The 2021 Toyota Highlander

The 2021 Toyota Highlander

The Highlander is a standout three-row Toyota SUV with seven trims all between a $35K and $50K price range. The variants offer the choice of a V6 engine as standard and a 243hp hybrid powertrain. The Toyota Highlander XSE trim is new for 2021, adding sportier and more aggressive qualities to this otherwise family-oriented model.

There are plenty of features provided as standard with the Highlander though its design lacks a little passion in some departments and the third row is a bit scanty. Nonetheless, it's fair to say that the Highlander ranks reasonably high among midsize SUVs. You also get decent fuel economy with the Toyota Highlander 2021, particularly with the plug-in variant, which provides 36 MPG in the city and 35 on the highway.

We'll discuss the exterior, performance, interior, and pricing of the Highlander in more detail in the following breakdown. Our guide will also look at how this SUV compares with its rivals and touch on when the 2021 model will be available. Read on to see if the Highlander is the right vehicle for you.

What To Expect For 2021

The Highlander sees the sportier XSE trim added for this year. For $41,405, you get 263lb-ft of torque, 20" machine-face alloy wheels, and a twin-tip exhaust. As with many of the Highlander variants, it has a fuel economy of 21 MPG in the city and 29 on the highway. The Highlander also gains LED projection headlamps as standard with new driver-assist features being added.

Engine, Fuel Economy, And Exterior

Car And Driver

The Highlander provides 295hp and 263lb-ft of torque as standard thanks to its 3.6l V6 powertrain. Some models also offer the choice of a 2.5l L4. Each trim has FWD and AWD choices. The V6 powered vehicles can achieve zero to 60 in under seven seconds. The hybrid variants (the Hybrid and Hybrid XLE) combine two electric motors with a 2.5l L4 engine, giving the driver 243hp in total. The Hybrid also comes with continuously variable automatic transmission. The Hybrid achieves zero to 60mph in a little over seven seconds.

You get 21MPG in the city and 29 on the highway with most trims. However, the Hybrid variant can achieve 36 MPG in the city and 35 on the highway with FWD. Among the exterior colors available are Midnight Black Metallic, Opulent Amber, Blueprint, and Magnetic Gray Metallic. Some trims feature more exterior design options than others. The Highlander's standard features include the Smart Key System for front doors, a rear liftgate windshield defogger, and High Solar Energy-Absorbing or HSEA glass on the front side windows. You can configure the 2021 Highlander via Toyota's US website.

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