Dodge Durango vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2026 Dodge Durango, despite its age, maintained a robust and timeless style. While its competitors underwent multiple redesigns, Dodge continued to extract value from the Durango by offering special editions and powerful V8 engines. The vehicle's exterior, with its chunky fenders and smooth body panels, received a refresh in 2021, updating the grille, lighting, and bumpers. The interior, however, showed its age with outdated switches and materials, though it retained a refreshingly analog feel. The America250 package, introduced in 2026, added unique styling elements, including black leather seats with blue perforations and patriotic stitching, enhancing its appeal.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, on the other hand, pursued a conservative design, drawing inspiration from the popular RAV4. This resulted in a larger vehicle with seating for up to eight and ample cargo space. The interior emphasized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. While the material quality was decent, the unlined storage surfaces contributed to noise and vibration. The climate system was simple and user-friendly, but the infotainment interface had some drawbacks, such as a small volume knob and the absence of a tuning knob. Overall, the Grand Highlander offered a practical and spacious interior.

The 2026 Dodge Durango was known for its powerful V8 engines, with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 producing 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, significantly boosting towing capacity to 8,700 pounds. The base 3.6-liter V6, with 295 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, struggled to move the heavy Durango efficiently. The SRT Hellcat, with a 6.2-liter supercharged V8, delivered an insane 710 hp, offering thrilling acceleration and handling. However, fuel efficiency was a downside, with the Hemi V8 achieving 14 mpg city and 21 mpg highway, and the Hellcat dropping to 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway. The Durango's eight-speed automatic transmission and multiple AWD modes provided smooth performance, but the steering accuracy was lacking.

In contrast, the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max focused on performance with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 hp. This setup allowed for quick acceleration and a satisfying driving experience. The Hybrid Max achieved 27 mpg, a trade-off for its power compared to the standard hybrid's 36 mpg. It also offered a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. During testing, the Hybrid Max averaged 23.3 mpg on a mountainous route. The ride quality was soft and isolating, but handling was secure only up to a modest point. The Grand Highlander excelled in outward visibility, aided by front, rear, and top-down cameras.

The 2026 Dodge Durango offered seating for five, six, or seven passengers, with a standard second-row bench seat on most trims. Captain's chairs were optional on certain trims, providing easier access to the third row. However, the third row was tight by modern standards, reflecting the Durango's older chassis design. Cargo space was competitive, with 17.2 cubic feet behind the third row, 43.3 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.1 cubic feet with both rows folded.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid provided comfortable seating in all three rows, with nearly 100 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. The Platinum trim featured a mix of leather and artificial suede upholstery, adding a touch of luxury. The second-row captain's chairs, with a removable center console, allowed for easy access to the third row. The Grand Highlander's rearmost seats were reasonably comfortable for adults and tall teens, and the cargo space was generous, with 20.6 cubic feet behind the third row and 97.5 cubic feet with the second row folded.

The 2026 Dodge Durango came equipped with a 10.1-inch touchscreen running Uconnect 5, offering navigation, HD Radio, SiriusXM 360L satellite radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay. However, Android Auto required a wired connection. The infotainment system lacked semi-automated driving functions and convenience features like rear-seat entertainment. The Hellcat's infotainment system included performance functions such as launch control and custom driving modes.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid featured a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. The system was user-friendly, though it had some limitations, such as the inability to display two main-menu screens simultaneously. The Platinum trim included advanced features like a color head-up display, a camera-based digital rear-view mirror, and a JBL premium audio system.

The 2026 Dodge Durango received a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, but recent IIHS ratings were unavailable. While it included features like a driver's knee airbag and central side airbag, its dated body structure affected crash performance. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitors and parking sensors, but many modern driver-assist features were absent.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a comprehensive suite of safety features and driver-assistance technologies. It received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection. The safety tech operated with accuracy, though some features, like Proactive Driving Assist, were found to be irritating.