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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  Must be a lemon - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Joseph - March 11 - 6:01 am

  I purchased the 17 Highlander xle for my wife and the dealer has had the vehicle and put more miles on it than we have . It had a vibration and noise coming from the front end when making left turns . I was called into the dealer 3 different times to recreate the noise for them . The part they said was no good had to be ordered from Japan and they couldnt give me an eta . 22 days later still no word . I would wait until they get parts issues handled before you purchase this car . Interior quality is great but I wouldnt know because I had the car for 5 days before I took it back

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  Good SUV - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By cheng ming li - March 10 - 6:10 pm

  Its a nice SUV, fun to drive and good reliability. The performance is good. The redesigned interior are better fit people needs.

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  MY WIFES HIGHLANDER - 2006 Toyota Highlander
  By richard - March 6 - 3:10 pm

  We were surprised to see how much comfort and room the Highlander has. This is a for sure winner for us as a family car and long trips. I feel we made a wise decision on being able to save gas over other SUVs. We were also surprised to find that we were able to get this mini-SUV with a lot of optional equipment, including a dvd/tv/game flip-down sys. And perma plate for a low price verses the others. Again this vehicle rides smooth, quiet and comfortable. Thanks Toyota. From now on you’re our first choice. Thanks for all those air bags.

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  its maybe Average - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By clemwiz - March 6 - 12:06 am

  Average meaning I would not buy another one. At 75k miles it leaks oil and needs a rear seal ($3,000), it uses oil on the highway, it has an odd whistling noise that no one can find (when going against the wind on the highway), the gas mileage is NOT good. The only reason we still have it is because my wife likes it.

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  2017 Toyota Highlander Crushes the Competition - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By tklemash - March 5 - 9:17 pm

  The newly redesigned 2017 Toyota Highlander breaks all the rules for standard technology features, while delivering a luxury driving experience with a reasonable price tag. The 2017 Toyota Highlander delivers the best value, luxury, and performance on the market. (TK)

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  Great Family Vehicle! - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By NMendoza - March 4 - 4:25 am

  I had been reading reviews on the highlander before purchasing the truck , I am happy to say that we picked the right vehicle. It drives very smooth, the middle seats are reclinable for extra comfort. I can perfectly fit 3 car seats. I live in Texas and weather is very hot and humid so I love that it has AC vents for everybody in the truck, plus its own rear AC. Cons: It has a small cargo space

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  An excellent vehicle - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By M. Andrews - March 3 - 1:53 pm

  Have had the vehicle 3 months and driven it 4,000 miles. No problems. Rides and drives much like our Camry. Looked at a Honda Pilot but when comparing them we selected the Highlander even though it was more expensive. Would highly recommend it for those who want a smooth ride and are not interested in off-road driving.

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  Toyota is a joke - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By TomandCarole - March 2 - 10:00 am

  bought new in 12/03, took on trip over 1000 miles to ky and back to va. I was never more happy to get out of the worst seats, I have ever been in, in a car/suv. I always thought Toyota was a great car but now know better, seats are too small and hard as a rock, no support to the side and the lumbar is worthless. The metal in this car is very thin and sounds like a tin can when you hit a bump in the road. I will be happy when we can unload this car on someone that is in love with so called Toyota quality and resale value.

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  I so love this SUV! - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By akinca - March 2 - 10:00 am

  I have had this SUV for two weeks and I love it!! It handles well. Its quiet. It has all the options that I wanted. Its not too big or too small. Its just right in size. It was less expensive than the Pilot (and it came with all the "bells and whistles".) Im very pleased with my purchase.

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  Love this Car! - 2001 Toyota Highlander
  By Christy - February 26 - 6:20 am

  We bought this car used and honestly have had no problems with it. It now has 130,000 miles on it and all we have had to do is the standard maintenance. I love the roominess (I have two small children and lots of stuff to haul!) and the way it rides is outstanding. The turning radius is spectacular for an SUV, even better than my hubbys sedan. I plan on keeping this car for as long as possible.