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:

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  two year owner - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By David Price - December 29 - 2:00 am

  we have enjoyed our 2001 Highlander for almost 50,000 miles ,other than the gas miliage it has been a enjoyable experance.

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  Not as rugged as I had hoped for - 2014 Toyota Highlander
  By mlfiam24 - December 24 - 5:48 pm

  This car is quite pricey. I wouldnt have even thought about buying it if I hadnt gotten 20K trade-in for my Tacoma. For the price, the quality is not that great. The shiny, cheap looking wheels disintegrate if you brush a curb and it costs $600+ to replace each one (not including labor). There are tiny spots missing paint from a bad paint job on the assembly line. Both front windows make a terrible loud screeching sound when you put them up and they hit the frame. And lastly, if you make chrome roof rails, why would the only option for roof rail bars be in cheap looking black plastic?

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  poor tires on awd - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By gary - November 26 - 2:33 pm

  Why buy an awd. The tires that come for it are junk. Only two mfg make them. The tires are very poor in the snow. See tire rack survey. Toyota told me to install chains. Why did I pay for the awd. Toyota blew it when it specked these tires. They should have gone to a size where there are more tires avail.

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  Great car...some quality issues...poor customer experience... - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By tjbss - November 19 - 12:13 pm

  The only negative regarding this car relates to quality issues (power windows and sun visor) and specifically the way the dealership and Toyota executed their customer service. Otherwise, the vehicle is a joy to drive and (so far) very reliable. The drivers sun visor has broken twice in less than three years. The dealership, Rice Toyota, and Toyota have, in the end replaced the sun visor at no charge, however Toyota corps customer service has disappointed me due to failed follow up promises. The power window failed due to a nut that came off the window...a repair we paid for. These relatively "minor repairs make me less positive toward the brands quality and customer service.

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  Not perfect, but pretty nice - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Rexlion - November 18 - 9:23 pm

  This basic AWD model is almost identical in size to our 2000 Merc Mountaineer, but a little wider and way better ride. Interior fan so much quieter. Headlights much better illumination. Not as good looking or as much fun to drive as the Rav4 in my opinion, but we want to tow a 4000 lb travel trailer and the Rav wont quite do it. This Highlander has plenty of goodies as standard equipment. And 8" ground clearance, yet its easier to get in and out of than the old Mountaineer. My 52" wife is happy about that.

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  2005 v64wd highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By anna - November 9 - 12:36 am

  I bought my highlander after considering size, saftey, gas milage,and reliability as compared to other suvs. The size is perfect for me-not too big, not too small. There is plenty of room for hauling-took 2 kids to college in it. Its very nice to drive, but the transmission is sluggish when starting out. Also, I previously had an explorer, and the seats in it were much more comfortable. Its a pleasure to drive- its very quiet and smooth-sort of like gliding through the air! It handles very well around bends etc, and is easy even for me to park!

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  2001 Highlander Excellent Value - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By Johnz - November 4 - 5:06 am

  Most reliable car I have owned. Comfortable. Lots of power for highway driving. Nicely finished.

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  Hunter - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Smokey - October 20 - 6:20 pm

  Steering is very stiff at highway speeds causing the feeling that it has locked up, and trying to make a minor adjustment always results in an oversteer or over correction situation. The result is a weaving left to right as you travel the straight-aways. There is no room for any extra stuff in the front for the driver or passenger. Difficult to get the EPA rating of 24 Hghy.

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  A good SUV with a few flaws - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Scatterax - October 17 - 6:23 am

  Had it for 6 months. Previous cars include Accord, Nissan Quest. Good power, comfortable and solid. Handles nicely. Quiet when windows are closed. Performs well in snow/ice. I truly enjoy driving it. Music system is excellent, NAV is very confusing and appears less capable than the Honda Pilots. Susceptible to easy scratching inside and out. Wind noise is bad, but the low frequency reverberations when the back windows are open or sometimes when the moonroof is open by itself produce intolerable discomfort. A tolerable ride with moonroof or windows open without too much noise requires continuous adjustment of the windows depending on the speed.

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  Great little trucklet - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By Andynliz - October 14 - 10:03 am

  This thing is great. Drives smooth, quiet inside, huge power. It rolls somewhat on corners, but its tall, what do you expect?. The interior design is fantastic. It has plenty of room in the middle row and sufficient room for short adults in the 3rd row (though I wouldnt want to sit back there for a long road trip) and certainly big enough for kids. Also cool: the third row folds flat easily & the tonneau cover and insert from the middle row both stow in the car - no lost parts. The visibility out the back is limited, so backing up is fun, and the slab-like hood and front fenders make it difficult to see the corners.