Compare the2022 Infiniti QX50VS 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX50 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The Infiniti QX50 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the QX50 and the Highlander Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive 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 QX50 is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	QX50	Highlander Hybrid
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	236	292
Neck Injury Risk	26%	38.2%
Neck Stress	245 lbs.	347 lbs.
Neck Compression	42 lbs.	55 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	155/130 lbs.	321/243 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Stress	161 lbs.	179 lbs.
Neck Compression	48 lbs.	90 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 QX50 is safer than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	QX50	Highlander Hybrid
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	114
Spine Acceleration	25 G’s	37 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	333	366
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	339 lbs.	664 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the QX50 is .9% to 2.2% less likely to roll over than the Highlander Hybrid.

Warranty

The QX50 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Highlander Hybrid’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 24,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the QX50 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Toyota covers the Highlander Hybrid. 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 Hybrid ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The QX50’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Highlander Hybrid’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Engine

The QX50’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (268 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Infiniti QX50 is faster than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

	QX50	Highlander Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.6 MPH	85.6 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

The QX50 stops much shorter than the Highlander Hybrid:

	QX50	Highlander Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	130 feet	153 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the QX50’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Highlander Hybrid (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The QX50’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander Hybrid LE/XLE/Bronze’s standard 65 series tires. The QX50’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX50 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Highlander Hybrid LE/XLE/Bronze.

The QX50 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The QX50 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 Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The QX50 Essential AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The QX50 Essential AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the QX50’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Highlander Hybrid’s (36.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the QX50 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Highlander Hybrid (8.6 vs. 8 inches), allowing the QX50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Infiniti QX50 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 500 pounds less than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

The QX50 is 10.2 inches shorter than the Highlander Hybrid, making the QX50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The QX50 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The front step up height for the QX50 is 1.8 inches lower than the Highlander Hybrid (17.2” vs. 19”). The QX50’s rear step up height is 1.5 inches lower than the Highlander Hybrid’s (17.7” vs. 19.2”).

Cargo Capacity

The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander Hybrid with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 16 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the QX50 easier. The QX50’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26.6 inches, while the Highlander Hybrid’s liftover is 31.2 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the QX50’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The QX50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Highlander Hybrid 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 third in service department satisfaction. With a 41% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

Ergonomics

The QX50 (except Pure/Luxe)’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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The QX50’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 Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.