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 ride and priced right - 2010 Toyota Highlander
  By Francar - December 10 - 2:53 pm

  Great ride and very comfortable. Car handles well and is very quiet. I wish that the leather seats would heat up a little faster, on cold days in the North east it is a shock on the rear sitting on the cold leather. Like the display unit in the console with the rear camera. Havent had the opportunity to take it on a long ride on the interstate so not sure what mileage would be for highway driving.

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  2008 Highlander Sport Disappointment - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By SS Bee - December 7 - 10:56 pm

  First 2001 Highlander was superior to my 2008. Poor visibility. Seat is so uncomfortable hate to drive for any length of time. 2008 does not handle as well as prior model. No traction in the snow. Mine is an AWD 6 cyl. Interior parts fall off. Very disappointed with 2008 Highlander.

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  Welcome to the Toyota family! - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By John Fang - December 4 - 3:41 pm

  Comfort, quietness, smooth ride (probably due to being new). Suitable for us as a family of four. Great travel vehicle. Planning to keep this in the family for at least 15 years until the girls go to college. Only drawback, when your flooring the gas pedal the Highlander has a hard time figuring out when to shift to the next gear. I noticed that when you floor the car, it will pull hard but the RPM is revving high up to 5000 RPM but the gear doesnt shift to the next fast enough. I dont know about other owners, but that is weird. Usually when you floor a vehicle, it should only take a second of so to shift 1-2-3-4-5. My RPM sits up in the 5000 range for about 2 seconds then drops to the next gear. Overall, satisfy with purchase.

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  A Honda Man No More - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By sirius4 - December 3 - 10:00 am

  Ive had a Civic, CRV and Accord and have always been a devout owner as Hondas have always had outstanding reliability, resale value, and workmanship... After researching into the Pilot and Highlander, I chose Toyota for the first time. Heres why: For the same amount of money heres what you get that Honda doesnt give you: A power moonroof, side curtain airbags, vehicle stability and traction control, and a true 4x4 drive (Pilot has AWD up to 20 mph, then switches to front wheel which senses spin and then kicks in torque to rear wheels if needed). Toyotas reliablility, quality and resale should be as good as Hondas, from all the research Ive done.

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  04 Highlander - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By howardd - December 3 - 10:00 am

  My wife loves it! Does everything a working mom needs and looks sharp doing it. Bought it because of Toyotas reputation of quality autos.

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  FIRST TOYOTA TRUCK, 5TH TOYOTA - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By chrisjo - December 3 - 10:00 am

  I got the base 4 cly AWD in beautiful BlueStone, one of the best colors ever made. The truck/car is great. Rides solid & handles like a car. I was unsure of the 4 cly but for an AWD truck is does its job. Its not quick & I am sure the 6 cly would be better but the 4 cly was $3,500 cheaper & the pickup is smooth & highway acceleration is normal. I also got the 4 cly because the 3 row seat in the 6 cly was so small & not very easly to get in & out of, even for a child. You have to climb on topof the back seat to get in. In the Pilot the seat moves forward & its easy access. So I did not think the 6 cly was worth it. I did add Fog Light ($300) & Rear Spolier($

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  My Lexus (I mean Toyota) Highlander - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Kevin - December 3 - 2:06 am

  Just bought 2008 Highlander, traded in older 4Runner. Ride is great, drives and handles like a Camry more so than a truck/SUV. Great on gas, a powerful and efficient V6 vs. a gas guzzling V8. A lot roomier than we thought as we needed a 3rd row, bigger than the new 4Runners with 3rd rows (looks better too). Very stylish, lots of complements. In a nutshell - Toyota quality!

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  Great But Could Be Better - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By Elaine - December 2 - 6:50 pm

  I love my Highlander! It is a great vehicle to drive. Comfortable seats. Music is good but should have more speakers in back. Needs air for back also. One of my biggest upsets is the paint job. The paint gets scratched very easy, too easy - Im not happy about that. She has a beautiful purr.

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  Great SUV - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By xyz - November 29 - 2:36 am

  Excelent suv. NO problems

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  Very Good, But Not Great, SUV - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Mitch45 - November 27 - 8:16 am

  I bought an 08 Highlander Sport with AWD in August of 07. Its a weekend car for me, so it has just 2500 miles on it. So far, its been a very good vehicle, solidly built and reliable, just like every Toyota Ive owned previously. But I have a few little complaints. First, the acceleration is not what Id expect from a 270-hp engine, even given the vehicles weight. Second, the transmission makes me crazy. From a rolling start, the transmission doesnt upshift quickly enough from first to second, resulting in an awkward "pull." Third, the "low tire pressure" warning light is much too sensitive, going on when the tires are just a pound or two low on air pressure.