For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Grand 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 Chrysler Pacifica doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.
With its standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the Toyota Grand Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Chrysler Pacifica, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
|
Grand Highlander |
Pacifica |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
|
Crossing Child - DAY |
|
12 MPH |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH |
AVOIDED |
-4 MPH |
|
Crossing Adult - NIGHT |
|
12 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
12 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-6 MPH |
|
Parallel Adult - NIGHT |
|
25 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
AVOIDED |
25 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
-1 MPH |
37 MPH Brights |
AVOIDED |
-22 MPH |
Warning Issued-Brights |
2 sec |
1.4 sec |
37 MPH Low beams |
AVOIDED |
No Slowing |
Warning Issued-Low beams |
1.8 sec |
No Warning |
The Grand 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 Pacifica 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.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Grand Highlander XLE AWD/Limited AWD/Nightshade/Platinum’s standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The Pacifica doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.
Both the Grand Highlander and Pacifica have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Pacifica’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.
The Grand 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 Pacifica doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the Grand Highlander and the Pacifica 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota Grand Highlander is safer than the Pacifica:
|
Grand Highlander |
Pacifica |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
38 |
167 |
Neck Tension |
134 lbs. |
335 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Shoulder Deflection |
.35 in |
.94 in |
Shoulder Force |
156 lbs. |
223 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.1 in |
1.26 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
4 MPH |
5 MPH |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Neck Tension |
67 lbs. |
112 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Shoulder Deflection |
.67 in |
1.1 in |
Shoulder Force |
245 lbs. |
424 lbs. |
Torso Max Deflection |
1.1 in |
1.97 in |
Torso Deflection Rate |
6 MPH |
12 MPH |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
POOR |
Pelvis Force |
446 lbs. |
1450 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
GOOD |