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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  Highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Strider - March 15 - 12:40 am

  This is a comfortable, quiet and fun to drive SUV. After 3 years with a Ford Escape I felt battered and worn out. The Highlander is easy to drive, efficient and yet fun to drive for an SUV. The highlander has very comfortable seats that accommodate a variety of body shapes. Finally, this SUV feels safe and substantial. It feels like you can safely take your children or grandchildren wherever you need to go. All this and 19-21 MPG. Im very happy with my Highlander.

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  Great SUV - its a toyota !!! - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Rmarin - March 13 - 10:00 am

  I have owned this suv for about 2 months. It is the best Suv for the money. I rdes and handles like a dream and is pretty good on gas. The build quality is excellent and the controls are right where you want and need them. I should have bought one sooner and would definitely buy one again. I am not even concerned about reliability - its a given.

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  Drive it for yourself and see - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Happy Toyota Owner - March 4 - 11:20 am

  It took a while for us to drive a bunch of the SUVs closely resembling the Highlander. Before test driving several vehicles I had already sold myself on an Acadia. After the test drive the obvious winners were the 2009 Pilot and Toyota Highlander. We had looked at the Highlander a couple of years back but it was smaller and the dash was just plain ugly. The new redesign and the plush drive just did us both in. The Pilot would have offered a little more room but the dash looks like its made out of cheap plastic, and unless you get the all black interior the two tone effect was not very appealing to us. We have a family of 4 so we can leave the third row down and use when needed.

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  Outstanding Highlander - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By goldston - March 3 - 7:00 am

  We ordered my (husband) Toyota Highlander last Feb 2001 and picked it up late June 2001. We love this vehicle so much that we are now buying her (wife) a Highlander also!

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  Love my new Highlander - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Reba Johnson - March 1 - 10:11 am

  I was driving a Toyota Sienna so I was used to more cargo space and a different console setup between the front seats. The console in this car is so big and tall that you could put a baby in it. It is hard to get to the seat belt latches next to it, which means wide people should not buy this car because you will find using the seat belt difficult. I am an average size person and I have to get my hand squeezed down beside the console to unlatch the seat belt. My audio system LCD also seems to have a bug in it when it is cold. It is non-responsive for up to 15 minutes of driving. You can only change the volume until it warms up--nothing else, no radio station changes etc. None of the buttons beside the panel work either. When it does wake it, sometimes it doesnt beep, but most of the time it beeps and often changes the station to the one at the bottom of the list. Then it might decide to go into Search Station mode. It may beep a number of times and you have to try to stop the Search so it wont replace all of your stations. Of course, it wasnt cold when I took it to the dealer and they couldnt help me. Every morning and evening is different in how it acts when it "wakes up". It drives beautifully and handles well on snow and ice here in Michigan for the month I have owned it. The third seat will do for kids or small people for a short ride. It is a big step up to get back there.

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  Great Ride - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By EMH - March 1 - 2:46 am

  I bought my Highlander three months ago to replace a Honda Accord. Could not be more pleased. I now have over 4200 miles on the vehicle and MPG for around town driving averages 21.5. I recently took a 1500 mile road trip (mostly interstate) and got 27.65 mpg. Although I miss having cruise and radio/CD controls on the steering wheel and a trip mileage meter these are minor inconveniences. My Highlander handles extremely well and the 3.5L 6cyl flat out gets up and goes when you need a little extra power. A minor irritant is the rear hatch is difficult to handle without using both arms (hopefully I wont require shoulder replacement surgery). Excellent value all around.

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  03 toyota highlander - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Rosemarie Sample - February 28 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle is solid and refined. I previously owned an Infinity I30 and have found this highlander to be very close in comfort and smooth ride. The excelleration isnt as powerful as I would like but I am sure it is up to its horses. Also my last car was leather but the trim in this highlander is a very beautifully tailored cloth which I am very happy with. The SUV was also very comfortable on an 8hr long nonstop trip. My dealer in Bradenton Fl was excellent to deal with.

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  only one serious problem - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By pensat - February 28 - 10:00 am

  this is a great vehicle. just got back from a 3500 mile drive to Canada and it performed wonderfully. even had some impressive off road moments on the rocky "beaches" of Nova Scotia. the ltd has a good stereo, otherwise I recommend the standard w/the 6 cyl. got the dvd which quieted the kids less than I had hoped, but it is impressive, especially the audio quality. got good mileage @ 25. serious problem: back window noise. Plus, only average rollover protection is another definite minus. but, still a vehicle I recommend highly.

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  Best car Ive ever owned! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By dick - February 28 - 10:00 am

  This is our second Highlander and it is an outstanding value and a great car. Plenty of room, excellent design inside and out and a pleasure to drive on long trips. WE LOVE THE CAR!

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  kens - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By kens - February 28 - 10:00 am

  i feel very safe in this vehicle .