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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  Camry convert - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By BOZ - September 30 - 10:00 am

  Ive wanted a Highlander for two years and its beautiful in every way!!!

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  The Best SUV in the segment - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By kaushiksripat - September 27 - 4:13 am

  Hello, The Highlander is the best in the segment i would say. The ride quality is far better than other suvs in this segment. You got to drive this decent SUV ... I am sure there will be no one who would not love it. Decent fuel economy, Robust feel while driving ( sturdy), very reliable, Smooth V6 and superb drive quality, best for family with small kids, Amazing family car

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  Nice car with a few glaring flaws - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Tom H. - September 26 - 9:36 pm

  Overall, the highlander is a good car. Soft ride with good acceleration...but you have very little feel of the road. Everything seems very well put together and of high quality. Basically, this seems like your typical Toyota vehicle. However, the instrument panel seems to have been designed by someone new to the technology. Most of the options wont save as default, the GPS is horrible, and trying to use the touch screen while driving is too distracting. The menus arent intuitive, and thingshe that should be prominent one click buttons require use of sub menus. These are things that you dont notice on a test drive, but really get on your nerves after having the car for a month.

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  Disappointed in Toyota - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By dmac - September 25 - 2:50 pm

  The shifts between 1st and 2nd (up and down)are annoying. Daughters driving it will get carsick. Saw this in other reviews. Poor factory install on gaskets caused oil leaks. Lower weather strip on driver side is detaching. Steering is loose and makes it feel like some problem with front end.

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  Best vehicle ever purchased - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By GiftForWIfe - September 24 - 10:43 pm

  Rides as quietly as my Lexus SC430 for $20k less. The hybrid feature is seamless, you dont know its a hyrbid. Peppy and fun to drive. Great interior and exciting Nav system.

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  Very Happy with Purchase - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Boston Bob - September 24 - 6:23 pm

  We were debating between the CRV and the Highlander but went with the Highlander for the extra room and the third row which will come in handy once the kids are out of carseats. We are very happy with our decision, it drives great, is quiet and we are expecting it to be extremely reliable.

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  Love this SUV - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Frank - September 23 - 8:10 pm

  I just traded in my 2008 Highlander for this car and loved it the minute I sat in it. Toyota made a mistake making the 08 too big and bulky. The geometry of the earlier Highlander is perfect! Seat comfort, interior ergonomics, transmission, visibility, handling are all perfect. HVAC is not cool enough but this might be a repair issue. Other than that a perfect 10! Getting 21 MPG in mixed driving. Fine for me for a very responsive 6 Cylinder. I got the limited with leather for a great price. Plan to hold on to this car for many years.

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  05 Highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By TYT - September 23 - 6:33 am

  Just got ours. Very happy with the buying experience and the car. Drove both 2.4L and 3.3L. V6 definitely smoother. We dont have a use for the 3rd row (only child size) but might be useful for resale. Looked at Murano -- not as spacious, and X3 - overpriced for what you get for. 2nd hand market is also very good. A lot of demand not much supply.

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  Very good SUV - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By 1awesomecloser - September 21 - 2:20 pm

  Really good car. Only thing off is the touch screen infotainment center needs to closer to right hand so you dont have to lean foward to reach. Other than that its almost perfect. Great residual values. Super comfy to ride in compared to my 2014 4Runner.

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  Love My Highlander - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Tony Pena - September 17 - 5:01 pm

  My review us based on the SE model. I love the exterior design and new grill. However, the inside is very comfortable. My wife and I test drove and decided between the Highlander and the Honda Pilot. The Pilot was great also, but my wife(who is a lifelong Honda owner) said after the test drive that she did not want to like the Highlander due to her allegiance to Honda, but she ended up loving it. Very comfortable inside and the extras with the SE(cool rims, ambient lighting, stitch designed leather seats) give her a "cool mom" feel.