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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  The excellent all-around 3 row crossover - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By MB - July 17 - 2:50 am

  I considered many different vehicles including other crossovers as well as large body on frame SUVs (Land Cruiser, Ford Expedition) but settled on the Highlander because it offers great utility and people carrying ability in a platform that is relatively fuel efficient (20.5 mpg mixed/24 mpg highway) but still offers moderate towing capacity. First the good: Great fit and finish, solidly built, very high quality interior (many parts would look at home in a Lexus), smooth engine, great acceleration for a 5000+ lbs vehicle, roomy 2nd row seat, drives like a compact SUV, great projected reliability and 5 year residual value. And the not so good: 3rd row seat is tight for adults (wouldnt plan on adults in the back for a road trip), no LED/HID headlights available at any trim level, no Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Navigation looks somewhat dated, infotainment screen hard to read in the sun or with polarized sunglasses, 8 speed auto has occasional rough upshift. Overall I am very pleased with the Highlander Limited Platinum. It has almost every bell and whistle and is a very comfortable and easy to drive vehicle. Im hopeful it lives up to its reputation for reliability.

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  2001 Highlander - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By jerrycg - July 17 - 2:00 am

  Comfortable and dependable. Pleasure to drive. Concerns: excessive road and wind noise, instruments recessed and difficult to see when lights are not on. Transmission gear change not as smooth as should be. Great sound system. Average to less gas mileage hw18 cit.15 Tow boats and handles well. I would consider buying another.

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  My 2 Cents - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Brian - July 16 - 9:46 am

  I purchased a Highlander Limited about 3 months ago. My wife is the primary driver and she is satisfied with the purchase but does not enjoy the Highlander as much as her previous Nissan Murano. We needed a 3rd row so we were forced to get something new. Her main complaint is how close she must sit to the steering wheel to reach the pedals. She is about 5 5" and she sits about 5 inches away from the steering wheel, the Murano had adjusted pedals which allowed her to sit back more. Her only other complaint is how loose feeling the steering is, I personally like the effortless steering, but she prefers a little more feedback from the car. Other then that we are happy with the purchase.

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  Used to be better - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Jill Berg - July 12 - 3:58 am

  I was given a 2016 Highlander XLE as a rental car while my 2011 Toyota Highlander was getting work done. It just didnt seem like the quality was as a good as with the previous body style. The seats were definitely not as comfortable. Also, the hood design creates a hazard when the sun reflects off of it at certain angles. You dont notice it from the outside but when you sit in the front seat you can see there is somewhat of a "U" shape design. Well when the sun hits the top of the "U" on either side it shines right in your eyes. I understand car manufacturers often make changes just for the sake of change, to differentiate the new from the old. However, please dont make changes that result in an inferior product.

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  Best vehicle Ive ever owned - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By 2nd owner - July 4 - 12:46 am

  We bought our Highlander with 50k miles 5 years ago and have put over 80k additional miles on it. It is the most reliable car we have ever owned. It has great performance, decent fuel economy, comfortable ride and is a nice looking car as well. I would recommend it to anyone regardless of mileage. I have seen them with 300k miles and still going.

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  Great family SUV - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By TCDKJ - June 23 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has been problem free since day one. It has been evrything that we expected from a Toyota and then some.

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  So far it is GREAT! - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Annie Carly - June 23 - 2:00 am

  I am a new owner of the HighlanderLTD, and have fallen in love with it! Its great looking, well designed inside and out! The ride is smooth, the controls easy to use, and it is great in the snow! The moon roof feature is great as is the general visibility.

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  Whats Not To Like !!!! - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By T. Jordan - June 22 - 7:58 pm

  I love my Highlander!!!! Its attractive, quiet, reliable, comfortable. Ive had three Highlanders and have kept going back for more!!! The only thing that I dont like are the colors of the new ones. The Silver looks like a tin can silver, and the Pre Dawn Mica is more brown than it appeared online. Other than that there is nothing to complain about.

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  Great Vehicle - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Ted83 - June 21 - 10:00 am

  I could not be more pleased with my Highlander. Mine is one year old with 15,000 miles. It has not had the first problem. What more can I say?

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  older and wiser - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Les - June 20 - 3:23 pm

  As an older couple, we were not interested in off-road rock-climbing. We just wanted a roomy, reliable, comfortable SUV for travel, that was not so big that it would cause trouble with parking or maneuverability. The Highlander is perfect for those needs. It is easy to get in & out (no high steps, wide door openings, etc.)and has a plush comfortable ride. This is definitely not a truck-based vehicle. Instead, it has the soft, quiet feel of a luxury car. The Toyota reliability is obvious; it never fails to start or perform perfectly. There are none of the annoying myriad of parts breaking down that have plagued so many other cars we have owned.