Compare the2023 Toyota HighlanderVS 2023 GMC Acadia

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Highlander have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The GMC Acadia doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 Acadia 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Highlander Limited/Platinum has a standard Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Acadia doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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 Acadia doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Highlander and the Acadia 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, 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 GMC Acadia:

	Highlander	Acadia
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28.4%	43%
Neck Stress	179 lbs.	203 lbs.
Neck Compression	90 lbs.	99 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 GMC Acadia:

	Highlander	Acadia
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	55	125
Chest Movement	.3 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	79 lbs.	156 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	114	276
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	152 lbs.	799 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	366	381
Hip Force	664 lbs.	760 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Acadia last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The Highlander’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Acadia’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

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. GMC only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Acadia.

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 27 points higher than the Acadia.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 21st.

Engine

The Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 37 more horsepower (265 vs. 228) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 258) than the Acadia’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 39 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 271) than the Acadia’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better mileage than the Acadia:

			MPG
Highlander
	FWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
Acadia
	FWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Acadia with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Highlander	Acadia
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	12.4 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Highlander L/LE/XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Acadia’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Acadia (8 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Acadia can only carry up to 7.

The Highlander has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front legroom, 1.5 inches more front hip room, 3.7 inches more rear hip room and 2.7 inches more third row hip room than the Acadia.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Acadia’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Highlander	Acadia
Behind Third Seat	16 cubic feet	12.8 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	41.7 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.3 cubic feet	79 cubic feet

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Highlander. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Acadia’s (5000 vs. 1000 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 Acadia doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Highlander’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 Acadia’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Highlander 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. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Acadia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Highlander has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Acadia doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The Highlander Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Acadia’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 Acadia’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Acadia doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Recommendations

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

The Toyota Highlander outsold the GMC Acadia by over four to one during 2022.

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