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:

• 

  Mostly as expected but not everything - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By pma022 - December 4 - 5:23 pm

  Own this SUV for nearly 2 years. Reliability is good. No issue so far. But there are quite a few rattling noises from dash,2nd and 3rd row seats. Its definitely not as serious as mechanical or electrical problem but sometimes is quite annoying. Dealer said its from under seats and cannot fix due to safety issue. Another problem is the very weird tire size. Theyre top expensive. Change a set will charge $955 at Costco and $1000 at America Tire. Basically its a comfortable and fast car but Toyota can make it better.

• 

  Great Value - except Tires - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By B Whitcomb - December 4 - 10:00 am

  Purchased new in 2008, now have 50,000 without any mechanical problems. Could not have better reliability. Performance is outstanding even towing a boat (16 MPG) I have never gotten less than 19 MPG in town and up to 26 MPG on the highway at speeds of 70+ MPH. Original tires very poor replaced at 33,000 with Briggestone, so far so good. OEM tires were worthless day "1" with hydroplaning the rule not the exception. The interior is comfortable and well laid out. My only problem with the vehicle is my own doing. I tow a 4000 LB boat. It tows with great stability at 16 MPG. The problem is getting up the wet boat ramp with FWD. If you tow opt for the AWD

• 

  Our third Highlander - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Sders - December 3 - 10:25 am

  Our third Highlander! They just keep getting better and better. My only complaint is the complexity of the electronics. We shall probably get used to that, too.

• 

  Highlander is the only car for me! - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By Second Time Owner - December 3 - 5:03 am

  Have a 2002 Highlander and we put 283K miles on it. The A/C went out. Thought we would buy a different car, but nothing else satisfied us. So, we bought a 2013 Highlander with only 30K miles. Plenty of cargo space, plenty of head/leg room. Handles great. Wouldnt know its only a 4cyl. Fuel mileage is much better than advertised. We are getting average of 25.5 combined. Love the Highlander.

• 

  Its a Toyota - no mistake - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Toyo Fans - November 28 - 10:00 am

  Its definitely a Toyota. Very comfortable, car-like SUV. Great visibility. Smooth V-6, roomy interior (look small on the outside, extremely roomy inside, especially the rear leg room. Easy fold down rear seats (60/40). Two dislikes (suggest improvement) 1) High speed wind noise at rear seating area and when windows open, 2) and stereo system, sound is too soft for rear passengers, but to using the fader can correct problem and provide even sound front & back passengers.

• 

  need more A/C in Texas - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By dphipps - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy the size and comfort of my highlander. BUT the thing I hate, no rear air. I have one child and another on the way not to mention we live in Texas. My child roasts in the back seat because the air isnt hitting her. Would it be that hard to put a vent in the back? I also am bothered by the noise when one window opens, intense pressure on your ears.

• 

  Why Buy A Mercedes or a BMW - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By No More Mercedes - November 18 - 11:00 pm

  My last car was a Mercedes R350 I bought this Highlander as a last resort...and I could not be happier. I got this truck in June of 08 when nobody was making any kind of deals, and finding a reasonable lease was impossible from any manufacturer. Im amazed by this truck. It has plenty of power, a ton of room in the back for gear. The third row seat is a little small, but its great for my small kid (Girl 6yrs, Boy 2yrs). Fuel economy is around 23mpg combined city and Highway which is a huge improvement over the R350 which was around 18. This is an all around great vehicle which is a big compliment from a guy who never wanted an SUV.

• 

  Entune & JBL System Bad, Car is Otherwise Great - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Roby - November 18 - 4:56 pm

  We owned a 2013 Highlander with the JBL sound system and it was amazing. This 2016 system is horrible. No bass whatsoever. The Entune system is now crashing intermittently. Not what I expect from Toyota. Otherwise, the Highlander is awesome.

• 

  The Best Out There - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Matt Culpepper - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I absolutely love this vehicle, finally a great suv that doesnt feel like a truck. I could not be more pleased.

• 

  Wonderful Car! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By me0554_29204 - November 16 - 10:00 am

  This is a great SUV. Roomy, confortable -- even after a long drive!