Toyota Highlander - Review, Specs, Pricing, Features, Videos and More

AutoGuide.com Staff
by AutoGuide.com Staff
Find everything you need to know about the Toyota Highlander here, along with expert reviews, specs, photos, videos and more.

The Toyota Highlander is one of the staples in the three row family SUV class. It has been a huger seller for Toyota and recently the model underwent a significant update. Gone is the V6 engine in favor of a torquey turbocharged four-cylinder unit. How torquey? It makes an impressive 310 lb-ft. of torque.

Always a bit smaller than the rest of the segment, think of the Highlander as a great two row SUV that has a third row for occasional use. It is also one of the few vehicles in its class to offer a proper hybrid drivetrain option.

Looking for Toyota Highlander accessories? Click Here.

Pros

Available hybrid powertrain, standard three-row seating, much better infotainment now

Cons

That third row is tight, driving experience is forgettable, pricey top trims

Bottom Line

The Toyota Highlander is a best-seller for a reason: it does everything pretty well, and nothing too bad. The 2023 updates give it a vastly improved tech suite, too.

VIDEO - Best 3-Row SUV: New Mazda CX-90 vs 7 Rivals


Best 3-Row SUV: New Mazda CX-90 vs 7 Rivals

We sent out the call. A request to every manufacturer, looking for new, significantly updated, or strong contenders in the mainstream three-row SUV segment. We need the best of best for a special AutoGuide Three-Row SUV Shootout Comparison brought to you by Weathertech. Our goal: to find the best 3 row SUV.

Quickly, manufacturers responded and entries poured in. Representing Korea are two strong options in the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. From Japan, we have the usual players, the Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent, and Toyota Highlander.

Also, there’s Mazda. The brand was eager to get the tried-and-true CX-9 in our shootout, but what they offered next was huge; both literally and figuratively. Mazda was granting us early access to the brand’s yet unreleased, all-new, CX-90 three-row SUV for this shootout. For those unfamiliar with the CX-90, it’s built on a completely new rear-wheel drive bias platform, featuring an equally new turbocharged inline-six.

Read the full comparison here


2023 Toyota Highlander First Drive Review: It’s Turbo Time

A light refresh focuses on improvements under the hood and atop the dashboard.

You’ll be hard-pressed to tell the 2023 Toyota Highlander apart from last year’s model. Pretty Cypress green paint aside—new to this model, but available elsewhere in the Toyota range—it doesn’t look much different.

It also doesn’t need to. The Highlander is one of the best-selling mid-sized SUVs in America: in 2021 the Jeep Grand Cherokee, with the benefit of two- and three-row models, just outsold it 264,444 to 264,128. The Highlander was the ninth-best-selling vehicle in the country, overall. A similar story unfolded in Canada, where the Highlander topped the three-row charts.

Nonetheless, the Japanese brand understands it can’t just rest on its laurels. The 2023 Toyota Highlander line up arrives on the scene with a new engine and a better user experience. Is it enough to keep it ahead of the pack? We went to Nashville to find out.

Click Here to Read the Review


Toyota Highlander XLE vs Limited: Which Trim is Right for You?

The Toyota Highlander is a wildly popular mid-size SUV that saw a significant update for the 2023 model year.

Gone is the V6 engine, replaced by a new turbocharged four-cylinder. Other updates have taken place inside and out of the family hauler, but one thing remains mostly the same – the trim lineup. Available in a host of configurations, buyers are left with the same conundrum that has faced them for years. Which model should they get?

To help them make that decision, we are analyzing two of the most popular trim levels available. Neither the base model nor the fully loaded version, these are the sweet spot within the vehicle’s lineup. It’s a head-to-head of the Toyota Highlander XLE vs Limited. We hope this helps with future purchasing decisions.

Click Here to Read the Review


Competitors


Detailed Specs

Price$36,420 - $52,425
Engine2.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder / 2.5-liter 4-cylinder + hybrid
Power265 hp / 243 hp
Torque 310 lb-ft. / N/A
DrivetrainFWD / AWD
Transmission8AT / eCVT
Fuel Economy (city/hwy)21-36 mpg / 28-35 mpg
Cargo Capacity16.0 cu ft.


Our Final Verdict

Toyota Highlander

Overall

3.6

Performance7.0
Features8.0
Comfort7.0
Quality and Styling7.0
Value7.0
AutoGuide.com Staff
AutoGuide.com Staff

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