Toyota Highlander

Published · Researched 2026-09-21

Toyota Highlander — review

The Highlander is still a good family SUV. But if you're shopping used, the badge on the tailgate doesn't exempt the 2021 from a transmission question you need to take seriously.

Start with what owners actually report. In the Highlander owner groups, a 2021 owner at 65,000 miles was quoted five figures for a replacement transmission — the UA80E eight-speed automatic losing drive or dropping into a neutral state. That's not an internet rumor; it's a documented failure mode with real invoices, and it sits right at the edge where powertrain warranties expire. A second expensive surprise: a rear A/C pipe corrosion leak at 27,891 miles with a repair estimate above $2,500, on a car barely out of diapers. Around those two sit the chronic annoyances — infotainment freezes, CarPlay disconnects, panoramic-roof drain leaks, more road noise than a $45k+ vehicle should allow, and faster-than-expected brake and tire wear.

Here's the thing that reframes all of it: the hybrid barely shows up in any of this. The 2.5-liter hybrid with its eCVT sidesteps the conventional eight-speed entirely, and its complaint footprint across forums and databases is dramatically lighter. If your budget reaches a hybrid, the conversation changes from "which year do I avoid" to "which color do I want."

The car underneath the complaints is genuinely likable. Three rows that adults can actually use, 453 liters of cargo behind the third row, a calm ride, and — in hybrid form — fuel economy no three-row rival touches without a plug. Owners love the packaging and the ease of it; this is the default minivan-alternative for a reason. The 2023+ 2.4-liter turbo four replaced the old 3.5 V6 with more torque and similar pace (0–100 km/h in the 7.5–8.5 second range depending on powertrain), though its long-term record is still being written.

Support reality is fine but not magical. Toyota dealers replaced failed transmissions under warranty when covered — the fights happen at 60,000–65,000 miles, right where coverage ends. Get any used 2021–2022 gas model inspected by someone who knows the UA80E's symptoms: harsh 1–2 shifts, delayed engagement, any hint of slipping. There are TSBs for the infotainment gremlins, so check that software updates were actually applied.

Who should skip it: if you're buying a used 2021–2022 gas Highlander without service records and without a pre-purchase inspection, you're gambling with someone else's money — yours. If third-row space is only occasional, a smaller two-row will cost less and annoy you less. And if you need towing beyond 2,268 kg, you're in the wrong segment entirely.

Sweet spot: 2024 hybrid — past the worst of the 8-speed era, new enough for modern tech, depreciated off the new-car cliff. Years to avoid: 2021 gas above all; treat 2022 gas with the same suspicion. The 2026 (listed from about $47,865 in September 2026, though verify against official pricing) is a carryover truck in a segment that's moving — fine new, unremarkable value.

The hybrid deserves its own paragraph because it's the powertrain that makes the Highlander make sense. The 2.5-liter hybrid system — shared with the RAV4 and Sienna — delivers genuinely impressive fuel economy for a three-row, and the eCVT's smoothness suits the car's calm character. It's slower than the turbo (about 8.5 seconds to 100 km/h), but the Highlander was never about speed; it's about moving seven people without drama, and the hybrid does that while sipping fuel. This is the powertrain the forums recommend, the one with the light complaint footprint, and the one holding its value best.

The 2.4-liter turbo, meanwhile, is the mainstream choice: 265 hp, stronger midrange than the old V6, similar pace. It's pleasant and proven enough so far, but it hasn't been around long enough for the 200,000-mile verdict, and it still pairs with the conventional 8-speed. If you're buying new and keeping the car a decade, the hybrid's simpler transmission is the lower-risk long-term bet — the data we have supports that, even if it's early.

Pricing, September 2026: used 2021 gas models sit roughly $26k–33k (the transmission risk is priced in — use it as leverage); 2024 hybrids run about $36k–44k. A 2025 started near $40,670 MSRP for reference.