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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  Great, but not perfect - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Pasadena_Trojan - February 17 - 12:46 am

  Now is a great time to buy - we got $5,000 off MSRP on our loaded Highlander. You get a lot of value for the money (as expected with Toyota). Utility is VERY good - tons of storage space, which is perfect for a family. Fit and Finish are fantastic.

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  Great SUV - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By David - February 16 - 10:26 am

  Great SUV! I am getting 24-26 mpg 70/30 hwy/city. I got the dreaded P0420/P0430 check engine light. Ran several tanks of the good gas with fuel system cleaner. Cleared codes and everything is fine now. Runs better too! Love the economy with all the space and 4 cylinder has plenty of pep for me. I have been looking for an SUV with plenty of room and economy. Fun to drive and rides nice too!

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  Great vehicle to own and drive - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By BillU - February 15 - 5:53 am

  I have owned this vehicle for about a year and replaced an 05 Pathfinder. This has more power, handles better and gets better fuel economy. The only thing I dont like is the hesitation on acceleration. I didn’t notice it much at first but now I realize that when I round a corner and push on the gas, it takes awhile before it responds. You need to be aware of this before you purchase. The other strange part was adding a towing package but not getting the hitch. I found an aftermarket that works great. This is one of the best all around vehicles I have ever owned.

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  Fun and comfort to drive - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By KC Tsang - February 14 - 3:56 pm

  Driving the Highlander feels like driving a car, not a hulking SUV. Just fun to drive!

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  Great Car - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By bbrown - February 7 - 12:40 am

  Have only had this for about a month. The ride is great, the pickup is terrific, loads of features. Am still not sure of the point of the middle seat in the second row. It isnt really a seat so practically speaking you can have 4 in the car unless you use the third row. No big deal since there are only 2 of us. Love the power cargo gate, ability to play Ipod, backup camera, many standard features. Gas mileage is not quite what is stated - got 21 tops on the turnpike, 16 around town. Not a lot of cargo space unless second row folded down. Its like an overgrown station wagon. But I love the car! Salsa Red Pearl color is gorgeous.

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  Toyota Highlander - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Gary (Atlanta) - February 6 - 10:00 am

  Well built, solid, easy to drive. Steering is a bit vague and requires some attention on the highway to track. Great, smooth brakes. Quiet with just a bit of wind noise. Good seating and comfortable ride - a bit on the choppy side at times, but controlled and compliant. Definitely not a truck but not quite a car. Great switch feel and controls and good visibility. Some body roll, but its not a sports car! Weve had zero defects and problems since new: its now been 3 months. If you need a car but require more storage than a car and want more head, leg and shoulder room than a car, this is it. Great vehicle for 4 adults on a trip!. We didnt buy it for off-roading, so cant comment on that.

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  wonderful car - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By matt trapeni - February 6 - 10:00 am

  i love this car

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  Outstanding vehicle - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By Ken Andersen - February 4 - 7:10 pm

  So far its a perfect vehicle, and very enjoyable. Very nice fit and quality of construction.

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  Bad Tires - 2009 Toyota Highlander
  By Northappy - January 27 - 1:43 pm

  Good SUV, weird size tires on Sport & Limited. Goes ok in snow but wont stop. Due to odd tire size there are only 2 tires available. Tires are very expensive and need replaced at 20K.

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  Interior comfort and visibility - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Dennis - January 26 - 11:13 pm

  Turned in my 2006 Ford Explorer, a great riding vehicle with many features that fell short on interior comfort and visibility. The Highlander is spacious and comfortable with excellent visibility in most areas.