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 QX50 doesn't offer pre-crash pretensioners.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Highlander AWD's standard Downhill Assist Control allows you to creep down safely. The QX50 doesn't offer Downhill Assist Control.

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 QX50 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 QX50 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 QX50 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, rearview cameras, 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 QX50 has not been 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 QX50.

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 QX50'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 QX50:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota Highlander uses regular unleaded gasoline. The QX50 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

For better stopping power the Highlander's brake rotors are larger than those on the QX50:

For better traction, the Highlander has larger tires than the QX50 (245/60R18 vs. 225/55R18).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Highlander is 4 inches wider in the front and 3.2 inches wider in the rear than on the QX50.

For greater off-road capability the Highlander has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the QX50 (8 vs. 6.5 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 QX50 uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Highlander has standard seating for 8 passengers; the QX50 can only carry 5.

The Highlander has 48.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the QX50 (144.9 vs. 96.8).

The Highlander has 2 inches more front headroom, 4.3 inches more front hip room, 4.5 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear headroom, 3.1 inches more rear legroom, 7.7 inches more rear hip room and 4.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the QX50.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Highlander's middle and third row seats recline. The QX50's rear seats don't recline.

The Highlander's cargo area provides more volume than the QX50.

The Highlander's optional rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The QX50's rear cargo window doesn't open.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults or children, the Highlander offers an optional power cargo door, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The QX50 doesn't offer a power cargo door.

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 QX50's rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 QX50 doesn't offer automatic dimming high beams.

Both the Highlander and the QX50 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 QX50.

Standard air conditioned seats in the Highlander Limited/Platinum keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The QX50 doesn't offer air conditioned seats.

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 QX50 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 QX50 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 QX50 doesn't offer a house-current electrical outlet.

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