Toyota Highlander review

Overview

The Highlander is for households that sometimes need more than five seats but do not want to depend on a charge point. The UK version arrived in 2021 with Toyota's petrol-electric AWD-i drivetrain, and we have selected an early Excel rather than the more costly Excel Premium. This review uses the 2021–22 UK equipment and technical material, not the figures of a North American petrol Highlander or a later infotainment update. RoadMatch has not road-tested the car; our advice is an original assessment of who benefits from its layout and running costs. If the third row would spend its life folded, start by asking whether the space and weight are worth buying at all.

Exterior and interior

Toyota lists an overall length of 4,966 mm and body width of 1,930 mm. Take a tape measure to your parking bay or garage; body width is not the clearance you need to open a door or manoeuvre with mirrors extended. Inside, the Excel's heated front seats, separate climate controls and power tailgate matter more on family days than any claim of a luxury badge. The glass roof is attractive, but tall passengers should check head clearance with their usual seating posture. Open every door and try the tailgate in a low space. Inspect the bumper corners and wheels carefully, especially if the car has spent its life in narrow urban parking bays.

Practicality

Check the boot with seven people aboard before comparing it with other large SUVs. Toyota's technical table gives 268 litres to tonneau-cover height, including the underfloor box, with all seven seats in place, or 332 litres if measured to the roof. With the third row folded, the result changes again: 579 litres to the cover with the middle row fully back, or 658 litres with it in the middle position. None of those larger figures describes a seven-seat luggage trip. The slide gives you a way to trade second-row legroom for the space needed at the back. Bring the child seats, pushchair or cases that determine whether that trade actually works.

Driving experience

UK reviewers describe the Highlander as most comfortable when driven at a steady pace, with noticeably more engine sound when you ask for hard acceleration. That fits its purpose better than describing a large SUV as sporty just because it has a drive mode with that label. On a viewing, try a tight turn, a speed bump and a legal faster section, and pay attention to how confidently you can judge the front corners. Parking aids help, but you will still need room to turn and open the doors. If the car feels harsh or pulls on a straight road, do not accept that as an inevitable consequence of its size without inspecting tyres, wheels and suspension.

Performance

Toyota's specification table quotes 244 bhp, or 248 DIN hp, for the combined system and 8.3 seconds from rest to 62 mph. That is total hybrid output, not the petrol engine's power plus a simple addition of both motor ratings. The power-split transmission is automatic and the rear axle has electric drive. Neither the published sprint time nor the all-wheel-drive label makes the car a performance SUV. An approved braked trailer limit of 2,000 kg is useful context, but a buyer must check the individual vehicle plate, outfit weights, towbar and licence before towing. Ask to experience a normal hill and slip road rather than demanding a full-throttle demonstration from a seller.

Fuel economy

The official combined WLTP band is 39.2–39.7 imperial mpg for Excel, and the matcher uses the lower bound. This is a full hybrid rather than a plug-in; petrol is still its purchased fuel. Quiet short stretches under motor power do not turn a long motorway trip into an electric journey. A heavy load, cold weather, faster roads and towing can change consumption materially, so our costs assume 35 mpg. At 30 mpg, the same 10,000 miles and assumed petrol price would cost about £310 more in fuel. If you rarely need the extra seats, also price a smaller hybrid: that may be the better way to cut running costs without changing your routine.

Reliability

Toyota's general hybrid reputation is a reason to investigate a Highlander, not a substitute for condition evidence on a comparatively uncommon UK model. Ask for a service record tied to the VIN and mileage, check whether any hybrid inspection reports are available, and have a suitable specialist investigate stored warnings rather than accepting that a light was recently reset. Walk around the car after the drive and check for coolant smells, uneven tyre wear and brake vibration. These are purchase checks, not a list of demonstrated common Highlander failures. Toyota's service-activated cover has qualifying conditions, so get the dealer to confirm what this car would receive in writing and keep a reserve for excluded wear or repairs.

Safety

No exact UK Highlander Euro NCAP assessment has been verified. Do not borrow a rating from the RAV4, or assume a rating for an overseas version establishes the same result for this UK Excel. Toyota's equipment list confirms a pre-collision system, adaptive cruise, lane support and second-row outer ISOFIX positions, among other aids. Those features are not independent crash results or evidence that all seven seats suit every child restraint. Check the handbook, the seats you will use and whether cameras or sensors work after windscreen or bumper repairs. Use the government recall service and ask Toyota for VIN-specific confirmation; neither a clean dashboard nor an MOT history alone establishes recall completion.

Technology and features

The early Excel already supplies Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a reversing camera, parking sensors, heated front seats and adaptive cruise. The original eight-inch interface has conventional shortcut controls, which may be more useful in practice than a larger display that buries basic settings. Check phone integration while stationary with your own cable and handset, rather than assuming wireless projection from the presence of a charging tray. Excel Premium added a panoramic camera view and some other comfort features, so do not mark those as standard on the Excel. On a used car, make sure the camera image is clear and that the powered tailgate, all three climate zones and the second-row controls actually work.

Running costs

The £29,000–£41,000 used-price band is a November 2026 planning envelope, not a stock check or live valuation. At 10,000 miles, assumed 35 imperial mpg and £1.45 per litre, fuel works out around £1,880. A rounded £600 tax allowance and £700–£1,400 for ordinary servicing, MOT and consumables take the planning figure to about £3,200–£3,900, before insurance, finance, depreciation and major repairs. The tax assumption is deliberately cautious because registration date and any expensive-car supplement matter; get the actual figure for the car. Ask for quotes on its 20-inch tyres and the next service. That tells you more about imminent costs than comparing the brochure mpg against a much smaller hybrid.

Advantages and disadvantages