Toyota Highlander vs Toyota bZ

The 2022 Toyota Highlander presented a modern and somewhat aggressive front-end design, with flared fender arches and a distinctive third-row window that gave it a compact appearance despite its spacious interior. Inside, the Highlander offered ample cabin space and clever storage solutions, making it ideal for families. The XSE trim, in particular, stood out with its bold red leather interior, navy blue exterior, unique styling elements, ambient lighting, and sport-tuned suspension. The Highlander was available in several trims, each offering a range of features from basic to luxurious, including a power liftgate, leather upholstery, and advanced infotainment systems.

In contrast, the 2026 Toyota bZ showcased a more futuristic design, with a cleaner dashboard and center console that enhanced the sense of quality. The bZ was available in XLE and Limited trims, with options for single-motor FWD or dual-motor AWD, and two battery sizes. The interior featured fabric seats with an upscale pattern, a large 14-inch touchscreen integrated with climate controls, and a digital driver display that was criticized for its placement and readability. The bZ's exterior design was improved with body-color trim, and it offered a comfortable ride with standard heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission with standard FWD and optional AWD. The Highlander offered a smooth driving experience with a sport-tuned suspension in the XSE trim, providing good handling and reduced body roll. It could tow up to 5,000 pounds and had a max payload of 1,685 pounds in the FWD L and LE trims. The Highlander excelled in highway cruising and overtaking, with a throaty exhaust note adding to the driving experience.

The 2026 Toyota bZ, on the other hand, offered a choice between a single electric motor with a 57.7-kWh battery, producing 165 horsepower and 198 pound-feet of torque, or a dual-motor setup with a 74.7-kWh battery, delivering 338 horsepower. The bZ provided an EPA-estimated range of up to 314 miles with the larger battery. It featured regenerative braking with adjustable levels but lacked one-pedal driving capability. The bZ was a comfortable cruiser with good visibility, though its mid-range passing power was limited. It was not ideal for spirited driving due to its all-season tires and lifeless steering.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander offered up to 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded, 48.4 cubic feet with the second row in use, and 16 cubic feet behind the third row. The interior was designed for convenience, with power-adjustable seats, deep cargo pockets, and ample storage compartments. The XSE trim featured second-row captain’s chairs, providing easy access to the third row, which was more suitable for children or short trips.

The 2026 Toyota bZ, built on an EV platform, provided 27.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 56.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. The interior featured comfortable seats with power adjustments, heated and ventilated options, and ample storage solutions, including a large bin under the center armrest. Rear passengers enjoyed good legroom, though foot space was limited. The bZ's cargo space was somewhat restricted by its angled rear window.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander came with a standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. It featured a straightforward layout with hard buttons for ease of use. The XSE trim included a wireless charging pad and additional USB ports. A larger 12.3-inch touchscreen and an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo system were available as options.

The 2026 Toyota bZ featured a 14-inch touchscreen running the Toyota Audio Multimedia system, which supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system lacked a home screen for simultaneous data display and had readability issues in daytime mode. The bZ offered several connected service plans and a conversational voice assistant that performed well in tests. The digital driver display was criticized for its placement and readability.

The 2022 Toyota Highlander was equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense suite, including forward collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and more. Higher trims added features like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a surround-view parking monitor. The lane-departure warning system was noted for being overly active.

The 2026 Toyota bZ came standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which included similar features to the Highlander, along with Proactive Driving Assist for subtle braking and steering inputs. The Limited trim added Traffic Jam Assist and other advanced features. The bZ's adaptive cruise control had inconsistent responses, and the driver monitoring system was overly sensitive. The IIHS rated the bZ's front-crash avoidance tech as Good, but its headlights and frontal-impact crash-test ratings were less favorable.