2025 Toyota Highlander Review – Best SUV for Families

2025 Toyota Highlander

Comfort, efficiency, and safety are key factors for any family-oriented three-row SUV, and the 2025 Toyota Highlander easily meets these criteria. Moreover, it is strengthened by Toyota's reputation for reliability. However, the Highlander faces stiff competition as several midsize three-row SUVs also deliver on these aspects and offer additional advantages. Some of its strongest rivals even come from within Toyota itself, such as the more fuel-efficient Highlander Hybrid and the more spacious Grand Highlander. Additionally, the Kia Telluride, which has led the segment since its debut in 2020, along with the related Hyundai Palisade and the elegant Mazda CX-90, continues to capture attention. While the Highlander covers the basics well, its kids-only third-row seating, limited cargo capacity, and uninspiring driving experience make us lean toward recommending its alternatives.

What’s New for 2025?

This year, all-wheel drive becomes standard on XSE and Platinum trims. New "Heavy Metal" and "Cement" colors have been introduced for select trims, while the LE Nightshade trim, Moondust color, and Harvest Beige interior have been discontinued. Additionally, the XSE trim now defaults to its Sport drive mode upon startup.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The price of the 2025 Toyota Highlander starts at $40,970 and goes up to $53,375, depending on trim and options.
The XLE trim remains our top recommendation for its balanced features and value. In addition to the long list of standard equipment in the LE trim, the XLE adds heated front seats, second-row captain's chairs with sunshades, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and a power sunroof. All-wheel drive adds $1,600 to the price. We also recommend the Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation package, which includes built-in navigation and an upgraded sound system.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The Highlander offers buyers the choice of a traditional gasoline engine or a hybrid powertrain, with the hybrid version reviewed separately. The gasoline-powered model is equipped with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and is available in either front- or all-wheel drive. The Highlander offers stable and predictable handling, which is ideal for family duties. It may not be particularly engaging to drive, but those prioritizing a smooth ride will find it adequate.

0–60 MPH Acceleration

In our tests, the all-wheel-drive Highlander accelerated to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds. While the hybrid version is significantly more fuel-efficient, it trails the gasoline version by just one-tenth of a second in the 0–60 mph sprint.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The Highlander has EPA fuel economy estimates of 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway, with the all-wheel-drive version reducing each by 1 mpg. While we haven’t yet tested the Highlander on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, we will update this information once available. For more details on fuel efficiency, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The base LE model accommodates eight passengers, but XLE and higher trims offer second-row captain's chairs, reducing seating capacity to seven. Although passenger space is comparable to or slightly better than the Mazda CX-90, the Chevrolet Traverse leads the segment with six more inches of third-row legroom, providing enough room for adults. The Highlander's cargo space is also limited; only four carry-on bags fit behind the third row compared to six in the Traverse. Cabin materials are of good quality, and the design is straightforward, though not particularly stylish. The higher-end Limited and Platinum trims offer premium touches like leather upholstery, larger infotainment screens, and ventilated seats but still fall short of the feature-rich interiors of the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.

Infotainment and Connectivity

The LE and XLE trims come with an 8.0-inch infotainment display, while a 12.3-inch screen is optional on the XLE and standard on Limited and Platinum trims. The Platinum trim also includes a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, while other models retain traditional analog gauges with a smaller 7-inch digital display. A six-speaker audio system is standard, but an 11-speaker JBL system is available on the XSE and standard on the Limited and Platinum trims. All models include SiriusXM satellite radio, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility. A wireless smartphone charging pad is standard on XLE and higher trims, and built-in navigation is optional on the XSE and standard on the top two trims.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Toyota equips the Highlander with a comprehensive suite of safety features. These include:
Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection,
Standard blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert,
Lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist.
For crash test results, visit the NHTSA and IIHS websites.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Toyota’s warranty is typical for the industry, but brands like Hyundai, Kia, and Mitsubishi offer longer coverage. However, Toyota includes two years of complimentary maintenance, which many rivals do not:
The limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles,
The powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles,
Complimentary maintenance covers two years or 25,000 miles.