The Highlander Limited's optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Durango doesn't offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Highlander Limited's optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. The Durango doesn't offer a lane departure warning system.

Both the Highlander and the Durango have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, available crash mitigating brakes, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Dodge Durango:

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

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 Highlander is safer than the Durango:

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, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander is safer than the Dodge Durango:

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

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Highlander its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2016, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Durango is not even a standard “Top Pick” for 2016.

The Highlander's 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Durango runs out after 100,000 miles.

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 engines in the 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 their vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the Highlander's reliability will be 34% better than the Durango.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2015 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 9th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 18th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2015 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 third in reliability, above the industry average. With 81 more problems per 100 vehicles, Dodge is ranked 26th.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Highlander V6 is faster than the Dodge Durango V6:

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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) certifies the Toyota Highlander as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Dodge Durango is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

The Highlander stops much shorter than the Durango:

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.

The Highlander XLE AWD handles at .81 G's, while the Durango Limited 4x4 pulls only .74 G's of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Highlander XLE AWD executes Motor Trend's “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Durango Limited 4x4 (27.8 seconds @ .62 average G's vs. 28.8 seconds @ .58 average G's).

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 10.1 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 11 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Durango (144.9 vs. 133.9).

The Highlander has .8 inches more front headroom, 3.9 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 14.3 inches more rear hip room, 9.2 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.8 inches more third row hip room and 4.6 inches more third row shoulder 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 optional rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Durango's rear cargo window doesn't open.

The Highlander has a higher standard payload capacity than the Durango (1455 vs. 1330 lbs.).

The Highlander Limited/Platinum'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.

The Smart Key System standard on the Highlander XLE/Limited/Platinum allows you to unlock the driver's door, cargo door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Dodge Durango doesn't offer an advanced key system.

Standard Entune App Suite for the Highlander XLE/Limited/Platinum allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including reading text messages aloud, playing internet radio stations, tagging songs to buy them later, finding fuel prices at nearby service stations, searching the internet and other connected activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel. The Durango doesn't offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the Highlander, connecting the driver and passenger's cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle's stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the Durango.

Insurance will cost less for the Highlander owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Highlander will cost $495 to $1840 less than the Durango over a five-year period.

The Highlander will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger's estimates that the Highlander will retain a greater percentage of its original price after three and five years than the Durango.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Highlander will be $8151 to $8389 less than for the Dodge Durango.

The Toyota Highlander has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Highlander second among midsize SUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner's expectations. The Durango isn't in the top three.