Compare the2024 Nissan PathfinderVS 2023 Toyota Highlander

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

Safety

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The Nissan Pathfinder 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 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Pathfinder Platinum has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Highlander doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Pathfinder has a standard blind spot warning system that 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 Pathfinder has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Highlander LE/XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Both the Pathfinder and the Highlander have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, driver alert monitors, 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 Nissan Pathfinder is safer than the Toyota Highlander:

	Pathfinder	Highlander
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	150	292
Neck Injury Risk	31%	38.2%
Neck Compression	53 lbs.	55 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	156/136 lbs.	321/243 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	312	328
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	236/309 lbs.	545/323 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 Nissan Pathfinder is safer than the Toyota Highlander:

	Pathfinder	Highlander
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	244 lbs.	300 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	88	114
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	37 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
HIC	234	366
Spine Acceleration	37 G’s	41 G’s
Hip Force	466 lbs.	664 lbs.

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

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

Engine

The Pathfinder’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 19 more horsepower (284 vs. 265) than the Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Pathfinder Rock Creek’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 30 more horsepower (295 vs. 265) than the Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Pathfinder has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Highlander doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Nissan Pathfinder, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Highlander.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Pathfinder	Highlander
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.3 inches

The Pathfinder’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Highlander are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Pathfinder has larger tires than the Highlander (255/60R18 vs. 235/65R18).

The Pathfinder’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander L/LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The Pathfinder’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Highlander XSE/Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

The Pathfinder 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 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Pathfinder 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Pathfinder’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Highlander (114.2 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pathfinder is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Highlander.

Passenger Space

The Pathfinder has 6.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Highlander (148 vs. 141.8).

The Pathfinder has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more third row headroom and 1.1 inches more third row hip room than the Highlander.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Pathfinder	Highlander
Behind Third Seat	16.6 cubic feet	16 cubic feet

The Pathfinder has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Highlander doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Highlander is limited to 5000 pounds. The Pathfinder offers up to a 6000 lbs. towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The Pathfinder Platinum’s standard 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 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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