If you're shopping for a family-friendly SUV in Indianapolis, you may want to stop by Tom Wood Nissan to view the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder. This mid-size SUV makes a great family vehicle because of its refined ride, roomy cabin, and generous list of standard infotainment and safety features. However, you may also be thinking of getting the popular 2021 Toyota Highlander. To make the right choice between these two SUVs, you need to carefully compare their specifications and features. Find out how the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder stacks up against the 2021 Toyota Highlander in the following departments:
Exterior
Image via Flickr by Carsfera.com
On the outside, the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder looks very different from the 2021 Toyota Highlander. It has a stout body, upright front end, and rugged styling that make it an imposing presence on the road. It's also a stylish and instantly recognizable vehicle, thanks to its dominant V-motion grille, boomerang headlamps, and contrasting roof. The Toyota, on the other hand, appears more conservative with its well-balanced proportions and clean-cut styling. Both of these SUVs are good looking, but they may be more or less appealing to you depending on your personal taste.
Powertrain
The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder and the 2021 Toyota Highlander are both equipped with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine. Nonetheless, the Pathfinder produces only 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque, while the Highlander seems more potent with an output of 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. Then again, the Nissan's engine enables it to pull up to 6,000 pounds, which is 1,000 pounds more than its rival's maximum towing capacity. Also, this SUV comes with a slick-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission that results in smoother acceleration. The Toyota uses an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Handling
Due to a number of reasons, the Nissan Pathfinder has an upper hand over the Toyota Highlander in the handling department. First, this SUV comes with speed-sensitive, variable-assist power steering that makes it drive like a smaller vehicle. This feature improves its maneuverability in confined spaces and around corners and contributes to a better overall feel of the road. The Toyota doesn't have variable-assist steering. In fact, it's known to provide inadequate steering feedback, making it a little cumbersome to drive.
In addition, the Pathfinder feels more stable than the Highlander, thanks to its longer wheelbase and wider average track. It also has larger front brake rotors to give you more confident stopping power.
Fuel Efficiency
The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder has a fuel economy rating of 21/26 mpg (city/highway), which is above average in the mid-size SUV segment. However, it isn't as frugal as the 2021 Toyota Highlander, which returns 21/29 mpg.
Passenger Space
Both the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Highlander can seat eight people in three rows. If you prefer to have more passenger space, you'll be better off choosing the Pathfinder. This Nissan SUV offers 2.3 inches more legroom and 1.1 inches more headroom for front passengers than the Highlander. It also has roomier second- and third-row seats.
Cargo Capacity
When it comes to cargo capacity, the Nissan Pathfinder isn't as generous as the Toyota Highlander. It gives you 16.6 cubic feet of storage space behind the rearmost row, 45 cubic feet behind the middle row, and 80.5 cubic feet behind the front row. In contrast, the Toyota provides 16 cubic feet of cargo room with the third-row seats upright, 48.4 cubic feet behind the second-row seats, and 84.3 cubic feet behind the front seats.
Interior
Overall, the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder has a more stylish and refined interior than the 2021 Toyota Highlander. Its cabin is sturdily built and features a modern, cohesive design and an abundance of soft-touch materials. The interior of the Highlander varies greatly depending on the trim level. Lower trims look and feel somewhat dull and have a noticeable amount of hard plastics, whereas higher trims offer more soft-touch surfaces.
Comfort and Convenience Features
Whether you choose the Nissan Pathfinder or Toyota Highlander, you and your passengers will enjoy a comfortable and relaxing ride. Both SUVs come standard with cloth upholstery, tri-zone automatic climate control, and proximity keyless entry, but you can opt for upgrades, such as leather upholstery, ventilated and heated front seats, heated second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel.
Nevertheless, the Nissan Pathfinder has a number of comfort and convenience features that the Highlander doesn't offer. For example, its higher trims are fitted with a standard remote start system. This feature is especially useful in winter as it allows you to warm up the cabin and engine before you walk out to your vehicle. Also, the top-of-the-line Platinum trim offers an easy entry system that automatically slides the driver's seat backward when you turn off the ignition or unlock the door.
Infotainment Features
The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder and the 2021 Toyota Highlander are both equipped with many standard infotainment features to provide a great in-vehicle experience. These features include an 8-inch touch-screen display, a six-speaker sound system, USB ports, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and satellite radio. However, the Toyota has a few more standard tech features than the Nissan, including Amazon Alexa, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and an additional USB port.
Safety Features
Nissan and Toyota SUVs are typically equipped with plenty of active safety features, and the Pathfinder and Highlander are no exception. Every Pathfinder model is equipped with automatic emergency braking, front and rear collision alert, driver-drowsiness detection, pedestrian monitoring, blind-spot detection, automatic high-beams, lane-departure alert, a rearview camera, rear cross-traffic warning, rear door warning, and rear parking sensors.
The Highlander has a similarly long list of advanced safety features, which include forward-collision alert, pedestrian monitoring, automatic high-beam headlamps, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, traffic-sign recognition, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assistance, lane-keeping assistance, rear-seat reminder, and a rearview camera.
If you're interested in buying the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder, consider paying a visit to Tom Wood Nissan, a leading Nissan dealer in the Indianapolis area. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this highly anticipated Nissan SUV or want to schedule a test drive in advance.
Categories:
Fleet