The Toyota Highlander is a quietly excellent three-row family SUV. The 2017-2019 3rd gen with the 3.5L 2GR-FKS V6 and 8-speed automatic is the consensus best year. Here is the year-by-year breakdown.
Buy: 2017-2019 Highlander 3.5L (2GR-FKS) or 2020+ Hybrid
Avoid: 2014 (first-year 3rd gen), 2020 first-year 4th gen
Scores 1-10 based on NHTSA complaint volume, severity of reported issues, recall history, and class-action exposure. Higher is better.
| Year | Score | Summary | Top 3 Problems | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 7.5/10 | First-year 3rd gen. Some launch issues. | · Infotainment freezes · Brake actuator · Rear liftgate |
CAUTION |
| 2015 | 8.5/10 | Refinements over 2014. | · Audio · Wind noise · Minor electrical |
BUY |
| 2016 | 9/10 | Mid-cycle refresh. New 8-speed automatic. | · Audio · Brake judder · Minor |
BUY |
| 2017 | 9.5/10 | Peak 3rd gen reliability. | · Audio module · Sensor calibration · Minor |
BUY |
| 2018 | 9.5/10 | Same as 2017. Top-tier. | · Audio · Minor electrical · Tire wear |
BUY |
| 2019 | 9.5/10 | Final year of 3rd gen. Cheapest of the elite trio. | · Audio · Brake judder · Minor |
BUY |
| 2020 | 7.5/10 | All-new 4th gen. First-year quirks. | · Infotainment lag · 12V battery (hybrid) · Sensor calibration |
CAUTION |
| 2022 | 8.5/10 | Mature 4th gen. Most launch bugs sorted. | · Infotainment · Sensor · Minor |
BUY |
The 3.5L 2GR-FKS with direct + port injection paired with the 8-speed Aisin automatic is one of Toyota's most reliable modern powertrains.
Run AI diagnosis →Brake actuator and infotainment complaints. Most addressed by TSB by 2016.
Run AI diagnosis →Hybrid 12V auxiliary battery fails at 3-4 years. Easy fix.
Run AI diagnosis →Head unit lag and occasional reboots. Software updates partially address.
Run AI diagnosis →Mirror and roof rack wind noise. Some owners add aftermarket seals.
Run AI diagnosis →Front rotor warping causes steering shimmy.
Run AI diagnosis →Run a $5.99 AI diagnosis tailored to your exact vehicle. Get the most likely cause, repair estimate, and OBD2 code interpretation in under 30 seconds.
Diagnose My Highlander for $5.99Year-, make-, model-specific AI · Powered by NHTSA + AI
If your Highlander is throwing a check engine light, these codes are most often associated with the problems above. Click any code for diagnosis steps.
The 2017-2019 Highlander with the 3.5L 2GR-FKS is the consensus best year. Top-tier reliability ratings and a refined three-row layout.
Yes. Consumer Reports and J.D. Power consistently rank the Highlander among the most reliable three-row SUVs on sale.
A 2017-2019 Highlander routinely reaches 250,000+ miles. The 2GR-FKS is one of Toyota's most durable modern V6s.
Yes. The 2020+ Highlander Hybrid with the 2.5L A25A-FXS has been very reliable with the main wear item being the 12V auxiliary battery.
It is the weakest of the modern Highlanders due to first-year 3rd gen bugs. 2015+ is more sorted.
It is the first year of the 4th gen and had infotainment and minor sensor bugs. 2022+ examples are more sorted.