Honda's practical small crossover nails reliability and space but stumbles badly on power. The 158hp naturally-aspirated engine takes 9-11 seconds to hit 60mph, genuinely slow for 2024, making highway merging stressful and passing maneuvers require serious planning. You'll floor it constantly and the CVT will scream in protest. The real frustration: Honda sells a hybrid HR-V globally with better power and 40+ mpg but won't bring it stateside, leaving U.S. buyers with the slowest option while Toyota's Corolla Cross Hybrid dominates. If you drive mostly city streets and value Honda's bulletproof reliability over any sense of urgency, it's sensible transportation that'll run forever. Daily highway commuters or anyone at elevation should test-drive first or spend the extra $3k on a CR-V.
The Land Cruiser built a bulletproof reputation over forty years, but the 2024 reboot trades the proven V8 for an unproven turbo hybrid that accelerates poorly and handles like a boat on pavement, brake squealing and body roll are expert-confirmed. The $60,000 base trim delivers cloth seats and minimal features, a value proposition that's hard to defend when the legendary durability you're paying for hasn't been proven yet on this generation. Buy it if you need genuine off-road capability and trust the nameplate enough to bet on it; skip it if you want a refined daily driver or need third-row seating.