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 Touareg doesn't offer pre-crash pretensioners.

To help make backing safer, the Highlander Limited/Platinum's cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Touareg doesn't offer a cross-path warning system.

The Highlander Limited offers optional Safety Connect™, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it's stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Touareg doesn't offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you're involved in an accident and you're incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Highlander and the Touareg 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, daytime running lights, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear parking sensors.

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 Touareg has not been fully tested, yet.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Highlander for 1 year and 15000 miles longer than Volkswagen pays for maintenance for the Touareg (2/25000 vs. 1/10,000).

There are almost 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Volkswagen dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander's warranty.

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 Touareg.

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 Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota 9th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 23rd, 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 Volkswagen vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota third in reliability, above the industry average. With 54 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volkswagen is ranked 21st.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota Highlander V6 is faster than the Volkswagen Touareg:

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better fuel mileage than the Tiguan:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Touareg requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Highlander stops much shorter than the Touareg:

The Highlander has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Highlander flat and controlled during cornering. The Touareg's suspension doesn't offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Touareg (8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Toyota Highlander may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 550 pounds less than the Volkswagen Touareg.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Highlander has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The Touareg uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Touareg can only carry 5.

The Highlander has 41.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Touareg (144.9 vs. 103.6).

The Highlander has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Touareg.

The Highlander's cargo area provides more volume than the Touareg.

The Highlander's optional rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Touareg's rear cargo window doesn't open.

The Highlander has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Touareg (1455 vs. 1239 lbs.).

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Highlander to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Volkswagen doesn't offer a maintenance reminder on the Touareg.

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 Touareg's rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Highlander has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Touareg only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn't as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Highlander's headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Touareg's headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Highlander Limited detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Touareg doesn't offer automatic dimming high beams.

To shield the driver and front passenger's vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Highlander has standard extendable sun visors. The Touareg doesn't offer extendable visors.

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 Touareg doesn't offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

The Highlander is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Touareg doesn't offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Highlander owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Highlander will cost $720 to $5490 less than the Touareg over a five-year period.

The Highlander will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The Intellichoice estimates that the Highlander will retain 58.27% to 61.09% of its original price after five years, while the Touareg only retains 36.69% to 50.12%.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Highlander will be $21182 to $32758 less than for the Volkswagen Touareg.

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 Touareg isn't in the top three.