Overview & Reviews

A pioneering vehicle in many ways, the Toyota Highlander was one of the first midsize crossover SUVs to be sold in America when it debuted in 2001. With its car-based unibody design, the original Highlander provided many benefits over Toyota's more traditional SUVs, including better handling, higher fuel mileage, a quieter cabin, improved crashworthiness and easier entry and exit for passengers.

Since then, the Toyota Highlander has gone on to become one of the most popular crossovers available, appealing to shoppers who want a vehicle with SUV styling, plenty of versatility for hauling cargo and a third-row seat. The third-generation Highlander has the most seating capacity, while the second generation has the most rear cargo space. That said, a Highlander of any vintage is one of the better values out there for those seeking a comfortable, easy-to-drive vehicle that can carry a fair amount of cargo and passengers and handle snow and ice during the winter months while still delivering decent fuel economy.

Current Toyota Highlander
Redesigned for 2014, the current Toyota Highlander is a few inches longer than the previous-generation model and sports notably more aggressive styling. The cabin has also been modernized: Many of the cabin's previously hard plastic surfaces are now covered with softer materials, and the electronics are more up to date.

The Highlander is available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Base front-drive models come with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine making 185 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. All other Highlanders have an impressively efficient 3.5-liter V6 good for 270 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard with either engine. There is also a Toyota Highlander Hybrid that delivers considerably better fuel economy. It is covered in a separate review.

Toyota Highlander shoppers can choose among four trim levels: LE, LE Plus, XLE and Limited. Highlights of the base LE include 18-inch wheels, a touchscreen display, a rearview camera, Bluetooth and an iPod/USB interface. Moving up to the LE Plus gets you a flip-up rear window, a power liftgate, a power driver seat and tri-zone climate control. The XLE's perks include keyless ignition and entry, a sunroof, leather upholstery, a navigation system and Toyota's Entune suite of smartphone app-based services. The top-dog Limited sports 19-inch wheels, upgraded leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, second-row captain's chairs, ambient interior lighting and an upgraded audio system. Additional safety features like blind-spot monitoring, frontal collision warning/mitigation and lane-departure warning systems are also available on the Limited.

On the road, the Highlander's near-silent V6 engine is complemented by a liquid-smooth six-speed automatic transmission with the refinement you might expect in a Lexus. Acceleration is among the best in this class. Unless your budget will only allow the four-cylinder engine, the V6 is the way to go. Maximum passenger capacity is eight -- more than most other crossovers. The third-row seat is still really only suitable for children, but the second row slides and reclines, maximizing comfort. The interior looks and feels upscale and there are plenty of storage areas for your personal items. Overall, we highly recommend the Highlander if you're shopping for a large, three-row crossover SUV.

Used Toyota Highlander Models
The second-generation Toyota Highlander was produced from 2008-'13. It was significantly larger than the previous model in nearly every way, adding shoulder room, hiproom and legroom all around as well as additional cargo capacity.

This generation Highlander felt spry on the road and was easy to drive, with especially brisk acceleration coming from the V6 engine. We liked the quiet, roomy cabin that seated up to seven passengers. While the Highlander's third row was less spacious than those of some rivals, it was easy to reach thanks to a nifty 40/20/40-split second row with a removable center seat that facilitated walk-through access. Cargo space was also down compared to larger crossovers, but this Highlander should still be roomy enough for almost any family.

For 2008, the only available engine was a 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. In 2009 it was joined by a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that made 187 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive were standard, and all-wheel drive was available with the V6.

Available trim levels, depending on the year, were base, Sport, SE, Plus and Limited. Standard equipment on the base Highlander included air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and the 40/20/40-split second row bench seat. The Sport trim level (2008-'10) added a more firmly tuned suspension, a rearview camera, a flip-up rear window in the liftgate and a power-adjustable driver seat.

For 2011, Toyota discontinued the Sport trim level and made most of that trim level's equipment standard on the SE (2010-'13). The SE also had a sunroof, heated seats, leather upholstery and an upgraded audio system. The Plus (2013 only) had similar equipment to the Sport. For the Limited, Toyota added 19-inch wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control, upgraded upholstery and a front passenger seat. Major options for this Highlander included a navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system.

If you're shopping for a second-generation model, take note that the 2008 through 2010 models had a less versatile third-row seat with a one-piece bench design rather than the 2010-'13 model's 50/50-split seat. For 2011, Toyota also mildly updated the Highlander's exterior styling.

The first-generation Toyota Highlander was produced from 2001-'07. It was powered by either a 155-hp four-cylinder engine or a 220-hp 3.0-liter V6. A four-speed automatic transmission was standard. In 2004 the V6 was bumped up to 3.3 liters and 230 hp, and models so equipped received a five-speed automatic transmission, while four-cylinder models soldiered on with the four-speed unit (and 5 extra hp). Available trim levels were base, Sport and Limited.

Base models came equipped with a respectable amount of equipment, including air-conditioning, power accessories, cruise control and a CD player. The Sport trim spiced things up with 17-inch alloys, a sport-tuned suspension, foglights, a power driver seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter. The Limited added heated outside mirrors, power front seats, a fold-flat third-row seat (as of 2004) and an upgraded JBL sound system. Popular options included leather seating, an in-dash CD changer, a towing package and -- on the Limited model only -- a navigation system.

Shoppers interested in a used Toyota Highlander might want to confine their search to 2004 models and newer, not just because of the power increase, but also because a third-row seat and rear DVD entertainment system were newly available, enabling the Highlander to remain competitive with the strengthening crop of midsize crossover SUVs. Other significant changes for '04 included the addition of stability control and a tire-pressure warning system as standard equipment, as well as newly optional side curtain airbags for the first and second rows (which became standard on '07 models).

User Reviews:

• 

  START STOP HAS TO GO - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By JIM YOUNG - July 13 - 12:49 pm

  This highlander has start stop tech. Which absolutely sucks. The engine tries to stop running before the car comes to a stop. It hesitates on start up. The advertising misrepresents this feature. It is not safe. It does not save gas. Its a joke on the american public. The consumer should be able to turn this off permanently. I had a 2014 highlander which was a very good vehicle, however, i have told folks to stay away from the 2017 because of the start stop crap.

• 

  Terrible - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Steve Mack - May 11 - 10:00 am

  This car has been a huge dissapointment.I highly suggest the 4 runner.

• 

  Read the Consumer Affairs Complaints Before Buying - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Disappointed Toyota Owner - May 8 - 6:57 am

  I wish I had read the Consumer Affairs complaints before buying my 2016 Toytota Highlander XLE. Ive only owned my car for 30 days and already had an issue with the car starting on its own. Yes! Thats right. I walked up to my car after shopping at WalMart for 40 min. only to find that it had started up by itself, and must have been running while I was in the store with the doors locked. Upon entering the car, a yellow caution light was flashing near the odometer. I read many consumer complaints and found another person complaining of the same problem and was told that it can happen when the remote entry keypad is pushed twice after exiting the vehicle. After reading many other customer complaints about various issues with 2013-2015 brakes not working while driving (Yikes!), driver doors not unlocking, and front seats making loud noises while driving, I wish I had read those complaints before purchasing this vehicle. It sounds like the 2013, 2014, and 2015 may be lemons. Im not sure about the 2016 yet, because the car is too new to know for sure, but Im very concerned about whats to come. I dont feel 100% safe in this car, especially since I have 2 kids. This is my 2nd Toyota. I just sold my 2006 Sienna minivan and it had many defective issues/recalls. I will not be buying a Toyota in the future because they dont stand behind their cars. They only try to blame the customer for their defects. UPDATE after 30 days of driving - The sound system is terrible. My Sienna minivan had a JBL sound system which was great, but the Highlander has a cheap sound system with a horrible muffled sound. After driving the car a little while, you will notice that the interior has many cheap parts!! The floor "carpet" is actually felt, not carpet, and some of the dash has plastic parts. The front seats and angled headrest are very uncomfortable on longer rides. Wish I could trade my new XLE in for a well made car that matches the price I paid. The quality just isnt in the 2016 Highlander for the high price. Still disappointed.

• 

  The biggest junk i ever lease.. - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Thomas V Fandino - December 19 - 1:42 pm

  First the windows sound that looks like a air leak. The engine and transmission sound awful for a new car. You can hear all the noise as the vehicle change gears. My dashboard lights go intermittent from time to time. The breaks cry noisy . When you are in cruise control the vehicle calculates the front vehicle speed and slow you down. If the front vehicle change line the Toyota accelerates suddenly but if the front vehicle was close to another the speed safety control delay too much to kick in again making the vehicle unsafe. The 4cyl are a lot different from the 6 cyl. They looks the same but they are not.I can reflect more problems but at this point i feel sorry for myself to buy this peace of bran new jub k..

• 

  Never Again - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By SPD - August 1 - 7:25 pm

  We decided to purchase an SUV and looked at just about everything. Since we own a Lexus (ES330)) and never had a problem so we decided we would go with a Toyota. If we had an opportunity to drive the Highlander for a day or two prior to making a decision we would have never bought it. First the "Chrometec" wheels are nothing but glorified hub caps. When you purchase the top model you expect to get real wheels. We cant use/tilt the moon roof because of road noise. We suspect it has to do with the aerodynamics of the tilt and cross bar of the luggage rack but someone eat Toyota should have tested that out. Here nor there its too loud to use. The positioning of the navigation screen is horrible. Most of the time there is such a glare on the screen its unusable - this was a really poorly thought out design. In addition the system shuts off and reboots for no reason - it appears we are not the only ones experiencing this. If you are using the Navigation and it shuts down your are out of luck until it reboots. We also have the vented seats but on the cooling mode you can hear the fan noise over your left shoulder if you are the driver - ridiculous. Lastly the floor in nothing more then felt. Looking at trading it in and only had it for a few months..worst vehicle I have ever owned. Cheaply made..

• 

  Transmission Failure at 8,253 Miles - Lemon! - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Jay - November 14 - 1:46 pm

  We purchased a new 2017 Highlander XLE after comparing it to several other vehicles in its class. Toyota touts quality and safety features as their biggest sales pitch, seems its there every time we turn on a tv. The transmission problem occurred at 8,253 miles, lucky for my wife, she was at a red light when the transmission failed and nobody was injured. The vehicle was hauled to local Toyota dealer on a flatbed & sat at the dealership for 52 days. We were told by dealer that a "new" transmission was back-ordered from California. After picking up the vehicle I noticed the workorder stated: "part number 30510-48600-84 REMAN ATM and CORE RETURN". Remanufactured parts should not be used to repair a brand new vehicle under factory warranty, which hasnt seen its first oil change. The day after picking it up I drove the vehicle and very excessive power train noise was present. Vehicle went back the the shop & they replaced both front wheel bearings at 8,392 miles and it sat in the shop another 3 days. Neither one of these repairs should occur on any new vehicle or a vehicle under 100,000 for that matter. Toyota Corporate has been less than helpful & were currently going through the lemon law process. Toyota has lost another long time customer, if I could rate the 2017 Highlander 0 stars I would.

• 

  spinebuster start stop - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By JC - August 24 - 10:28 am

  OK so im in the market for an suv with 6-7 seat i saw that the new highlander came out and decided to test drive, this is by the worst car i have test drove. Let me start off when i left the lot to the main street i tried to punch it because it was and entrance to a highway and the car hesitate so bad its like it doesnt have the power my foot demand and it gets stuck in gear for long period of time it is as bad as the first version of nissan cvt transmission, from 1st to 2nd gear the car went to 3500 rpm and was there for a good 4 sec untill it finally changed to second this was the same thing from second to third and it shifted hard as if the transmission was slipping or something. As you doing a rolling stop and try to step on the gas there is a bad delay for the car to respond , its confused on what gear to go into and so one time it went to a higher gear and almost stalled. this is as bad as the hyundai santa fe issues if not worse, another thing i hated was the start and stop i know its new technology yea it saves fuel but its going to be harder on the engine and starter, but for toyota i give them an F for this system because as soon as you step off the gas it jerk the living **** out of you, i thought someone hit us or something and the dealer guy was like thats the new system i just drove back and left cause that car it just horrible. Some of you may think i dont know what im talking about but im a drag racer and only feel a car jerk like that either when some one hits you or when i gas it on my race car for a car like this highlander just to jerk you every time at light it bad eventually the jerking will ause the car to crack something in the unibody i know you can shut it off but still what the purpose of having it if does this. also to add to the car hesitation for a car with 295 it seems very weak the sorento has 280hp and its plenty powerful, even my dad old towncar is more powerful and it only has around 200hp and weighs 4000lbs. so please people think again if you want to buy these new highlander give them a through test drive and youll see what im talking about

• 

  Awful Suspension - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Loaded4th - May 10 - 11:10 pm

  The Highlander used to be one of the best rides around, however, the latest version is a real kidney shaker. This may be fine for those who wish to tear around corners, but its brutal on a long distance drive. Although the Limited version has better suspension, it still falls short of the earlier models.

• 

  I would never recommend Highlander to anyone - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By Rajesh kuppili - October 3 - 7:27 pm

  Wind/outside Noise .. delicate ... simply, I hate this highlander

• 

  Computerized Fiasco, Warranty Nightmare - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By S. Tessmann - November 18 - 10:55 am

  My wife wanted leather seats so we purchased the XLE model, which comes with electronic and computerized everything. Although we paid for it, we will never use nor did we want 80% of the electronic wizardry that comes in this model. Lots of computerized stuff equates to lots of opportunity for malfunctions. The radio is "speed-activated," meaning the volume is supposed to increase gradually as the vehicle speed increases to compensate for road noise . The radio in our highlander is defective. The volume erratically and abruptly increases and decreases at any speed, even while the vehicle is idling. Its enough to drive you nuts. The vehicle is under warranty so I told the dealership I wanted the system replaced in one visit. In response, I got a lot of rigmarole about protocol and was told the system would need to be removed and sent off for diagnosis. I told them this was unacceptable as it meant several 100-mile round trips to the dealership. To no avail. They arranged a Saturday morning appointment but then told us they would need authorization to replace the system and since Toyotas technical service office is not open on a weekend, they could not get the approval. The technician downloaded a software service pack that did not correct the problem. I called the Toyota "customer care" center to lodge my complaint and insist that the problem be corrected in one additional visit. It was like talking to a trained puppet. More rigmarole about protocol and "Im sorry you are being inconvenienced" and "I am unable to guarantee the problem will be fixed on your next visit." Protocol before customer service, always !! The vehicle also comes with "radar activated" cruise control. Although functioning properly in our vehicle, its the most worthless, vexing thing Ive ever encountered. Who wants a cruise system that slows the vehicle as it approaches another vehicle you intend to pass? Consequently, I have to manually turn off the radar system every time I use the cruise control. This is another example of just too much technology thats poorly thought out.