The Highlander Hybrid has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The TX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Highlander Hybrid. But it costs extra on the TX.
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid’s rear backup camera has a standard washer for maintaining a clear view under various conditions. In contrast, the Lexus TX does not offer a rear camera washer, meaning its effectiveness relies on manual cleaning by the user when necessary.
Both the Highlander Hybrid and the TX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Lexus TX:
|
|
Highlander Hybrid |
TX |
|
|
Driver |
|
| STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
| Neck Injury Risk |
38.2% |
39.3% |
| Neck Stress |
347 lbs. |
355 lbs. |
| Leg Forces (l/r) |
321/243 lbs. |
331/316 lbs. |
|
|
Passenger |
|
| STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
| HIC |
328 |
356 |
| Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.6 inches |
| Neck Injury Risk |
28.4% |
33% |
| Neck Stress |
179 lbs. |
199 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the TX:
|
|
Highlander Hybrid |
TX |
| Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
| Restraints |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
| Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
| Head injury index |
102 |
112 |
| Peak Head Forces |
0 G’s |
0 G’s |
| Steering Column Movement Rearward |
2 cm |
5 cm |
| Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
| Max Chest Compression |
19 cm |
21 cm |
| Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
| Femur Force R/L |
3.5/1.3 kN |
3.5/1.3 kN |
| Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
1%/0% |
| Lower Leg Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
| Tibia index R/L |
.52/.4 |
.69/.57 |
| Tibia forces R/L |
1.1/1.1 kN |
1.3/2.2 kN |
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is safer than the Lexus TX:
|
|
Highlander Hybrid |
TX |
|
|
Rear Seat |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| Spine Acceleration |
37 G’s |
39 G’s |
|
|
Into Pole |
|
| STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
| Max Damage Depth |
15 inches |
17 inches |
| Spine Acceleration |
41 G’s |
48 G’s |
| Hip Force |
664 lbs. |
823 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.