Compare the2023 Toyota HighlanderVS 2022 Dodge Durango

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 Dodge Durango doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 Durango doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Durango 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 use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Durango doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Highlander AWD’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Durango doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Highlander’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Durango and is not available with SXT.

The Highlander (except L/LE/XLE/XSE) offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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 Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Highlander and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

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. Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Durango.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Highlander has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Durango.

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 Dodge 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, Dodge is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Dodge is ranked 10th.

The Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 50 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 260) than the Durango’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6. The Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 50 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 260) than the Durango’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Durango with the 5.7 V8 engine requires mid-grade for maximum efficiency, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

The Highlander has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Highlander flat and controlled during cornering. The Durango’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Highlander is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Durango.

For better maneuverability, the Highlander’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the Durango’s (37.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Toyota Highlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 900 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

The Highlander is 5.9 inches shorter than the Durango, making the Highlander easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Durango can only carry 7.

The Highlander has 1.3 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front hip room, .1 inches more rear legroom, 1.5 inches more rear hip room and 3.2 inches more third row hip room than the Durango.

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

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

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

The Highlander Platinum has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Durango doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Highlander’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Durango’s parking brake has to be released manually.

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 Durango’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Durango doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Highlander to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Durango doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

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 Durango doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Toyota Highlander outsold the Dodge Durango by over four to one during the 2021 model year.