Toyota Highlander 2025: Updates, Features and Cost

Practical, comfortable and stylish, the Toyota Highlander is a family SUV with the midsize class in mind. This three-row ute has a lot to offer and a variety of configurations to appeal to the widest possible audience. Although the base powertrain consists of a V-6 engine, the Highlander is one of only a few three-row SUVs offered with an optional hybrid setup; both powertrains are available with either front- or all-wheel drive.

SUV Toyota Highlander

Toyota has also gone the budget-conscious route with the Highlander, including desirable infotainment and driver-assist features as standard across the lineup. Opt for one of the Highlander’s more upscale trims and you’ll enjoy a more luxurious environment that’s almost on par with what you’d find in a Lexus-branded SUV. What’s missing is driver engagement. The Highlander’s ride is smooth and its acceleration is decent, but overall it lacks the driving verve of rivals like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and Mazda CX-9 .

What’s new ?

A new Hybrid Bronze Edition model joins the lineup, wearing Cement or Wind Chill Pearl exterior paint with a set of cool 18-inch bronze wheels. The cabin also gets some unique design touches in the form of geometric-patterned upholstery with bronze details and illuminated bronze door sills. Elsewhere, XLE and higher trims now come with a height-adjustable power seat for the front passenger. The Highlander otherwise carries over to with no other changes.
In our view, the mid-range XLE is the pick of the litter. It features heated front seats, a wireless smartphone charging pad and a power sunroof, among other things. We’d also spring for the Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation package, which adds in-dash navigation and an upgraded stereo system. All-wheel drive adds $1600 to the bottom line. And opting for the hybrid powertrain over the standard V-6 costs an extra $1400.

Engine, transmission and performance

The Highlander comes with a 295-hp 3.5-liter V-6 that’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. During a brief test drive, we found that the V-6 can handle short ramps without strain; on our test track, our all-wheel-drive test vehicle managed to get to 60 mph in a relatively quick 6.7 seconds. Handling is unspectacular but stable, and the ride is perfectly suited for family chauffeur duty. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors combine to produce 243 hp in the Highlander Hybrid. This model features a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and the choice of front- or all-wheel drive. By leveraging Toyota’s hybrid expertise, this powertrain offers buyers something more fuel-efficient than the standard model. The trade-off is acceleration performance, due both to the hybrid’s lower horsepower and the fact that this model uses a CVT rather than the non-hybrid’s eight-speed automatic. On our test track, the hybrid model managed 60 mph in 7.3 seconds. Potential buyers in this segment may know that the Ford Explorer also comes in hybrid form. But when you pit these utes against each other, the Toyota comes out on top in terms of fuel economy.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The EPA estimates the Highlander V-6 will deliver up to 29 mpg on the highway when equipped with front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive cuts that by 2 mpg. Hybrid models carry higher ratings, with front-wheel drive variants earning 36 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. We tested the standard Highlander on our 200-mile highway fuel economy route, where it delivered 28 mpg. When the hybrid visits our office, we’ll put its fuel efficiency to the test on the same route. For more information on the Highlander’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, comfort and cargo

Base L and midrange LE models seat eight passengers with second- and third-row bench seats, but a seven-seat layout with second-row captain’s chairs is available on higher trims. Passenger space here is more generous than in the CX-9, but not as roomy as in the Chevrolet Traverse , particularly in the third row. Materials throughout the cabin are much improved over those in the last-generation Highlander. Upscale Limited and Platinum models offer the most comfort, but they fall short compared to the features of the Palisade or Telluride. The cargo area behind the third row fits only four carry-on bags; the Traverse fits six.

Infotainment and connectivity

An 8.0-inch infotainment system is standard on most trims, but the Highlander Limited and Platinum get a 12.3-inch display. An 11-speaker JBL audio system is available. Toyota offers SiriusXM satellite radio, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, and Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration on all models.

Safety and driver assistance functions

As with Toyota, the Highlander offers a standard suite of driver assistance features. The package includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and automatic high beams. For more information on the Highlander’s crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection as standard
• Standard blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert
• Standard lane departure warning with lane keeping assist

Warranty and maintenance coverage

Toyota’s warranty coverage is in line with the norm for the segment; however, buyers get two years of free scheduled maintenance, which is a nice perk that most rivals don’t offer. The electrified Highlander comes with a separate hybrid component warranty that offers eight years or 100,000 miles of coverage.

Price Toyota Highlander

We expect pricing for the Toyota Highlander to start in the mid-$30,000 range and top out near the $50,000 mark. This puts the Highlander on the more expensive side of the midsize 3-row crossover segment, but consider how well equipped the base model is with a standard V6 and plenty of safety and infotainment tech features. Value is questionable in the upper trims, but in general the Highlander delivers a lot for the money.