2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Name: 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review
Brand: Toyota

Release Date: Fall 2024

Estimated Price: Starting around $42,000

The Highlander Hybrid effectively starts with the solid foundation of the regular Highlander and simply adds excellent fuel economy. It's adequately quick and nimble, and it loses no passenger or cargo space compared to the regular Highlander. Its third-row seat is small by midsize SUV standards, but that's one of few drawbacks.

Contact your local dealers about upcoming availability and pricing details.

Other years for sale

8 Colors
6 Trims
4 Packages

Build & Pricebuyatoyota.com

Toyota Highlander Hybrid for Sale

1 Offer Near Columbus, OH

Check out current offers on the Toyota Highlander Hybrid

View Offers

buyatoyota.com

2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review

byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.},

rating written byJonathan Elfalan^{Director, Vehicle Testing
Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at Edmunds, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.}

Pros

Comfortable ride
Airy and open cabin
Excellent fuel economy

Cons

Third-row is tight, for kids only
Below-average cargo space behind third row
Engine sounds coarse and unrefined at full throttle

What's new

A styling refresh is possible for 2025
Part of the fourth Highlander generation introduced for 2020

Overview

Toyota has been at the hybrid game longer than most, and the Highlander Hybrid sits right in the middle of its SUV lineup. It's supported by the smaller RAV4 Hybrid on one side and the larger Grand Highlander on the other. This fourth-generation Highlander Hybrid has been around since 2020, and if predecessors are any indication, it may be due for a styling update to keep it in line with its newer siblings.

Edmunds spotlight: Efficient and affordable

Offering up to an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined, the current Highlander Hybrid is one of the mileage leaders among midsize three-row SUVs. Compared to the gas-only model, you won't have to pay a huge premium to go hybrid, and the savings can be significant enough to recoup the added cost within the first year of ownership. Since both Highlanders deliver a similar driving experience, it really does make more sense to go hybrid.

Competitors to consider

Up until last year, we would have recommended the Toyota Highlander Hybrid for buyers considering a fuel-efficient three-row SUV. With the introduction of the larger Grand Highlander Hybrid, we're suggesting shoppers consider upsizing to get more passenger and cargo space. Outside of these Toyota twins, the Kia Sorento Hybrid offers similar fuel economy (up to 37 mpg combined) but the Ford Explorer Hybrid doesn't come close to matching any of them efficiency-wise. To learn more about the Highlander Hybrid, check out our Expert Rating.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.8

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the Highlander Hybrid drive? The three-row Highlander has the same hybrid powertrain as the RAV4 Hybrid, though Toyota juiced it up a bit to handle the added weight. Our test Highlander accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds. That's certainly respectable considering some SUVs with V6s take as much time and are far less fuel-efficient. Emergency braking power is also on par.

Around turns, this hybrid is surprisingly composed. The Highlander Hybrid isn't as athletic as the hybrid version of the Ford Explorer, but handling isn't usually a strong selling point for three-row SUVs. What's more important is ease of driving, and the Highlander Hybrid nails it. Power is readily available and smoothly delivered, and the brakes are smooth and don't exhibit the grabbiness found in some other hybrids.

Comfort

8.0/10

How comfortable is the Highlander Hybrid? The Highlander Hybrid's ride quality is plush. It smooths over most road imperfections yet remains controlled without much float at higher speeds. The wide front seats are pretty comfortable even on long drives, and the available second-row captain's chairs deliver nearly the same level of comfort. Alas, the third-row seats remain one of the Highlander's greatest liabilities. Thin padding, a very low seat cushion and limited legroom make them a no-go for most adults.

We like the Highlander's excellent climate control system. It's easy to use and can quickly heat or cool the cabin. At highway speeds, the Highlander is nicely insulated from wind and road noise. The gas engine sounds unrefined when you go full throttle, but otherwise it's not intrusive.

Interior

8.0/10

How’s the interior? The first and second seating rows provide ample space. Unfortunately, the Highlander's third row is one of the most confining by midsize three-row SUV standards. If you're planning on regularly using the full passenger capacity, be sure it meets your needs first.

Adjusting the driver's seat is quick and easy, and there's ample range of adjustment. Tall drivers will likely want the steering wheel to telescope out a little more. Outward visibility, especially for a vehicle this size, is great. The windshield roof pillars are thin, helping you see around turns or in tight parking situations.

The Platinum trim, which is what we tested, also comes with some very useful features such as a camera-based rearview mirror that allows you to see out of the back even if you've fully loaded up the rear cargo area. There's also an available surround-view camera system. It has sharp resolution and can be rotated to look around the vehicle.

Technology

7.5/10

How’s the tech? In recent years, Toyota has trailed other manufacturers when it comes to tech. This latest Highlander Hybrid makes big strides in the right direction, but it still has some minor drawbacks. The optional 12.3-inch touchscreen is huge (an 8-inch screen is standard) and it responds quickly to inputs. But its high-gloss surface makes it prone to reflections and smudges. Our Highlander Hybrid Platinum tester had five USB charge ports for the first and second rows but none for the third row.

All Highlanders come standard with a comprehensive suite of advanced driver aids. We like the natural operation of the adaptive cruise control, but we found the lane departure warning slightly too sensitive and the lane centering ineffective at highway speeds.

Storage

8.0/10

How’s the storage? Cargo space is a bit of a mixed bag with the Highlander Hybrid. Behind the third row, there's only 16 cubic feet of space, which is a bit less than what the Ford Explorer provides. Behind the second row, it expands to a better-than-average 48.4 cubic feet. The liftover height is about average for a midsize SUV.

There's decent space for your things, with a few useful shelves across the dash. If you have a phone charging on the wireless pad in the center bin, you have to remove it to access the space beneath. We didn't find it that cumbersome, but you might.

Got small children? You can easily install a large rear-facing car seat in the second row thanks to the generous amount of fore-and-aft movement of the available captain's chairs. The car seat anchors are also easy to locate and access for all types of seats, though there are no anchors in the third row.

Fuel Economy

8.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The top trims for the all-wheel-drive Highlander Hybrid get an EPA-estimated 35 mpg combined. Front-wheel-drive versions are a little more efficient at 36 mpg combined.

On our real-world evaluation route, we observed 33 mpg from our test vehicle. That's really good for a big three-row SUV, though it's obviously slightly below the EPA estimates.

Value

8.0/10

Is the Highlander Hybrid a good value? The Highlander's interior is solidly put together with soft, padded surfaces where they matter most. Toyota's hybrids have a track record for running long and strong, so odds are high this Highlander will serve you loyally. Toyota's warranty coverage is pretty common for the class with three years/36,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage and five years/60,000 miles for the powertrain. Hybrid components are covered for eight years/100,000 miles, and the hybrid battery for a generous 10 years/150,000 miles. The first two years of scheduled maintenance are also free.

Wildcard

7.5/10

The Highlander Hybrid isn't something we'd choose for a winding road but it's no less composed than the lighter, non-hybrid version of itself. It's something you'd look forward to taking a long trip in, though, and some might consider that fun. The Highlander's new styling gives it a more aggressive vibe overall, but we're not sold on the bold details traveling down the side of the car. To us it looks overdone, but to each his or her own.

Which Highlander Hybrid does Edmunds recommend?

Toyota hasn't released official information on the 2025 Highlander Hybrid as of this writing. We'll update our recommendation if anything changes, but based on last year's Highlander Hybrid we suggest going with the midrange XLE trim. It offers a good mix of features like heated front seats, a hands-free liftgate, wireless phone charging and a sunroof without sending the price soaring to the levels of the Limited and Platinum trims.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid models

[Editor's note: The following unofficial information is based on last year's Highlander Hybrid. We expect the 2025 model will have a similar lineup and we'll update this section once we have complete information.] The Toyota Highlander Hybrid comes in LE, XLE, Limited and range-topping Platinum trims. Eight-passenger seating, with a second-row bench, is standard on the LE trim. All others get second-row captain's chairs and seat seven passengers. A second-row bench seat remains an option for the XLE. All Highlander Hybrids have a four-cylinder engine and a hybrid system that combine to produce a total of 243 horsepower. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive optional on all trims. Keep reading for our breakdown of the key features you get with each trim level.

LE
The base trim starts with:

18-inch wheels
LED headlights and foglights
Keyless entry and ignition
Power liftgate
Three-zone climate control
Power-adjustable driver's seat
8-inch touchscreen
Six-speaker audio system
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration

Every Highlander Hybrid also comes standard with these advanced driver aids:

Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Toyota and the car in front)
Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)

XLE
Adds more features, including:

LE/XLE Nightshade Edition
The Nightshade Edition for LE and XLE trims is largely an appearance package that adds:

18-inch black alloy wheels
Black grille, spoiler and exterior trim
Unique graphite-colored seats with silver accents (XLE)

Limited
Includes features from the XLE and adds:

20-inch wheels
Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking
Leather upholstery
Heated and ventilated front seats
Heated steering wheel
Interior ambient lighting
12.3-inch touchscreen
Navigation system
11-speaker JBL audio system

Platinum
The range-topping Platinum sweetens the deal with:

Adaptive headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
Panoramic sunroof
Digital rearview mirror (allows you to see what's behind the Highlander even with a fully loaded cargo area)
Heated second-row seats
Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
360-degree camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Highlander and its surroundings for tight parking situations)

2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Edmunds spotlight: Efficient and affordable

Competitors to consider

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Highlander Hybrid does Edmunds recommend?

Toyota Highlander Hybrid models

Edmunds spotlight: Efficient and affordable

Competitors to consider

Related 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid info

Research more upcoming vehicles

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Vehicle rankings by type

Other models to consider

Research Similar Vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Overview

Edmunds spotlight: Efficient and affordable

Competitors to consider

Edmunds Expert Rating

Performance

Comfort

Interior

Technology

Storage

Fuel Economy

Value

Wildcard

Which Highlander Hybrid does Edmunds recommend?

Toyota Highlander Hybrid models

2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid First Impressions

Edmunds spotlight: Efficient and affordable

Competitors to consider

Related 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid info

Research more upcoming vehicles

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Vehicle rankings by type

Other models to consider

Research Similar Vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds