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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  Toyota Quality!! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By NCToyotaowner - September 2 - 10:56 pm

  My wife and I just picked up our 2008 Highlander Limited last week (the first day they arrived). Weve owned 2 Lexus and a Toyota 4Runner and love the Toyota brand. In fact, we found out about the new Highlander while I was buying my 2007 Tacoma earlier this month. This SUV is absolutely the best SUV weve owned and weve had a Hummer H2, Lexus RX 330 and Toyota 4Runner. It drives like a dream the new design is outstanding.

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  Refined & reliable - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By John Doskoch - September 2 - 2:00 am

  We splurged on the 4WD Limited and glad we did! This made in USA SUV is a pleasure to drive; a quiet, comfortable ride with ample power on demand. Toyota makes a great V6 engine. Really like the new front end design. Limited features at the top of my list include Smart Key keyless entry, push button start, JBL stereo w/XM, heated seats, back up camera. Find the MPG display gauge useful too. MPG has been about 20 on first 2 tanks - good but could be better. Snow is here and I can hardly tell! Drives very securely through snow and slush. Havent had to engage the "snow" mode yet. This is a great family vehicle. Kids ask all the time to drive in it.

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  2002 Highlander - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Highlander02 - August 31 - 6:40 am

  This is my 3rd and last Toyota as the reliability has been just plain awful. Ive had constant interior rattles and now my instrument cluster is dead, as are two air to fuel sensors. Im only 2k out of warranty and the dealer along with Toyota said Too Bad, even though its always been dealer serviced. Having a $1200 repair at just over 3 years of age while being just 2k out of warranty is unacceptable. Who ever heard of an instrument cluster dying at just 3 years of age!

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  Great SUV overall, Technology is lacking - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Mike P - August 29 - 3:54 am

  This is a wonderful SUV, my only complaint is the entune system lags behind the technology on the market. Inconsistent connections to entune to play things like pandora, and no android auto or similar screen sharing with a phone.

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  Testemonial to the rear end ! - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Nor Cal Highlander - August 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Highlander 1yr 3 mos, 20,000+ miles & Ive loved every mile & every minute ! I was recently Rear- ended at a stop light, the other driver was stopped but decided it was time to go without the green light, he hit us hard enough to throw us a few feet forward. Expecting to get out and see quite a bit of damage, I was surprised to see a few minor scratches. To my astonishment that was exactly ALL that the toyota dealership & the repair shop found ! So KUDOS to the Highlanders fabulous Rear End !

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  Just Impressive SUV - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By md4runnerman - August 26 - 4:23 pm

  I bought this vehicle in mid March. Honestly, I cannot find one thing wrong with this vehicle of any substance. From its beefy outside looks for 2011 to the luxurious interior this vehicle rocks! The engine is buttery smooth and quiet. Coupled with the transmission the driving experience is wonderful. Great pickup, horsepower, and acceleration. I got the navigation package which includes the JBL sound system. It all is working seamlessly. There is a lot of interior space, seats are comfortable, third row seating can be folded individually, auto climate system is great, dashboard controls and layout is first class. My gas mileage has steadily increased from 16.2 to 18.4 mpg.

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  Great SUV, gas guzzler - 2012 Toyota Highlander
  By thedriver93 - August 25 - 6:04 pm

  I bought this car to upgrade out of my Camry, tried to see if Toyota could still impress me. This was a great SUV, great visibility, great features with NAV system, back up camera, JBL sound system, leather seats, heightened ride. The way it was drinking gas at 20-21 mpg was horrible and in the end a deal breaker

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  HIGHLANDER IS GREAT - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By REGIT - August 25 - 10:00 am

  PURCHASED THIS SUV USED WITH 44000 MILES. BEST DRIVING EXPERIENCE I EVER HAD.

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  EXCELLENT - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By TOM LOCKWOOD - August 25 - 10:00 am

  SMOOTH RIDING SUV THAT DRIVES LIKE A CAR. OTHER THAN FUEL ECONOMY THE CAR IS A 10.

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  Great Vehicle for the Money - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By mmrpharmd - August 25 - 1:43 am

  I am a car buying addict, literally. I have owned a lot of different vehicles in the last 6 years including a CTS, BMW 330i, Jeep Grand Cherokee, RX 330, GS 300, infiniti G35 and now the highlander. I have to say the build quality is not a BMW but it ranks up there with the Lexus and better than Infiniti. I was definitely in the market for an SUV this go around and was seriously looking and comparing and researching so that I might keep this one longer than 2 years! I drove the Volvo XC60, MDX, RX 350, and Audi Q5. I loved the Highlander though and the price was the best. I have a loaded AWD with Nav for 36000. I could not see buying a comparably equipped RX for 11000 more! Good buy!