The Toyota Highlander turned age 22 in 2022 and it retains its status as a respected midsize sport utility vehicle. Its consistency and versatility have provided long-haul clout.
Last year, the Highlander had its best sales year since the three-row family hauler’s debut.
Key Takeaways
- Test car: the top-line Platinum trim, which begins at $47,500; the base L front-wheel-drive choice begins at $35,205.
- 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower and an eight-speed shiftable automatic transmission.
- 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway with front-wheel drive; 20 and 27 mpg with all-wheel drive.
- Seating for seven and 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded.
- Safety: the Safety Sense 2.5+ suite is standard, with a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection and full-speed adaptive cruise control.
- Driving: It accelerates with satisfaction and maneuvers well through traffic.
Competition is healthy in the segment. The Highlander’s rivals include the Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, Kia Telluride, Nissan Pathfinder, Subaru Ascent and Volkswagen Atlas. They’re all worthy, with individual strengths, all-wheel drive to the economy, determining factors.
Now in the thick of its fourth generation, the Highlander is available in six trims, including the reviewed top-line Platinum edition. The base L front-wheel-drive choice begins at $35,205; the Platinum level begins at $47,500.
Six Available Trims
All-wheel drive is a $1,600 option for the L, LE, and XLE. It’s a $1,950 upgrade for XSE, Limited and Platinum trims.
Toyota’s durability and longevity reputation is equaled by the automaker’s generous list of standard features throughout its lineup. The Highlander does particularly well in the standard equipment category.
The base L trim is equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 295 horsepower and an eight-speed shiftable automatic transmission. Eco, Normal, Sport and Snow drive modes are standard. LED headlights and taillights, 18-inch alloy wheels, 3-row seating, 3-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, five USB ports, push-button start and eight airbags are all in the mix.
Gas mileage averages for the Toyota Highlander are 21 miles per gallon in city driving and 29 mpg on the freeway with front-wheel-drive trims, 20 and 27 mpg in all-wheel-drive selections.
Strong Tech Features
An eight-inch touchscreen with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa and SiriusXM (free three-month trial) are also standard as is the Safety Sense 2.5+ safety tech suite bundle. It includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, lane tracing assist and road sign assist.
The Limited and Platinum trims get the works to move into luxury status. Leather seats (heated and ventilated in front) 20-inch wheels, a heated steering wheel, JBL premium audio, a hands-free power liftgate, and navigation are part of both trims.
Platinum trim-only features include a panoramic moonroof, an adaptive front lighting system, rain-sensing wipers, a head-up display, and heated second-row seats.
Like its exterior and exterior appearance, the Toyota Highlander drives with expected standards of SUV driving. The exterior is standard fare. The Highlander, without any odd grille patterns or extreme curvature, blends into the rest of the crowd of SUVs dominating the roads. The interior is similarly defined. Everything is there. Nothing is extreme.
Three-Row Seating
Driving the Highlander is much the same. It accelerates with satisfaction and maneuvers well through traffic. On steep ascents or winding through canyons and or mountain terrain, the engine had its moments. More horsepower would have been warranted.
The navigation system works with quick, in-time direction notifications. Seating is for seven, with the second-row comfortable for two adults or three small occupants. The third row, like in other SUVs, has limitations. Head and leg room is tight, with passengers relegated to the back best positioned there if petite. With the second and third rows folded, there’s 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space. It’s an average tally for the mid-sized segment.
2022 Toyota Highlander Verdict
The top-line Highlander can surpass $50,000, enough for a financial hesitation. The tally is about $5,000 more than the average price of a new car in the United States. It softens what would otherwise make the utilitarian, family SUV overpriced.
But if reputation, longevity, durability and top-rated safety rankings are important, the 2022 Toyota Highlander is a strong choice. It’s a young adult and maturing well.
Facts & Figures: 2022 Toyota Highlander
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Base Price (L) | $35,205 |
| Base Price (Platinum) | $47,500 |
| Engine | 3.5-liter V6 |
| Horsepower | 295 hp |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is a $1,950 option on Platinum |
| Fuel Economy | 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg (front-wheel drive); 20 / 27 / 23 (all-wheel drive) |
| Fuel Type | Regular |
| Seating | 7 |
| Cargo | 84.3 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded |
James Raia
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.