The best Highlander years to buy are 2016 and 2018. Be careful with the 2019 and 2021: both drew about 50% more complaints than the Highlander average, mostly a whining or failing 8-speed transmission.
Best years: 20162018 Years to avoid: 20192021
Every Highlander year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known Highlander problems
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 43 | - | 7 | Other | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 198 | - | 9 | Other | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 272 | 122 | 6 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
| 2021 | 550 | 208 | 5 | Transmission and drivetrain | Watch out |
| 2020 | 332 | 156 | 5 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
| 2019 | 515 | 215 | 3 | Transmission and drivetrain | Watch out |
| 2018 | 280 | 115 | 5 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good buy |
| 2017 | 275 | 127 | 4 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
| 2016 | 117 | 61 | 3 | Other | Good buy |
| 2015 | 197 | 124 | 2 | Electrical | Average |
| 2014 | 138 | 94 | 5 | Electrical | Good year |
| 2013 | 212 | 166 | 3 | Steering | Average |
| 2012 | 191 | 158 | 2 | Steering | Average |
About the Highlander
The Highlander is a dependable three-row SUV with no truly bad year. Its pattern to know is transmission whine on 2019 to 2021 models, and a brake vacuum pump recall on 2018 V6 models. Older years are simple and long-lived.
- 2014-2019: Third generation. 2017 added the 8-speed automatic; complaints rise in 2019.
- 2020 on: Fourth generation, with a strong hybrid. 2021 has the most transmission complaints.
Highlander warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Toyota files with NHTSA. 1,159 Highlander bulletins are on file in total.
Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyotas New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers ownership expe...
DL: In our continuing efforts to help ensure the best in customer satisfaction, Toyota is announcing a Warranty Enhancement Program to extend the warranty coverage for Sun Visor Assemblies on Certain 2010 to 2013 Model Year Hig...
RL: In our continuing efforts to help ensure the best in customer satisfaction, Toyota is announcing a Warranty Enhancement Program to extend the warranty coverage for Sun Visor Assemblies on Certain 2010 to 2013 Model Year Hig...
Region Email: Toyota is announcing a Warranty Enhancement Program to extend the warranty coverage for the Power Back Door on certain 2008 - 2013 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles.
Dealer Email: Toyota is announcing a Warranty Enhancement Program to extend the warranty coverage for the Power Back Door on certain 2008 - 2013 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Highlander
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Defect petition DP22005 · 2012–2022 · opened Jan 2023, closed Aug 2023 · led to recall 22V063000
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States.
Engineering analysis EA18006 · 2012, 2013 · opened Nov 2018, closed Apr 2024
On November 16, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an Engineering Analysis (EA18-006) as an upgrade to a Preliminary Evaluation (PE18-005).
Preliminary evaluation PE18005 · 2012, 2013 · opened May 2018, closed Nov 2018
On May 4, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE18-005 to investigate three allegations of steering column separation for Model Year (MY) 2008 through 2013 Toyota Highlander vehicles.
Highlander vs rivals
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldFord Explorer vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldKia Sorento vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldNissan Pathfinder vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldFord Edge vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldLexus RX vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldNissan Murano vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldGMC Acadia vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldAcura MDX vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldMazda CX-9 vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldKia Telluride vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldHyundai Palisade vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car soldSubaru Ascent vs Toyota Highlander
Which years drew fewer problems per car sold
Questions
What is the best year for the Toyota Highlander?
2016 and 2018. The best Highlander years to buy are 2016 and 2018. Be careful with the 2019 and 2021: both drew about 50% more complaints than the Highlander average, mostly a whining or failing 8-speed transmission.
Which Toyota Highlander years should I avoid?
2019, 2021. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Toyota Highlander average.
Based on 3,320 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.