Compare the2022 Toyota HighlanderVS 2022 Infiniti QX50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Highlander are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The QX50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Highlander has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The QX50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The QX50 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Highlander’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The QX50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Highlander and the QX50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Highlander	QX50
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	328	333
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	31%
Leg Forces (l/r)	545/323 lbs.	504/622 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 Toyota Highlander is safer than the Infiniti QX50:

	Highlander	QX50
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	98
Chest Movement	.3 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	79 lbs.	151 lbs.
Hip Force	300 lbs.	306 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	152 lbs.	227 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	17 inches

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The QX50 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Infiniti doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the QX50.

There are over 6 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Highlander’s reliability 37 points higher than the QX50.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander third among upper midsize suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The QX50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 13th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 21st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 39 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 23rd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in reliability. Infiniti is ranked 11th.

Engine

The Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 27 more horsepower (295 vs. 268) than the QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Highlander’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The QX50 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Highlander has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX50 (17.9 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Highlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the QX50:

	Highlander	QX50
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	12.1 inches

The Highlander stops much shorter than the QX50:

	Highlander	QX50
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Highlander has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the QX50; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Highlander’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the QX50 (112.2 inches vs. 110.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Highlander is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the QX50.

The Highlander’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55% to 45%) than the QX50’s (57.7% to 42.3%). This gives the Highlander more stable handling and braking.

Passenger Space

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the QX50 can only carry 5.

The Highlander has 36.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the QX50 (141.3 vs. 104.4).

The Highlander has .2 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 3.2 inches more rear hip room and 1.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the QX50.

Cargo Capacity

The Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the QX50.

	Highlander	QX50
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	31.4 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.3 cubic feet	65.1 cubic feet

The Highlander’s cargo area is larger than the QX50’s in almost every dimension:

	Highlander	QX50
Length to seat (3rd/2nd/1st)	17.8”/48”/80.7”	n.a./39”/71.7”
Max Width	50”	54.5”
Min Width	45.8”	41.5”
Height	31”	31.2”

Towing

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the QX50’s (5000 vs. 0 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Highlander uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The QX50 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Highlander and the QX50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Highlander is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Highlander’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the QX50’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

The Highlander’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Infiniti only offers heated mirrors on the QX50 Luxe/Essential/Sensory/Autograph.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Highlander XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The QX50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Highlander Limited/Platinum has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The QX50 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Highlander owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Highlander will cost $1265 to $5820 less than the QX50 over a five-year period.

The Highlander will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Highlander will retain 56.97% to 58.08% of its original price after five years, while the QX50 only retains 45.58% to 46.07%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Highlander is less expensive to operate than the QX50 because typical repairs cost much less on the Highlander than the QX50, including $500 less for a water pump, $452 less for a muffler, $25 less for front brake pads, $55 less for a starter, $193 less for front struts and $976 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Highlander will be $11178 to $18969 less than for the Infiniti QX50.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Toyota Highlander and the Infiniti QX50, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Infiniti QX50 by almost 12 to one during the 2021 model year.