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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  Lemon. Well almost. - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By javax - December 8 - 2:00 am

  At 13000 miles, cheap interior started making noise. Globe compartment rattles, the clicking noise from passenger door, anoying rattle from the drivers side rear door, and ticking noise from under the hood (plastic trims that holds the windshield). They are all snap-on plastic pieces. Futhermore, the engine light and VSC light come on and stay on. Also, a few times, as I start the vehicle, the engine stalled. We I had a Ford Explore before this vehicle and I regret that I traded it in with this one at 70000 mi. What an expensive mistake I made... Sorry Ford, I will buy yours next again.

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  Nice SUV but poor Performance - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By B George - November 9 - 4:42 pm

  I own this SUV since Feb 2017. I had own 2010 highlander and decided to go for new. Worst decision. The performance is extremely poor on 8 speed gear box. The vehicle is hesitant to start or accelerate from a stop signal, people will overtake you and look you like what the f*** you are doing. RPM goes all the way to 5000 still the car doesnt move. I heard about a new software released from Toyota for this issue and updated it, slight improvement but I hate it. Vehicle is stalling at lower gear and too quick gear change. I was really surprised Toyota is releasing a car with such worst transmission. I like everything else about this car, but whats the use when the heart of the vehicle is a failure. I am thinking of selling this car. I definitely think, the transmission issue would be really slow down highlander sales. Please be aware before you purchase.....

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  Time to get rid of this thing - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By Sludge - August 20 - 10:03 am

  I have owned my 01 Highlander for about 2 years. Overall it is an ok SUV, although my wife loves it. We bought it used with 45000 miles and it now has 113000 miles. We have had to replace the tires, brakes, and oxygen sensor ($200!). The heater broke and was stuck on hot for several months, the dealer told us it would cost about $1000 to replace the heater panel. After a long search I found where many others have had the same problem and fixed it. Turns out to be broken solder connections, I resoldered them and it now works for FREE! The rear axle is leaking fluid and was told by the dealer it was the axle seals...$350. Time to get rid of this thing!

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  Too many issues - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By mm - June 16 - 7:50 pm

  Good: ride, airbags, tether, handling. Bad: quality (started rattling at 20000 miles), warranty repair, failing steering column at 31000 miles in non-demanding driving conditions (mostly flat or slightly hilly terrain). Very dissapointing experience with my 3rd Toyota.

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  Blown Head Gasket Engine 4cyl Bad News - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By toml1958 - June 1 - 5:26 am

  Beware of the dreaded code stating leakage in exhaust system, for this is an idication of the head gasket going and leaking coolant. Upon further review it is found thatrear head bolts are stripped due to excessive heat most like caused by foam insulator pad between plastic intake manifold and engine. Some say engine is toast, but the fix rec. is a time sert insert kit (approx $500 helicoil) with drill guide. Mine is to be currently repaired at about a total cost of $2,900.00 as long as the helicoil kit holds the head bolt torque, we will see? It is a design flaw in my opinion as it seems to be a regular issue with the four cylinder Highlanders approx.2001-2005? Failure was at 160,000 mi.

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  Very Overrated - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By ggilliom - May 2 - 2:00 am

  Weve owned a Highlander for about a year and a half, and overall, Im disappointed. I hate the soft steering - its hard to drive straight at highway speeds. And its not very quiet at high speeds. If you put down *any* window, you get the vibration/roar people talk about. The seats are unsupportive, and the seat bottoms are very short. Im 6-feet tall, and my back aches after driving for more than an hour. Nearly as bad as my wifes old RAV-4. The stock stereo is TERRIBLE. The back tonneau cover is heavy and badly designed -- must be handled *very* carefully to avoid bumping/scratching the interior or cargo. Lousy dealer, too.

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  Bad Tires - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By JMW - April 17 - 1:10 am

  Found the Dueler OEM tires dangerous in the snow. Tried to find the only good alternative made which is a Toyo HT, but these are on long backorder. Vehicle also developed rattles which I could have lived with despite the tire situation. Traded it out already with only 3800 miles on it. Poor engineering by Toyota to put a poor traction tire on an SUV sold in the upper midwest with no alternatives.

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  poor - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By buttermilk - February 19 - 5:16 pm

  Very poor fuel economy. It is running a lot worst than (17/23) mile/gallon. Less than 11 MPG in city. Another problem is the car does not move right away once the gas pedal is pressed. There is at least half second delay.

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  Stripped Head-Bolts - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By lsthkr - February 5 - 3:42 pm

  Never had a problem with this vehicle until Jan 25 2011 as I was driving across town. Coolant leak brought me to a dead stop. I discovered a common problem with this engine (2.4L 4cyl). Just Google Highlander stripped head-bolts to see how many of these engines are dying and how expensive the fix is. Mine had only 126,000 miles on it. I am the original owner. The dealer will not help with repair costs even though this is a manufacturing and or design issue.

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  No Value - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By jeff_marl2000 - December 5 - 1:10 pm

  The car starts and drives dependably. The ride is smooth and quiet. The power is plenty with the V6 engine. Not much value for the price. A $28,000 car should have chromatic rearview mirror, MUCH better sound system, a computer that tells if your oil, transmission, fluids are ok and gas mileage etc. It should have an outside temperature indicator, and punch buttons on the door if you lock your keys inside. Driving experience is dull (as with all Toyotas). The gas mileage hovers around 16 miles to the gallon. My Explorer gets 19 in town. Its supposed to have trailer prewiring, but it does not. It is an EXTRA cost. I see no value in this car. It is worth about $20,000.