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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  Brakes are too soft - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By silverbox - November 12 - 2:00 am

  I am still trying to figure out why the brakes are so soft... This is not an offroad vehicle that needs this type of feature. Am I the only one with this problem b/c the dealer will hear about this. I do feel safe stopping at a light with the possibility that i may hit the car in front unless i stop much further back than a reasonable distance...

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  Loud 2016 Hybrid - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Bill - November 4 - 1:18 pm

  Its a good car but.. It is loud due to excessive noise from the windows. Took it to the dealership at 5300 miles they compared it to another similar vehicle and said it was the way it was made and that they wouldnt do anything about it. Not only is the problem annoying, the service dept with all its fufu cookies and cream wont do anything for an actual problem. I bought a foriegn car for too much money to support renewable energy technology and do my part to persuade the US auto industry to become more involved as well. Unfortunately, this foreign company is learning the bad behaviors of US companies and denying the existence of a problem probably because its cheaper for them. I hope others will read this and be encouraged to speak out as well, if we do nothing they will too

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  NOT WORTH THE MONEY - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Dave Lazeroff - October 5 - 1:18 pm

  I leased a 2016 Highlander XLE awd with a sticker price of nearly $40k. My wife has bugged me for years for a Highlander so i finally broke down. The vehicle is okay at best. The road noise is unbearable between the wind noise from the windows completely closed to the road noise from under the car-probably due to lack of sufficient insulation. My 2015 GMC Sierra is a million times quieter on the freeway than the Toyota. The gas mileage is sub par at best. My full size 6000 pound 4 x 4 truck does as well on the freeway with respect to the mpg. It does handle decent. Feels solid. And, of course, it will be reliable-its a Toyota. The voice command works very well. It understands me and my trucks voice command never does. I cannot see how a $40k sticker vehicle cannot have remote start. I would have had to upgrade to a platinum limited to get cooled seats and remote start. For another $100.00 a month on the payment. I leased this one. $3k down and $350 a month is not bad considering if i would have bought it the payment would be double. I am glad i did not buy it because i will not be keeping it once the lease is up. I should have bought a Grand Cherokee but it does not have a third row like the Highlander which is what sold me. The front seats are very hard and uncomfortable especially on a four hour drive. I had to get out every hour or so and stretch my legs and walk around. Have not had a chance to check out the awd yet, i will do that this winter in the snow. Oh, and the ac is awesome. I live in Las Vegas and it gets to 115 here and the ac works great, extremely cold. I am just under six feet and weigh 230 pounds muscular and have no trouble fitting in the drivers seat.

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  Not the Toyota I thought it would be - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Mike D - September 4 - 4:29 am

  Having owned a few Camrys (97, 03) and Avalons (05, 08) over the years, my expectation was one of Toyota quality, however I am disappointed. Overall the SUV has two really good highlights. The first is plenty of power...plenty. This thing gets up and goes (as long as you manually take it out of "economy mode" default which causes it to run like a 4 cyl). Second is fuel economy (auto start and stop feature is annoying but all cars have it now). I travel about 30,000 miles a year and am averaging about 23 mpg. vs. 19 mpg in past Enclave (15) and 18 mpg in Explorers (12,14) I have owned. Overall fit and finish is good as with most Toyotas but here are the really frustrating things, in no particular order: 1. Whistling wind noise driving at highway speeds from passenger side window/mirror. 2. Front USB chargers are very poorly placed tucked way under the gimmicky "shelf" on dash which is not as cool as you think it would be. 3. The touch screen is too far to reach from driving position. Have to lean forward each time to make changes to audio etc. 4. Blue tooth voice command feature is very clunky, not intuitive and odd in comparison to Enclave and Explorer or any newer cars. You have to speak way too loud and give way too many commands just to make a phone call only to have them all reconfirmed in detail before dialing. 5. Sound system quality is mediocre in comparison to the Bose in Enclave mid priced model and base model system in Explorers. Volume always seems too low. 6. Tailgate is a joke. It beeps like 5 times and then begins the 5 minute opening journey. Closing is same. 5 beeps warning everyone around you your tailgate is going to close and then it takes 5 minutes to close. They seem to have countered it with the ability to open the back window as on older SUVs, but I would rather the tailgate to open and close faster. I am not just being picky, I am comparing it to a bunch of other vehicles including my sister in laws Escalade, friends X5, neighbors Q7 etc. All fast open and close. 6. Drivers seat will not go low enough for a over 6 tall driver. Thus, if you sit in normal driving position you tend to look out of the top third of the windshield. To counter, you need to lean seat back making it even more difficult to stretch to reach dash controls/touch screen. 7. "Safety sense" features are also very gimmicky. They do work, however I find myself overwhelmed by all the beeps, lights and warnings. They could get away with the side sensor lane changing lights in mirrors and the rear end collision avoidance and it would be fine. Biggest problem: when it snows, the front radar sensor and camera in grill become covered with snow, the entire dash lights up like a Christmas tree and continues to flash with warnings all over the place to make sure you pull over to clean grille and front of car clearing off safety sensors. Warning lights can not be overridden or turned off until the sensors are cleaned off. I would think it would be far more dangerous to pull over on the side of the highway in a snow storm to clean the sensors to enable the safety features on the car than it would be to drive without them. I have driven this car on two trips in the snow and both times it happened. POOR design. 8. When stopping at school or soccer practice to wait for my daughter, most recent cars I have had allow you to turn the car off and continue bluetooth phone call/listen to radio/roll down window etc until you open the door. This car cuts you off as soon as you shut it off. Very annoying. I hope this gives you some insight. Had I known about these items, I probably would have gone in a different direction. Seems Toyota has lost its edge.

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  Fails to start after sitting - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By kathyd4 - August 8 - 11:13 am

  I only have 8000 miles and I got the car in Feb 2013. Every time I go away and leave the car for a week, it wont start when I return. Every time the temperature drops below 25F and it sits even 4 days, it wont start. Toyota has replaced the battery twice although the second time they said there was nothing wrong with it. They have run diagnostics and say there is nothing wrong. Every car in my neighborhood starts. Our Honda starts, our old Blazer starts, but not the Highlander. I am soooo disappointed with this vehicle. Toyota is supposed to be reliable, but mine isnt.

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  BEWARE Rear Hatch auto open/close issue - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By JMcC - July 25 - 6:55 pm

  Beware of the rear hatch automatic open/close issue. Quick online search will bring up more details about it and Toyota service bulleting issued to dealerships. We purchased ours new and always have had it serviced at the dealership. After owning for just over 3 years, the arm of the mechanism which auto. opens/closes the rear hatch broke loose while it was closing. Had to fight with dealership for several days because they stated it was not covered under factory NOR extended warranty. Only after a lot of time & effort back & forth with them did they agree to fix it as "goodwill". Just over a year later, the same issue happened again. This is when we found online info about service bulletin and apparent class action suit in CA over rear hatch issues. Dealership is refusing to make repairs and we are stuck. Before you purchase, check to make sure you are comfortable closing the rear hatch manually as the issue we have dealt with now multiple times is common.

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  Stranded on interstate. Transmission failed. - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Neil Janne - June 6 - 5:29 pm

  Was telling everyone that it was best car I ever owned...before the transmission totally failed. Twice. First time required flatbed truck to dealer. Dealer claimed to fix with software update. Next day total failure on interstate. Many miles from home. Again flatbed truck to nearest dealer...different dealer. Sunday so it was closed. Son had to drive hours to pick us up. Monday rented car. Not until Friday did dealer call with verdict. Transmission totally broke..must be replaced.. but alas none available. Will be four weeks before a new one is shipped...still driving rental car.

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  poor seating - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By rick - June 3 - 12:18 pm

  I traded in a buick enclave,huge mistake!!! the ride quality,interior noise is terrible. Toyota should be ashamed of the poor seat quality on the front seats,i have put 300$ in the drivers seat at a custom shop to get it where it is even acceptable. the noise level inside at highway speeds is bad at best.for a car in this price range Toyota needs to get their game on. im back to buick!

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  The wind noise! - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Wayne - May 7 - 9:14 am

  Love my new Highlander except for one thing. When I go past 45 or there is a strong crosswind, there is a whistling noise on the front passenger window, nothing on the driver sider. Dealer said its a "normal characteristic" of the car because it occurred in a 2015 Highlander also and there is nothing they can do till Toyota issues a "TSB, " Technical Service Bulletin, on how to fix it. Wind noise would be ok but whistling noise is fairly annoying, especially at highway speed. If a quiet cabin is not an important criteria then this is a great car. Otherwise, I would stay away till its fixed.

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  Expensive to maintain - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By doug128 - April 24 - 1:26 am

  I enjoy driving the Highlander but I have found it very expensive to maintain. I have had to replace 7 wheel bearings and the drive shaft to the rear wheels because of the bearings. It has 93,000 miles on it now. Brakes have also been expensive as it seems the ABS sensor are quite sensitive to failure and have had to replace some with the brakes which makes it very costly. I bought the Toyota as it was rated as a reliable car. It has turned out to be very expensive!