2025 Toyota SUVs: What’s new with RAV4, Highlander, 4Runner and Crown Signia
Toyota picks up another fancy-looking midsize hybrid SUV to replace the model the carmaker is losing this year. Also, an off-road icon scores a long-overdue redesign. There are a few new trim levels across the lineup, including a new Nightshade model. Dive in to see what’s new with every 2025 Toyota SUV.
2025 Toyota Corolla Cross: What’s new
Considering the Corolla Cross made its debut for 2022, this small SUV should receive a midcycle face-lift soon. Whether that will arrive this year or next remains to be seen. Last year’s model picked up a standard roof rack, HomeLink universal garage door opener in the rearview mirror, carpeted floormats and a new Nightshade Edition. Wireless charging was also updated for the 2024 Corolla Cross Hybrid SE and XSE grades.
2025 Toyota Corolla Cross pros and cons
Pros
- Great price
- Available as a hybrid
- Spacious cargo area
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Cons
- Unrefined base engine
- Average driving dynamics
- Nondescript exterior styling
2025 Toyota RAV4: What’s new
With a new RAV4 imminent, this year’s update is on the light side. TRD Off-Road and Adventure trim levels have been discontinued from the gas lineup of the compact Toyota SUV, leaving Woodland, LE, XLE, XSE and Limited grades. Toyota also nixes the “Prime” language from the plug-in hybrid variant’s name and now just calls it the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid, or PHEV. Finally, the company does away with the blue-accented Toyota badges that came on hybrid models.
2025 Toyota RAV4 pros and cons
Pros
- Three available powertrains
- Spacious cargo hold
- Good safety ratings and features
Cons
- Uninspiring driving dynamics
- Noisy cabin
- Maybe wait for the next-generation RAV4
2025 Toyota Highlander: What’s new
Toyota marks a quarter century of the Highlander with a 25th Anniversary Edition model this year that features a special body kit and badges and comes in either Heavy Metal or Wind Chill Pearl. The former exterior paint color is now also available for XLE, Limited and Platinum trim levels of the gas model and hybrid variant of the three-row SUV. All 2025 Highlander Hybrids also receive standard AWD.
The athletic-aspiring Highlander XSE AWD now comes in default Sport drive mode and is offered with a Cement exterior. Configurations not returning this year include gas FWD versions of the XSE and Platinum, and LE and LE Nightshade versions of the hybrid. Finally, the Highlander’s Moondust exterior and Harvest Beige interior have been retired.
2025 Toyota Highlander pros and cons
Pros
- Clever cabin packaging
- Fuel-sipping hybrid powertrain
- Available with a large touchscreen
Cons
- Small third row
- Loud engine
- Sometimes bouncy ride
2025 Toyota 4Runner: What’s new
With the outgoing generation in production some 15 model years, it was past time for a new 4Runner, which is what Toyota gave us this year. The new version of the iconic off-road SUV uses the same global truck platform that underpins the recently redesigned Tacoma and features many elements of the pickup’s agreeable interior. The 4Runner’s exterior has also been heavily revised, and there are now two inline-four powertrains to choose from that include a more efficient hybrid.
It's not a 4Runner without more capable trim levels, and the redesigned model has a few, namely the TRD Off-Road, TRD Off-Road Premium, TRD Pro and new Trailhunter overlanding model. Off-road upgrades on offer include various traction control systems, suspensions, exterior lighting and an available stabilizer bar disconnect mechanism. Further tech improvements come in the form of an available 14.0-inch touchscreen and significant Toyota Safety Sense modernization. Even the ute’s distinct roll-down rear window has been confirmed. We look forward to getting behind the wheel of Toyota’s massively updated off-roader.
2025 Toyota 4Runner pros and cons
Pros
- Several off-road trim levels
- Offered with a hybrid powertrain
- Huge new available screen
Cons
- Third row probably still small
- Cabin too much like the Tacoma?
2025 Toyota bZ4X: What’s new
Changes to Toyota’s only all-electric SUV should be minor this year. It’s possible the bZ4X will receive new paint colors or trim levels. Last year’s bZ4X gained charging improvements, and the XLE and Limited grades scored additional convenience features.
2025 Toyota bZ4X pros and cons
Pros
- Strong powertrain options
- Good forward visibility
- Available with AWD
- Plenty of tech
Cons
- Range isn’t great
- Absence of one-pedal driving
- Awkward cabin layout
2025 Toyota Grand Highlander: What’s new
Toyota adds a more affordable entry-level LE trim level to the Grand Highlander gas and hybrid lineups. The midsize three-row Toyota SUV also gains its own Nightshade Edition built on the Limited model. All Grand Highlanders with the seven-seat configuration receive a standard removable second-row center console.
The remaining changes this year involve exterior paint, with Cement being added to the exterior palette of the Nightshade and Hybrid Max models. Heavy Metal premium paint is newly available for Limited (excluding Nightshade) and Hybrid Max variants. Celestial Silver Metallic has been discontinued on the Limited and Platinum grades, and Coastal Cream has been retired across the range.
2025 Toyota Grand Highlander pros and cons
Pros
- Gas and hybrid powertrains
- Bigger third row than standard Highlander
- Plethora of USB ports and cupholders
- Compliant suspension
Cons
- Forgettable driving experience
- Unimpressive interior materials
- Uninspired exterior styling
2025 Toyota Crown Signia: What’s new
The Crown Signia is effectively a Venza replacement, and we received something of a preview when its sedan counterpart made its debut last year. Both come on the same high-riding platform, but instead of two available powertrains, the new SUV gets only the Crown’s base setup. This consists of a 2.5-liter inline-four, front and rear electric motors for standard AWD, and a CVT automatic. In the Signia, this hybrid powertrain makes up to 243 hp, 7 hp more than the sedan with the same powertrain, and returns solid fuel economy of 39/37 mpg city/highway. Driving dynamics are more comfort-oriented, but the crossover does have some spiciness.
Like the car, the Crown Signia SUV leans premium. Standard features include 12.3-inch gauge cluster and infotainment touchscreen displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, hands-free liftgate, heated power-adjustable first-row seats, heated steering wheel and the latest version of Toyota Safety Sense, the automaker’s suite of driver assists. Ventilated front seats, rear heated seats, 11-speaker JBL audio and a digital rearview mirror are also available. The Signia’s cargo capacity slots somewhere between those of the Corolla Cross and RAV4.
2025 Toyota Crown Signia pros and cons
Pros
- Lovely wagon exterior styling
- Good fuel economy
- Roomy rear seat
Cons
- Weird groaning at full throttle
- Watch your head upon entering
- Small cargo hold
2025 Toyota Land Cruiser: What’s new
The Land Cruiser premium off-roader returned for 2024 after a couple years off the market. As such, the next-generation Toyota SUV scores very few changes this year. A monotone Heritage Blue paint is a new exterior option. Toyota also discontinues the First Edition trim this year.
2025 Toyota Land Cruiser pros and cons
Pros
- Abundance of trail-tuned equipment
- Two differently styled front ends
- Latest technology and driver assists
Cons
- Not offered with a third row
- Tire noise in cabin
- Not as cool as the Lexus GX?
2025 Toyota Sequoia: What’s new
The biggest SUV you can buy from Toyota is offered in a new 1794 trim for 2025. This Sequoia, in addition to the Platinum and Capstone models, is newly standard with massaging front seats. The full-size SUV’s Tow Tech package now includes an antenna and Wi-Fi trailer camera. There are two paint updates: The TRD Pro is offered in a new Mudbath color, and Solar Octane has been discontinued from the entire Sequoia lineup.
2025 Toyota Sequoia pros and cons
Pros
- Efficient hybrid powertrain
- Trucky-looking exterior
- Smooth third-row access
Cons
- Slow powertrain responses
- Busy ride on pavement
- Cabin not premium enough
Toyota Venza: Discontinued
For a second time, we bid farewell to the Toyota Venza. The midsize SUV was originally sold from the 2009 to 2017 model years as a gas offering with either an inline-four or V-6. Not long after, Toyota brought back the nameplate for 2021 on a hybrid-only crossover to address growing consumer demand for electrified vehicles. Both versions of the Venza were relatively stylish for their time, with the latter Venza marketed as a more luxurious alternative to the RAV4, but cargo space was small in both versions. We’d probably be more bummed about the Venza retiring if the more compelling Crown Signia wasn’t its successor, but here we are.
2025 Toyota SUVs:
- 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross: Minor update
- 2025 Toyota RAV4: Minor update
- 2025 Toyota Highlander: Minor update
- 2025 Toyota 4Runner: Redesigned
- 2025 Toyota bZ4X: Minor update
- 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander: Minor update
- 2025 Toyota Crown Signia: All-new model
- 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser: Minor update
- 2025 Toyota Sequoia: Minor update
- Toyota Venza: Discontinued
Photos by MotorTrend staff, manufacturer
