After graduating and entering the automotive industry, I have grown accustomed to enduring tests that involve roughing it outdoors and working tirelessly at the test track day and night. However, the transition to family life has also led to changes in many aspects. Previously, I always thought that "if one is full, the whole family is not hungry," and making choices only required following my own desires. Now, as a husband and father, and with my parents gradually aging, my goals are no longer as casual as before; family has become the center of my life.
The same principle applies to buying a car. In the past, when looking at cars, aside from the influence of price, I pursued the pure driving experience, wanting more passion and power. Coupled with my job often involving dynamic vehicle evaluations, I tended to overlook other aspects of balance.
Recently, life has brought me back to my family, necessitating the purchase of a new SUV, which has given me the opportunity to choose a car for the family. A few years ago, models like the Nissan Terra and Toyota Highlander would not have appeared on my shortlist: firstly, I didn't need such a large vehicle, and secondly, comfort was not my core demand. But now my mindset is completely different. With the "growth" of the family and being the only "driver" at home, the comfort of my family's ride has become the primary consideration.
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So this time, I have brought in the Nissan Terra 380VC-TURBO 4WD Intelligent Driving Edition and the Toyota Highlander 2.5L Hybrid 4WD Elite Edition to thoroughly investigate, with a budget of 300,000 for the final cost, the current position of the domestic ceiling for seven-seater SUVs.
01Fuel power remains restrained, hybrid texture needs optimization
Considering these two vehicles as options, the first thing is naturally their size. Especially the newly launched Nissan Terra, with dimensions of 5130mm, 1981mm, and 1767mm in length, width, and height, it visually appears to be a whole circle larger than the Toyota Highlander. The design highlights a stronger presence, and from a size perspective, I feel it's the upper limit I can handle. The wheelbase is 50mm longer than the Highlander, and the 7-seater version is also a suitable configuration for my multi-person family.
In the past, when I tested a vehicle, power performance was an important evaluation item: the power must be sufficient, and it's best to have a strong sense of acceleration, so that driving on the road can have a certain sense of pleasure and ease.
After getting married and having children, at first, I still drove like before, often stepping on the gas to overtake, but each time I was "educated" by my wife. Her phrase "dizzy, slow down" is more effective than speed cameras, naturally making me take my foot off the accelerator.
This time when choosing a car, I prefer a soft and smooth power output, not the absolute "aggression." During the test drive of the Nissan Terra and Toyota Highlander, the Terra's 2.0T engine, in terms of subjective perception of absolute power, is more restrained than the Highlander's 2.5L hybrid "electric four-wheel drive." However, the Terra's power feels more progressive, without the instantaneous acceleration that the electric motor brings to the passengers, so fundamentally, the two have different characteristics.We also tested the 0-100km/h performance of both vehicles. In Sport mode, the dual motors of the Toyota Highlander exhibited a noticeable lift at the start, with the wheels slightly slipping, and the acceleration felt immediate, with the maximum instantaneous G-force reaching 0.54G. The final result for the Highlander Hybrid was recorded at 8.06 seconds.
On the other hand, even when the Nissan Terra was launched with the engine speed held steady at 2000rpm, the initial posture remained quite stable, and it took almost a second for the torque to surge, with the 0.52G acceleration G-value only kicking in at this point, and then it began to steadily propel the vehicle, which is nearly 100kg heavier in curb weight.
I feel that even with Sport mode activated, the Terra still provided ample protection for the 9-speed automatic transmission, thus suppressing the performance, but it still managed to achieve a time of 9.47 seconds, which is sufficient for most scenarios for a family SUV.
During everyday driving, when I continuously press down on the accelerator at a 50% throttle opening, the 2.0T engine demonstrates its advantage of building up power gradually. It still has sufficient acceleration in the mid to later stages. For such a large vehicle to maintain this sense of strength, it gives me the impression that it has a relatively nimble posture.Moreover, the power output of the Nissan 2.0T, while not providing the driver with the slightly barbaric violence felt at the start of the Highlander, offers better comfort for passengers. After all, the characteristic of the electric motor's instantaneous high torque output, if not well controlled, can easily cause discomfort to those riding in the vehicle. Additionally, during acceleration, the sound of the Highlander's engine intervention is somewhat hollow, and it lacks the cabin quietness brought by the double-glazed windows of the Nissan Terra, which is also an important factor affecting the quality of driving.
In terms of braking, the Nissan Terra, despite its larger size and greater weight, manages to control the 100-0 km/h braking distance to 38.64 meters. Under the same conditions, the Toyota Highlander requires 41.48 meters, with a 0.1-second longer stopping time and an instant G-value that is 0.05G lower. Subjectively, my perception is that the Terra's braking force is more consistent, the pulling sensation at the end of braking is less, and the electronic assistance's interference with the pedal is more subtle. For emergency braking maneuvers, the Terra is more user-friendly.
02Control is not the goal; comfort is the true essence.
For a 5-meter long family-sized seven-seater SUV, both the Nissan Pathfinder and the Toyota Highlander certainly do not pursue a handling-oriented approach, especially when I test drove them and attempted several single and double lane change maneuvers, I could sense that their limits under aggressive maneuvers are not high.
In the past, I would definitely have been more inclined towards vehicles with a handling-oriented tuning, more eager to pursue sensitive and quick steering response. However, this sensation can be disastrous for passengers. The driver's slight steering input might already cause the other occupants in the vehicle to be thrown off balance. I have to consider whether the elderly and children can withstand such agile maneuverability.
Compared to the Toyota Highlander, the Nissan Pathfinder, in terms of steering feel, although its hand force is light, it still provides certain feedback during steering and cornering scenarios, allowing you to clearly understand the state of the vehicle. It does not overly pursue lightness like the Highlander, losing the sense of the road.
Moreover, in terms of center response, the Pathfinder does not give a very "tricky" feeling. It has a relatively appropriate yaw and roll response, allowing passengers to adapt, and its comfort is slightly better than the Highlander. Especially when driving on mountain roads, as long as there are no particularly large steering maneuvers, the front and rear axle support of the Pathfinder is sufficient to handle, with an appropriate roll angle and roll speed. If controlled properly, it will not make people feel scared.Comparing the two vehicles, the Nissan Murano and the Toyota Highlander have similar overall levels of body roll, but the Highlander's roll speed is relatively faster, which can feel quite abrupt.
In terms of chassis smoothness, the Nissan Murano has better body control than the Toyota Highlander, resulting in a more comfortable ride.
On some damaged and uneven surfaces, the Murano's control over pitch and roll is superior to the Highlander's, with the Highlander's pitch feeling particularly pronounced, making it difficult to maintain a stable sitting position. Conversely, for larger impacts, both vehicles have a comfort-oriented chassis tuning, and their touch and energy feel are actually quite good. The Murano is relatively softer at the initial stage, which can effectively alleviate the sensation of impact.
This is quite important for everyday outdoor travel. City road conditions are generally good, and most vehicles have no major issues with smoothness. However, when encountering bumpy roads, the difference can be felt—originally, a family is happily heading out for an outdoor activity, but they are already shaken and disoriented before even reaching the destination, which naturally dampens the mood for enjoyment.There is also one more aspect where the Nissan Xterra performs better, and that is its four-wheel drive calibration, which offers more mode options compared to the Highlander, providing better adaptability for common outdoor road conditions. The Xterra can adjust among six different modes: automatic, economy, sport, sand, mud/rut, and snow, while the Highlander only has a "TRAIL" mode available for off-road situations. Trying to use a single calibration for all off-road conditions is definitely not as effective as having targeted, specific calibrations.
During the test drive, I specifically sought out a large sloped dirt road that was not paved. The estimated slope was over 30%, and with the soft soil, the climbing difficulty was not trivial. The Nissan Xterra could adjust to the sand mode to control traction, which gave it an advantage over the Highlander. When starting on the slope, due to the reduced grip on the front axle, the Highlander's wheels were prone to slipping. In contrast, the Xterra not only distributed torque more precisely, but also, when detecting front axle slippage, it was noticeable that the power distribution changed, allowing for a smooth start very quickly.Overall, compared to the Toyota Highlander, the Nissan Terra has a superior level of comfort while maintaining comparable dynamic stability. Additionally, the difference in everyday power performance and the lack of an absolute advantage for the hybrid system mean that the smooth and steady power delivery is more desirable than the instantaneous peak power. Considering the comfort of the Terra's suspension, I would lean towards choosing the Nissan Terra for a family-oriented seven-seater SUV, as it offers a more comfortable experience.
However, this conclusion is based solely on the driving experience, as spending 300,000 on a car is not a small amount for most families. Therefore, the static experience is equally important and should not be overlooked. I must admit that I am not an expert in this area, so I have also consulted a friend who is a material engineer with many years of experience in automotive development to provide some advice.
03
Ergonomics focus on details, and the spatial layout demonstrates strength.Based on this friend's opinion, I have gained a deeper understanding of the ergonomics and spatial layout of the Nissan Murano and Toyota Highlander—such as a recent topic, "Why do people like to rest their arms out the window while driving," although I don't have this habit, I often place my arms, which have nowhere to go, on the spacious door panel armrest.
The Murano has almost achieved the widest and longest flat armrest in its class, coupled with a suitably thick composite foam layer, so resting your arm on it provides excellent comfort. In contrast, the Highlander has a narrower and shorter design in the same position, and you can feel the compression of the door panel when resting your arm, making the comfort slightly inferior.
On the right side of the driver's seat, the central control box of the Murano also has a wide armrest cover for elbow support, and the Murano's large flat layer provides a good sense of comfort for both the driver and front passenger. The Highlander's split front and rear sliding switch structure leaves a combined groove where the elbows rest on both sides, which might touch this unevenness when wearing thinner clothing, making the comfort a bit worse than the Murano.
At the same price point, the Murano comes with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, which looks better visually, and your fingers can feel the touch of genuine leather, while the Highlander's Elite version still has a plastic steering wheel, which seems a bit shabby. From the multifunctional keyboard area on the steering wheel, it can also be seen that the Nissan Murano Intelligent Drive version is equipped with ProPILOT's L2 level assisted driving function, which can be activated with a single press of the small blue circle on the right, enabling basic operations such as full-speed adaptive cruise control and lane change assistance, while the Highlander Elite version leaves a bare black plastic plate on the steering wheel.
This is only a part of the gap in smart cockpits between the two. The Nissan Murano not only uses a full LCD instrument panel, but the central control screen is also a 12.3-inch 2K touch screen. In terms of both exterior design and UI layout, as well as operational fluency, the Murano is more coordinated and user-friendly than the Highlander's "small TV," and its voice interaction capabilities are also more comprehensive.Additionally, the multifunctional large screen of the Explorer retains one-touch buttons for opening and closing, as well as adjusting the volume, which is more convenient. In contrast, the Highlander only has fully touch-controlled adjustments in the central control area. Fortunately, both vehicles have retained a sufficient number of physical buttons, making them easier for traditional consumers to get used to.
Of course, when choosing a joint venture mid-size SUV, I am more in pursuit of the comfort brought by a large space. A seven-seater family car must also have the convenience and ease of operation of multi-scenario seat transformations.
In terms of multifunctional seat combinations, the Explorer not only has a full flat-bed mode for all seats but can also combine the front and rear rows by removing the front headrests and placing them flat, connecting seamlessly with the second-row seat cushions, and then adjusting the angle of the second-row backrests to lie down inside the vehicle, suitable for short breaks during some short trips. Although the Highlander can fully lay flat the last two rows, the first row's backrest can only be adjusted to a small angle and cannot seamlessly connect with the middle row seats.The Tanlu and Highlander both feature a 2+3+2 seven-seater layout, with access to the third row only from the side. However, there are significant differences in the operation methods. The Tanlu employs an EZ entry operation mode, which allows for one-touch activation from the side, with the second-row seats automatically tilting and sliding forward, creating a sufficiently large space for entry and exit, making it very convenient.
In contrast, the Highlander requires the use of three side operation handles, which necessitate a combination of alternating operations to move the second-row seats forward and create space for entry, making the process more complex.
Regarding the convenience of exiting from the third row, the Tanlu also features a one-touch unlock EZ entry mode on the backrest of the second row. Pressing a single button expands the exit, whereas the Highlander requires adjustment of the backrest angle using a shoulder unlock button and then manual pushing out, which is not as convenient as the Tanlu's operation.
Looking at the space when the second-row seats are pushed to their limit, the Tanlu's rear area is noticeably more convenient for entry and exit. Additionally, it is important to note that although the Highlander has a higher roof, it is more prone to hitting one's head when entering or exiting. Moreover, the lower anchor point of the Tanlu's second-row seatbelt is close to the side body panel and is recessed for concealment, while the Highlander's design places it further away from the side body, making it easier to trip when entering or exiting.Additionally, according to Chinese riding and driving habits, I would choose to have my family members enter from the right side. The Highlander's second row on the right side features a larger six-way seat, which is fully manually operated and more cumbersome. In contrast, the Discovery's right rear side has a smaller four-way seat, which is noticeably lighter and more agile to operate.
Upon entering the third row, in terms of headroom, with the backrest angle adjusted to the same range, the Discovery still has some space left, while the Highlander has already touched the head, mainly because the Discovery has a flatter ceiling. In terms of the comfort of the headrests for the third-row seats, the Discovery, while ensuring space, has thicker dimensions, providing more comfortable support and protection, whereas the Highlander's are thinner, making it easy to feel the hard objects inside the headrests. By combining the sitting angle of the third-row cushion, it can be discerned that the Discovery's knee angle is smoother, offering a stronger sense of comfort, while the Highlander's knee angle is noticeably more bent, which is mainly related to the Highlander's lower and thinner cushion.
In terms of the area of the side windows in the third row, the Discovery offers a more open view compared to the Highlander. Moreover, the Discovery features an openable panoramic sunroof and provides an electric sunshade, while the Highlander Elite does not have a sunroof.Focusing on seat comfort, at the same price point, the front row of the Explorer offers electric seats, with the driver's seat not only having four-way height adjustment but also two-way lumbar support adjustment, and it also provides seat heating. The surface material uses perforated leather. The Highlander Elite Edition front row can only be manually adjusted, which is not easy to get into a comfortable sitting position. Although the seat material uses more breathable fabric materials, in terms of visual stitching style, tactile sensation, or later cleaning and maintenance, leather seats still have an advantage.
It is also worth mentioning that the Explorer provides four-way adjustable headrests for both front and rear rows, which is usually only available on more comfortable MPVs, and the Highlander does not have this feature.
Finally, there is a difference in storage capacity. In terms of front row storage space, the Explorer uses a floating co-dashboard, with a hollowed-out storage space underneath, while the Highlander's position is sealed off. However, Toyota has retained the classic center console layer design.
Both models offer a central armrest that supports elbows and storage in the second row, but the Explorer has an additional phone storage slot and is equipped with a retractable strap, making the Highlander seem less thoughtful in this detail compared to Nissan's design.The storage design on the second-row door panels of the Explorer also has an advantage. In addition to the conventional lower door pocket storage, there are two large storage spaces inside the armrests on the doors, making it more convenient to access large water bottles. When fully loaded for long trips, there is no need to worry about not being able to open the armrest cup holders.
In the trunk area, not only does the Explorer lead in terms of actual loading capacity and opening depth, but the most surprising feature is the provision of a floor cover that can be suspended at any angle, making it more convenient to place and retrieve items. The Highlander does not have this design; one either needs to hold the cover with one hand or completely lower the cover.
In summary, the advantages of the Explorer in terms of ergonomics and spatial layout are:
1. Higher-grade leather wrapping is used in areas such as the steering wheel, seats, door panels, and armrests, enhancing comfort;
2. The expandable storage space in the front and middle rows is more outstanding;
3. The space and operational convenience for entering and exiting between the second and third rows are more convenient.4. The scene of seat transformation is richer, suitable for family short trips;
5. The riding posture and headroom of the three rows are more outstanding.
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Driving Summary
Through this comparative experience, the Toyota Highlander confirmed my previous impression of it—a very balanced "jack of all trades" vehicle, with styling, space, and power all above the industry average. Such comprehensive capabilities are also the core factors that have allowed three consecutive generations of Highlander products to continue to sell well in China over the past decade.
In fact, the Nissan Terra gives me more surprises.Firstly, in terms of value proposition, the entry-level pricing of the Highlander allows one to opt for a nearly fully-equipped ProPilot trim with comfort and smart configurations. As a rational engineering-minded individual, it is hard for me to overlook the allure of tangible monetary value.
Secondly, there is a difference in ride and driving space. Although it is not easy to discern the spatial superiority of the two vehicles with the naked eye, the ProPilot clearly places greater emphasis on the passenger experience. Not only is it more convenient to get in and out, but the comfort of the third row is also significantly better than that of the Highlander. Additionally, Nissan has arranged 24 storage spaces inside the vehicle, flexible seat combinations, and a larger trunk volume, all of which affect convenience in daily home use.
Lastly, the driving experience, which I value, cannot be separated from the discussion. Although neither the ProPilot nor the Highlander pursues extreme driving pleasure, with comfort being the core consideration, Toyota's dual-motor hybrid system also offers better power response. However, considering everyday usage scenarios, the ProPilot's heavier chassis dynamics, more stable body posture, and more composed power delivery, combined with a smooth transmission that rivals hybrid models, ensure that the Nissan ProPilot can satisfy the preferences of the family while also catering to my own convictions, whether driving or riding.
Perhaps in the current era of increasing penetration of new energy vehicles, joint venture seven-seater SUVs in the 200,000 to 300,000 yuan price range may not become the focus of internet traffic, but from the consumer's perspective, there is still a silent majority in the niche market. I believe that friends like me who buy cars for their families will not ignore the existence of the Nissan ProPilot.
After all, the mentality of "buy new, not old" is the norm. As someone choosing a car for a large family, its product power can fully compete with successful models like the Toyota Highlander and Volkswagen Teramont. Moreover, Nissan's consistent quality also indicates that it is a trustworthy choice for consumers. Although the Toyota Highlander has tens of thousands of yuan in discounts at the end of the sales process, purchasing a ProPilot within the next month, including a 10,000 yuan replacement subsidy and a 3,000 yuan deposit that expands to 17,000 yuan, already amounts to a discount of 24,000 yuan. Additionally, insurance is offered to existing car owners, so I must also carefully consider whether to take advantage of this launch benefit and get on board quickly.Please provide the text you would like translated into English.