Compare the2019 Infiniti QX60VS 2019 Toyota Highlander

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The QX60 Luxe’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Highlander doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front, middle and rear seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX60 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 Toyota Highlander doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The QX60 Luxe offers an optional Backup Collision Intervention that use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Highlander doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Compared to metal, the QX60’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Toyota Highlander has a metal gas tank.

Both the QX60 and the Highlander have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all-wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Infiniti QX60 is safer than the Toyota Highlander:

	QX60	Highlander
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	42%	47%
Neck Stress	464 lbs.	509 lbs.
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	73 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	248	291
Neck Stress	137 lbs.	219 lbs.
Neck Compression	44 lbs.	55 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Infiniti QX60 is safer than the Toyota Highlander:

	QX60	Highlander
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	111
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	41 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	338	372
Spine Acceleration	42 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	661 lbs.	829 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The QX60 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Highlander’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year and 24,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the QX60 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Highlander. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Highlander ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The QX60’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Highlander’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 14th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 8th.

Engine

The QX60’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 110 more horsepower (295 vs. 185) and 86 lbs.-ft. more torque (270 vs. 184) than the Highlander’s standard 2.7 DOHC 4 cyl. The QX60’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 7 lbs.-ft. more torque (270 vs. 263) than the Highlander’s optional 3.5 DOHC V6.

Transmission

The QX60 has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Highlander doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The QX60’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Highlander are solid, not vented.

The QX60 stops much shorter than the Highlander:

	QX60	Highlander
70 to 0 MPH	181 feet	186 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	143 feet	146 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX60 Luxe offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Highlander’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The QX60 has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Highlander doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the QX60’s wheelbase is 4.4 inches longer than on the Highlander (114.2 inches vs. 109.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the QX60 is 1.3 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Highlander.

Chassis

The design of the Infiniti QX60 amounts to more than styling. The QX60 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the Highlander (.33 to .34) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the QX60 get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The QX60 has 4.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Highlander (149 vs. 144.9).

The QX60 has 1 inch more front shoulder room, 3.3 inches more rear legroom, .8 inches more rear shoulder room, .6 inches more third row headroom, 3.1 inches more third row legroom and 2.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Highlander.

The front step up height for the QX60 is 1.1 inches lower than the Highlander (18.2” vs. 19.3”). The QX60’s rear step up height is .8 inches lower than the Highlander’s (18.7” vs. 19.5”).

Cargo Capacity

The QX60’s cargo area provides more volume than the Highlander.

	QX60	Highlander
Behind Third Seat	16 cubic feet	13.8 cubic feet

The QX60 has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Highlander doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Pressing a switch automatically raises the QX60’s optional third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Highlander doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the QX60 Luxe’s available liftgate can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Highlander doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The QX60’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Highlander’s (5000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The QX60 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Highlander uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti first in service department satisfaction. With a 49% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 17th.

Ergonomics

The QX60 offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Highlander doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The QX60 Luxe’s standard 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 Highlander doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The QX60’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Highlander’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the QX60 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Highlander can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The QX60’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Highlander’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

When the QX60 Luxe is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Highlander’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The QX60 Luxe offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Highlander offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The QX60 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Highlander.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the QX60 is less expensive to operate than the Highlander because typical repairs cost much less on the QX60 than the Highlander, including $12 less for a water pump, $17 less for a starter, $38 less for fuel injection, $85 less for a fuel pump and $687 less for a timing belt/chain.

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