid/EV

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The short version

That works out to about $650 a year less in fuel for the Nissan Pathfinder (EPA estimate, 15,000 miles).

Across all model years since 2005, the Toyota Land Cruiser has had fewer recall campaigns (18 vs 35).

The two cars

The 2026 Nissan Pathfinder is a standard SUV offered with a 3.5L 6-cyl engine and front-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive. It measures about 197 inches long and 78 inches wide on a 114-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,478 lb (S/Sv 4dr SUV).

The 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser is a standard SUV offered with a 2.4L 4-cyl turbo engine, including a hybrid version and 4-wheel drive. It measures about 197 inches long and 78 inches wide on a 112-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 5,038 lb.

Buying used? The 2020 Pathfinder and the 2020 Land Cruiser have the fewest problems in our data; avoid the 2015 Pathfinder and the 2024 Land Cruiser.

Basics

Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Class
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Regular Gasoline, Premium Gasoline
Fuel
Hybrid
3.5L 6-cyl
Engines
2.4L 4-cyl turbo
Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive
Drivetrain
4-Wheel Drive

Efficiency

23 MPG
Best combined MPG
23 MPG
21 city
City / highway MPG (best)
22 city
$2,900
Fuel cost per year (EPA)
$3,550

Performance & space

284 hp
Horsepower (most powerful)
278 hp
8
Seats (most)
5
197.2 in
Length
196.5 in
78 in
Width
78 in
70.9 in
Height
76 in
4,478 lb
Curb weight (lightest)
5,038 lb

Safety & reliability

15
Driver-assist features standard
12
0
Recalls (2026)
1
35
Recalls, all years since 2005
18
15
Owner complaints (latest year)
7

Interest

15,472
Wikipedia views, 30 days
61,214

Buying used

Best used year
Year to avoid

Green = clearly better. Prices are not included. How we calculate this →

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Nissan Pathfinder if…

  • You need more seats (8 vs 5)
  • You want more standard driver-assist tech

Choose the Toyota Land Cruiser if…

  • You want a hybrid or electric option
  • You put reliability history first (18 vs 35 recalls since 2005)

Pros & cons of each

2026 Nissan Pathfinder

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Seats up to 83 rows of seating.
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.

2026 Toyota Land Cruiser

  • Excellent fuel economyUp to 23 MPG combined — 15% better than the average 2026 standard SUV (20 MPG).
  • Hybrid version availableOffered as a hybrid as well as gas.
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • Premium fuel requiredEvery gasoline version is rated for premium, which raises running costs.

Full 2026 Nissan Pathfinder specs →Full 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser specs →Compare fuel costs for your driving →Compare size & garage fit →