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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  Love My Highlander - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By T. Ryan - May 14 - 5:40 am

  Ive had my Highlander 3 months and still love getting behind the wheel as if it were a new car. Handles very well ,love the luxury features inside.Stereo, moon roof, and comfort of the seats. Love that you dont have to climb up or get down getting into it, just slide in and out.Very quiet ride ,as good or better than my Avalon was.

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  A lot of car - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By touche - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Im a long time Toyota driver. I traded in a 2001 Avalon an didnt want to give up a comfortable ride. Not only is my Highlander comfortable, it looks great with what looks like "Candy Apple Red" color. Looks good, feels good and is good.

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  Love It So Far! - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By haha0002 - May 11 - 11:53 am

  Weve only had our Highlander for a week, but so far, its great. We traded in our Honda Odyssey, because the kids are getting their own licenses now and we wanted something for mostly us. However, we were reluctant to give up the roominess of the Odyssey. Our Highlander still maintains the feeling of spaciousness, fits the kids comfortably, when needed and just feels good to drive.

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  The seats need tweaking. - 2015 Toyota Highlander
  By lbowdis - May 11 - 8:39 am

  We bought a 2015 and for the most part my husband and I really like it. It handles great and is easy to park. The interior is very nice looking and I like the shelf for cell phones and iPods. The issue we have is that while the drivers seat is very comfortable because it has so many adjustments the front passenger seat bothers both of our backs on long drives. It is fine for short trips. My husband is just under 6 and I am 55". Even if we would have purchased the 4 way power passenger seat it still wouldnt support the lower back. My advice is if you make frequent trips over an hour long you may want to look elsewhere for your next vehicle.

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  If you want a safe SUV - this is THE ONE - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Florida Crosses - May 9 - 10:00 am

  We purchased our SUV in December of 2002. As for quality, you wont get a better built and safer vehicle. This SUV truly is wonderful. It even gets decent gas mileage for an SUV (about 330 miles per tank).

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  Great Family SUV - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Lisa Heffner - May 3 - 7:11 pm

  I needed an SUV to cart around my three children and all of their friends but didnt want a minivan. The Toyota Highlander is the perfect vehicle for us. I have the AWD version so that gas mileage isnt amazing but it is good and the handling in adverse weather conditions is excellent. I got a great deal on the vehicle at $34,000 and they seem to maintain their value. A big deciding factor for me is the reliability of the car. I wanted a vehicle that I wont constantly have to be bringing to the shop to fix "wear and tear" items. I dont have the time or energy to waste on going back and forth to the mechanic. When considering this vehicle I talked to my mechanic (that I love and trust) and he said that if everyone owned Toyotas, hed be out of a job. He stated that Toyotas regularly come into the shop and leave with only scheduled maintenance. The exterior styling could have been more unique for my tastes but it is classy and pretty sleek so Ill take it. The interior even at the LE Plus trim level is excellent. It is stain resistant cloth through the middle of the seats but trimmed with synthetic leather. After a month of driving it, my kids havent managed to stain anything yet. I also love that the middle seats slide forward (without having to remove the booster seats) to access the rear seats. You can also slide the middle seats forward or backward in many different positions to allow for more or less leg room in the third row. Having 8 seats is such a blessing. I find that I often keep only two seats up in the third row to give myself plenty of cargo space. I am looking forward to driving this car for many years to come.

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  Really like this SUV - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Ed - May 2 - 10:33 pm

  Bought this Highlander Sport a little over a month ago. So far its great. Fun to drive and tons of room. And the engine is much better than the Explorer or Subaru I used to own. Im getting just over 17 mpg pure city - no highway yet. Cant wait to see what it is on the highway but if its at least the 23 they list then Ill be happy. The only thing I dont really like is the EAS - electonic assist steering. Its a little too touchy/boosted. Id rater have a little more road feel. But it does turn on a dime. I did not get the upgrade to the JBL sound/sun roof/climate control - if you can afford the extra $2000 it is probably worth it just for the sound. Great vehicle overall.

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  The Best - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By Zvlan - May 2 - 6:33 pm

  I have owned many SUVs or what they used to call 4 wheel drives from 1960 Jeeps to all types of Toyotas. This Highlander is by far the best I ever owned. I was going to buy a new one but Im afraid with the new look for the Highlander this new one would never live up to its predecessor. I am probably wrong and I do plan to buy when my payments end.

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  Great SUV - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By fred - May 1 - 3:33 pm

  soccer mom car carrying 2 of our kids & up to 3 others, has performed well in town. family vacation Denver to Southern California demonstrated excellent snow performance on non- stock tires (Dayton) which came with our 2nd hand purchase, we were on I-70 in a heavy Spring snow storm which closed the highway - we took a side road & re-joined without any drama. average 18 mpg in town, 22 highway.

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  2008 first impression - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By oldjoe - May 1 - 7:20 am

  What a change from my 05. Lots more leg room, gas mileage seems about the same, and POWER - the new v6 is awesome. Very smooth and quiet ride compared to old model. Steering is very light but a little slower - not the same feel as the 05. It is a bigger, taller auto but not as large as it looks.