When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Highlander AWD's standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The QX70 doesn't offer Downhill Assist Control.

The Toyota Highlander has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The QX70 doesn't offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Highlander Limited/Platinum's blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert driver to objects in the vehicle's blind spots where the side view mirrors don't reveal them. The QX70 doesn't offer a system to reveal objects in the driver's blind spots.

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 QX70 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 QX70 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 QX70 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, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure 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 QX70 has not been fully tested, yet.

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. INFINITI doesn't pay scheduled maintenance for the QX70.

There are almost 8 times as many Toyota dealers as there are INFINITI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Highlander's warranty.

The QX70's redline is at 7500 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Highlander has a 6100 to 6500 RPM redline.

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 INFINITI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota third in reliability, above the industry average. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, INFINITI is ranked 17th.

On the EPA test cycle the Highlander gets better fuel mileage than the QX70:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The QX70 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) certifies the Toyota Highlander as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The INFINITI QX70 is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

For better stopping power the Highlander's brake rotors are larger than those on the QX70:

The Highlander stops shorter than the QX70:

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the QX70 (8 vs. 7.36 inches), allowing the Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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 QX70 uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the QX70 can only carry 5.

The Highlander has 42.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the QX70 (144.9 vs. 102.5).

The Highlander has 1.4 inches more front headroom, 2.3 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 3.8 inches more rear legroom, 2.9 inches more rear hip room and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the QX70.

The Highlander's cargo area provides more volume than the QX70.

The Highlander's optional rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The QX70's rear cargo window doesn't open.

The Highlander's standard towing capacity is much higher than the QX70's (1500 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the INFINITI QX70 3.7 AWD is only 2000 pounds. The Highlander offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Highlander has a much higher standard payload capacity than the QX70 (1455 vs. 1213 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 QX70's rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

Consumer Reports rated the Highlander's headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the QX70's headlights, which were rated “Good.”

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 QX70 doesn't offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Highlander's power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The QX70's power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

Both the Highlander and the QX70 offer available heated front seats. The Highlander Platinum also has standard heated second row seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren't available in the QX70.

On extremely cold Winter days, the Highlander Platinum's standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The QX70 doesn't offer a heated steering wheel.

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 QX70 doesn't offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

The Highlander XLE/Limited/Platinum has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The QX70 doesn't offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Highlander owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Highlander will cost $1955 to $2900 less than the QX70 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 QX70.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Toyota Highlander will be $13057 to $21208 less than for the INFINITI QX70.

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 QX70 isn't in the top three in its category.