Compare the2023 Land Rover Range Rover VelarVS 2022 Toyota Highlander

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Land Rover Range Rover Velar 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 Toyota Highlander doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

Both the Range Rover Velar and Highlander have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Range Rover Velar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Highlander’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Range Rover Velar. But it costs extra on the Highlander.

The Range Rover Velar has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Highlander LE/XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Range Rover Velar has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Highlander LE/XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Range Rover Velar and the Highlander have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The Range Rover Velar comes with a full 4-year/50,000-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 or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Range Rover Velar’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Highlander’s (6 vs. 5 years).

The battery on the Range Rover Velar is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Range Rover Velar’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Highlander’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

The Range Rover Velar P250’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 6 lbs.-ft. more torque (269 vs. 263) than the Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Range Rover Velar P340’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 40 more horsepower (335 vs. 295) and 91 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 263) than the Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6. The Range Rover Velar HST P400’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 100 more horsepower (395 vs. 295) and 142 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 263) than the Highlander’s 3.5 DOHC V6.

Regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover Velar’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Highlander doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Range Rover Velar has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Highlander (21.7 vs. 17.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Land Rover Range Rover Velar higher (7 out of 10) than the Toyota Highlander (5). This means the Range Rover Velar produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Highlander every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Range Rover Velar’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Highlander:

The Range Rover Velar stops shorter than the Highlander:

For better traction, the Range Rover Velar has larger standard tires than the Highlander (255/50R20 vs. 235/65R18). The Range Rover Velar’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Highlander (265/45R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The Range Rover Velar’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 L/LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The Range Rover Velar’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Highlander XSE/Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Range Rover Velar has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Highlander L/LE/XLE. The Range Rover Velar’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Highlander XSE/Limited/Platinum.

The Range Rover Velar offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Highlander; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Range Rover Velar offers an optional continuously variable suspension system. Using sensors on steering angle, speed and other driver inputs, the shocks soften to improve ride, or stiffen when appropriate to aid handling on tricky roads or off-road. The Highlander’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Range Rover Velar has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Range Rover Velar’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Highlander doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Range Rover Velar 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.

The Range Rover Velar’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.1% to 49.9%) than the Highlander’s (55% to 45%). This gives the Range Rover Velar more stable handling and braking.

The Range Rover Velar handles at .82 G’s, while the Highlander Platinum AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Range Rover Velar R-Dynamic S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Highlander Platinum AWD (26.2 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover Velar has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Highlander (8.4 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Range Rover Velar to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Range Rover Velar w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 1.9 inches higher than on the Highlander (9.9 vs. 8 inches).

The Range Rover Velar is 6 inches shorter than the Highlander, making the Range Rover Velar easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Range Rover Velar has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander with its rear seat up (30.9 vs. 16 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Range Rover Velar easier. The Range Rover Velar’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the Highlander’s liftover is 31.2 inches.

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

The Range Rover Velar’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Highlander’s (5291 vs. 5000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Highlander is only 5000 pounds. The Range Rover Velar offers up to a 5511 lbs. towing capacity.

The Range Rover Velar 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.

The engine in the Range Rover Velar is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Highlander. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Highlander Limited/Platinum, the Range Rover Velar has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Range Rover Velar’s standard Entry and Exit Mode raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Highlander doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Range Rover Velar’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Highlander’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Range Rover Velar to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Highlander doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Range Rover Velar offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Highlander doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Range Rover Velar’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to 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 Range Rover Velar’s available Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Highlander’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.