Compare the2025 Toyota Grand HighlanderVS 2025 Dodge Durango

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 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 Grand 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.

With its standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the Toyota Grand Highlander is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Dodge Durango, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Grand Highlander	Durango
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH	AVOIDED	No Slowing
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Brights	2 sec	No Warning
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 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.

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 Durango doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Grand 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.

The Grand Highlander (except LE/XLE) 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.

Both the Grand Highlander and Durango 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 Durango’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 Durango doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Grand 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Toyota Grand Highlander is safer than the Durango:

	Grand Highlander	Durango
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	112	119
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	5 cm	9 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	21 cm	26 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Femur Force R/L	3.5/1.3 kN	5.3/2.5 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	1%/0%	6%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Tibia index R/L	.69/.57	1.53/.59

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Dodge doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Durango.

Reliability

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

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 Grand Highlander’s reliability 20 points higher than the Durango.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 109 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 43 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 9th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Dodge vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Dodge is ranked 21st.

Engine

The Grand Highlander has more powerful engines than the Durango:

	Horsepower	Torque
Grand Highlander 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder	265 HP	310 lbs.-ft.
Grand Highlander Hybrid Max 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid	362 HP	400 lbs.-ft.
Durango 3.6 DOHC V6	295 HP	260 lbs.-ft.
Durango 5.7 V8	360 HP	390 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the Grand Highlander Hybrid 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Dodge Durango V6:

	Grand Highlander	Durango
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.8 MPH	86.9 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Grand Highlander
	FWD	LE/XLE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	37 city/34 hwy
		Limited 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/32 hwy
		2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
	AWD	LE/XLE 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	36 city/32 hwy
		Limited 2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	35 city/31 hwy
		2.4 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/27 hwy
		LE/XLE 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
		Limited/Platinum 2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/26 hwy
Durango
	RWD	3.6 DOHC V6	18 city/25 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy
	AWD	3.6 DOHC V6	17 city/24 hwy
		5.7 OHV V8	14 city/22 hwy

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

Transmission

The Grand Highlander offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Durango doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Grand Highlander stops much shorter than the Durango:

	Grand Highlander	Durango
60 to 0 MPH	134 feet	144 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	145 feet	160 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The Grand Highlander has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Grand 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 Grand Highlander is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Durango.

The Grand Highlander Platinum AWD handles at .80 G’s, while the Durango GT pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Grand Highlander Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Durango GT 4x4 (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Grand Highlander’s turning circle is 2.9 feet tighter than the Durango’s (38.1 feet vs. 41 feet).

Chassis

The Toyota Grand Highlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 600 pounds less than the Dodge Durango.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Grand Highlander Platinum AWD is quieter than the Durango GT 4x4:

	Grand Highlander	Durango
At idle	31 dB	38 dB
Full-Throttle	73 dB	76 dB
70 MPH Cruising	67 dB	67 dB

Passenger Space

The Grand Highlander offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Durango can only carry 7.

The Grand Highlander has 11.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Durango (153.3 vs. 141.4).

The Grand Highlander has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 1.7 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom, 1.5 inches more rear hip room, 1.1 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.3 inches more third row hip room and 7.1 inches more third row shoulder room than the Durango.

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

Cargo Capacity

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

	Grand Highlander	Durango
Behind Third Seat	20.6 cubic feet	17.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	57.9 cubic feet	43.3 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	97.5 cubic feet	85.1 cubic feet

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade’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.

Payload

The Grand Highlander has a higher standard payload capacity than the Durango (1575 vs. 1400 lbs.).

The Grand Highlander has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Durango (1710 vs. 1450 lbs.).

Ergonomics

The Grand 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 Grand 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 Grand 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.

If the windows are left open on the Grand 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 Durango can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Grand Highlander’s standard Smart Key System allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Enter-N-Go standard on the Durango doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

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 Grand Highlander’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Durango’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Grand 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 Grand Highlander to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Durango doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum/Nightshade has standard front air conditioned seats and the Grand Highlander Platinum also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Durango doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Toyota Grand Highlander, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Dodge Durango isn't recommended.

The Grand Highlander was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024. The Durango has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

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