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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  Quality goes a long way - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By easyrider - July 23 - 8:16 am

  Bought the SUV new at the time this SUV was made in Japan 90%, 10% in the states. The trk {SUV} is good on gas especially with the K & N air filter I put in the air compartment, and get up an go power. More than any v-8. This SUV has 3.3 V6, people said was slow but with this air filter it acts like a race engine. I bought the 2 wd drive for towing my boat of 18 of which it pulls out of the water with a full tank. Mind you NO 4 WD drive. Actually would like a hybrid high. for future. Hybrids are a needed thing the way Gasoline is heading. Not 25 cent a gallon anymore.

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  Try it, youll like it. - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By happy one - July 21 - 2:36 pm

  Go test drive them all, but you will come back to the Highlander if you want an easy to drive SUV with lots of power and feel on the road. There are other things to like about the vehicle as it stands new, but well see how it holds up.

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  What a vehicle - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Finest Hour - July 19 - 10:00 am

  This SUV is a real fun drive. You know are driving a well built vehicle

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  2008 Toyota Highlander Review - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By wrwilkins - July 16 - 7:46 am

  Replaced our 2003 Honda CRV with the Highlander Sport AWD to gain the third seat for hauling grandkids. Has been fun to drive, although it seems large in restricted parking areas. Interior comfortable & well appointed. Once the third seat is up there is no storage space. We did have to have one of the tires replaced when it picked up a screw in the sidewall. Because of its unusual size there were limited sources and it cost us $225 to replace it.

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  Lemon or Bad Luck??? - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By LINDA - July 11 - 2:53 pm

  I purchased this vehicle new in 2001. As much as I would love to say how great this SUV is, it isnt!!! I do however love everything about it except its reliability. Soon after the warranty ran out the engine began to have problems with the check oil light coming on when I checked the oil (which was changed very regularly more often than recommended) it was completely dry on dipstick. Took it to local Toyota dealer to check for "sludge" as far as they could tell none noted hum! Continued to drive and add oil before & after long trips. Not leaking just lots of white smoke. Last week check engine light came on probably need new engine or valve seals? In the shop now. Very disappointed!!

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  Love the Highlander - All Around Great SUV - 2012 Toyota Highlander
  By goodboi_75 - July 10 - 3:07 pm

  I absolutely love my 2012 Highlander, Base 3.5 L V-6 AWD. It currently has 15,000 miles on it. Its a nice driving vehicle with comfortable ride and outstanding reliability. Its a tank in the NY snow and backs up my steep driveway like a breeze - no spinning, slipping, etc......unlike my 2003 Ford Escape 4x4 which had a tough time backing up the driveway. I went on a recent trip to PA and the highlander handled the hilly terrain with ease and the best part is the gas mileage - averaged 25 mpg highway! I was shocked it did so well and was very impressed. Thats better than the 23 mpg hwy rating on the sticker window!

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  i love it - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By megan - July 7 - 2:33 pm

  i love this car. i drove a nissan frontier for a while and this is such a welcome change. the ride is so smooth and quiet. my sister visited recently with her husband and children and we were all able to fit in the car comfortably. i love the pick up and go that its got.

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  Excelent SUV - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By cbardakjian - July 5 - 10:00 am

  I had Pathfinder, but THIS is something else. You dont expect from exterior the quality of the ride nor the luxurios interior. Limited with leather and V6 is worth every penny, comfort, space and the drive feeling is a pleasure. I bought five new cars and a SUV in the past 18 years and four of them Toyota but is this TOP. Treat yourself...get one. No Im not a salesmen, Im a graphic artist. After all it is a TOYOTA. I wish domestic auto makers learn something and bring the honor and the excelence of auto making back to USA.

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  Love the 2011 Highlander - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By Tom Mims - July 3 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car for my wife, both of us love it. It is responsive, low road noise, fun to drive and feels like a quality vehicle. With no problems noted in first 500 miles, not really sure about how to rate reliability other than my research on past model highlanders so I gave it a 9. This crossover SUV has just about every comfort feature one could want and its interior design is well thought out. We RV/ camp a lot, I pull the camper with my truck and my wife pulls my boat, so the ability to occasionally tow up to 5000 lbs with tow pkg prep and accessory options was part of purchase decision. Safety features and rating were also a consideration in our decision to purchase the Highlander.

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  Good choice. - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Brett - June 23 - 8:50 pm

  I bought my Highlander about 3 months ago. Previous to this I drove a BMW X5 and wanted to get something with better fuel economy. I always liked Toyotas but did not like the prevous Highlander. When the redesigned Highlander came out I figured the time was right to get one. My biggest disappointment was the navigation system. First the way it is packaged becomes an expensive option as you have to get the rear seat entertainment system with it. Second, you can only put information in it when the car is stopped which really makes using it aggravating. Third, it is a complicated system and fails to find a number of streets that it should. The system in my wifes Honda is much better.