From Jeep to Hyundai, Toyota, Ford, etc., the struggle for who makes the best and most enticing mid-size three-row SUV keeps getting hotter every new model year.
The options available are numerous, and we can only imagine what buyers go through just to figure out which SUV will be excellent for 2022.
This article will compare two popular and exciting choices, the 2022 Dodge Durango and the 2022 Toyota Highlander, to help you make a more informed choice when leasing.
The Highlander has been around for quite a long time, and there’s no denying how attractive, reliable, safe, and entertaining the mid-size ute is.
On the other hand, the Dodge Durango is an American beast famous for its performance-enhanced variants. The normal entry-level Dodge Durango is a rugged, stylish family muscle SUV that gives you immense value for your money.
What’s New
For the 2022 model year, the Dodge Durango gets nothing outside reshuffled trim offerings. The base SXT model now boasts essential safety and convenience features like rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, roof rails, power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a standard third row of seats. Climbing up the trim levels, the GT model now comes with heated front seats and steering wheel and a power-operated rear liftgate as standard equipment. The automaker also adds its leather-and-suede upholstery, along with heated rear seats, to the GT Plus trim. At the same time, buyers can now get Nappa leather upholstery, vented hoods, and an advanced automated emergency braking system on the range-topping R/T and R/T plus trims.
Apart from new trim offerings, the Toyota Highlander returns for 2022 unchanged. The automaker has introduced a new Hybrid Bronze Edition model to the Highlander’s lineup. This unique model can be spotted easily given its Wind Chill Pearl exterior paint and a set of unique bronze-colored 18-inch wheelers. Inside, Toyota has also added some Bronze-colored details to make this special edition Highlander stand out. The SUV’s upholstery features bronze-colored trims coupled with illuminated bronze-colored doorsill protectors.
Power And Transmission
Dodge offers two exciting engine options for the Durango. The standard engine is a 3.6Liter Pentastar V-6 engine that generates 293-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. For buyers looking to enjoy something closer to the Durango SRT models, there’s an optional 5.7Liter HEMI V-8 engine that puts out 360-hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. Both engines combine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. You can always upgrade to all-wheel drive if you wish.
The Toyota Highlander also accords buyers the luxury of choosing between two powertrains. Only this time, the optional powertrain is a hybrid consisting of a 2.5Liter inline-four-cylinder engine and two electric motors. This setup pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission and delivers a total of 243-hp and 175 lb-ft of torque.
The base powertrain is a 3.5Liter V-6 engine that combines with an eight-speed automatic transmission and generates 295-hp and 263 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains can be had with either front or all-wheel drive.
Handling And Performance
The 2022 Dodge Durango offers a pleasant and comfortable ride for the whole family, but its driving dynamics are not the best in this class. The Durango handles well for its size, but it doesn’t hide the fact that this mid-size ute weighs above 5000 pounds. It maintains a stable and composed behavior on corners, and the brakes are responsive. When equipped with the optional all-wheel drive, the Durango gives off some promising off-road abilities. Coming to acceleration, the base engine-powered Durango sprints from 0-60mph in 7.4seconds, while the 360-hp model finishes faster at 6.2seconds. A fully-equipped 2022 Dodge Durango can tow a whopping 8700 lbs. If you want a quicker three-row SUV with more towing power, leasing the 2022 Dodge Durango is a great choice.
The Highlander is lighter and more agile than the Durango but not as entertaining as expected. Handling is not very athletic, but the ride is well-refined, comfortable, and quiet. The Highlander is also stable at high speeds and corners, maintaining a composed on-road behavior. In terms of performance, the base Highlander accelerates from 0-60mph in 6.7seconds, 0.6seconds faster than its hybrid variant and 0.7seconds quicker than the base Durango. The Highlander has a max towing capacity of 5000 pounds, impressive but way outside the league of the Durango.
Fuel Economy
The 2022 Dodge Durango with the base engine and rear-wheel drive gets an EPA rating of 19-mpg in the city and 26-mpg on the highway. Opting for all-wheel drive decreases this rating to 18-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. The more powerful V-8 models with all-wheel drive are rated 14-mpg and 22-mpg in the city and highway, respectively.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander with front-wheel drive gets an EPA rating of 21-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway. This rating drops to 20-mpg and 27-mpg in the city and highway, respectively, when equipped with the optional all-wheel drive.
The hybrid variant with front-wheel drive is rated 36-mpg in the city and 35-mpg on the highway. Opting for all-wheel drive reduces the city rating by 1-mpg.
If you are looking for a mid-size three-row SUV that does just about anything and still has a fuel-efficient powertrain, leasing the 2022 Toyota Highlander is one of your best options.
Interior
The Durango’s interior is well-crafted, functional, and quiet. The build quality is nice, and there are numerous luxury, convenience, and high-tech features available for a more satisfactory experience. It features heated front seats and a highly intuitive, user-friendly 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. There’s a larger optional 10.1-inch infotainment display for improved visibility. Heated rear seats, rear-seat entertainment, panoramic sunroof, etc., are some optional high-end features offered in the Durango.
The 2022 Highlander gets a stylish, practical, and comfortable interior. The Highlander seats eight passengers, but the second row can be equipped with optional captain chairs to seat seven. Like in the Durango, the Highlander’s third-row is tight and suitable for only kids. Going up the trim levels, the Highlander tends to become a lot more upscale and luxurious. An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display with 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple Carplay, Android, and Amazon Alexa compatibility is standard. There’s also an optional 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display along with numerous cutting-edge features that make the Highlander’s interior more appealing.
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