2024 Toyota Highlander
The 2024 Toyota Highlander is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Highlander Hybrid, is EPA-rated at 36 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 43 complaints, most often about the service brakes. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

| Trim | Powertrain | Drive | MSRP | HP | Torque | MPG comb | Seats | Cargo (2nd row) | Wheels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LE | Gas | FWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 25 mpg | 8 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| LE | Gas | AWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 24 mpg | 8 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| XLE | Gas | FWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 25 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| XLE | Gas | AWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 24 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| XSE | Gas | AWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 24 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
| Limited | Gas | FWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 25 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
| Limited | Gas | AWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 24 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
| Platinum | Gas | AWD | — | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft | 24 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
| LE Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 36 mpg | 8 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| LE Hybrid | Hybrid | AWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 35 mpg | 8 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| LE Nightshade Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 36 mpg | 8 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| LE Nightshade Hybrid | Hybrid | AWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 35 mpg | 8 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| XLE Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 36 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| XLE Hybrid | Hybrid | AWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 35 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| XLE Nightshade Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 36 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| XLE Nightshade Hybrid | Hybrid | AWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 35 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 18 in |
| Limited Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 36 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
| Limited Hybrid | Hybrid | AWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 35 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
| Platinum Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 36 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
| Platinum Hybrid | Hybrid | AWD | — | 243 hp | 175 lb-ft | 35 mpg | 7 | 48.4 cu-ft | 20 in |
MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.
Specs & fuel economy
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlander Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | 2.5L 4-cyl + 259V Li-Ion | 36 | 35 | 36 | $1,850 |
| Highlander Hybrid AWD | Hybrid | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl + 259V Li-Ion | 35 | 35 | 35 | $1,900 |
| Highlander Hybrid AWD LTD/PLAT | Hybrid | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl + 259V Li-Ion | 35 | 34 | 35 | $1,900 |
| Highlander | Gas | FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 29 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Highlander | Gas | FWD | 2.4L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Highlander AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.4L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 47636, 47691, 47690, 47637, 47638, 47669.
Emissions & certification
Source: EPA emission certificates| Configuration | Smog rating | Emission standard | Where it can be sold new | SmartWay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid AWD, Highlander Hybrid AWD LTD/PLAT | 7 / 10 | California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
| Highlander, Highlander AWD | 7 / 10 | Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III SULEV30 | All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards | — |
Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.
The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.
New-vehicle warranty
Source: manufacturer press kits, make-levelAs stated in Toyota's press kits for the 2022–2026 model years (83 kits, 65 agree); this model year's own kit states no warranty terms, so the make's are shown. Confirm the term for this car with the dealer.
The cheapest ownership win
Insurers price the 2024 Highlander very differently, and the gap between the best and worst quote on the same car and driver is usually larger than any option you are weighing on this page.
How to compare cover →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.
Recalls (7)
Source: NHTSA recall databaseSeat Belts
25TA16Back Over Prevention
25TB13/25LB06/WRE25Electrical System
See Part 573 ReportEquipment
24R2Tires
SET24ATires
24R1These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.
Whether any of this applies to one specific Highlander
A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2024 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Toyota publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.
Hear about a recall before the letter does
The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2024 Toyota Highlander, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.
Parts & accessories for the 2024 Toyota Highlander
Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.
Find parts for this Highlander →Owner complaints
Source: NHTSA complaint database4 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 5 injuries · 0 deaths reported
4.5 per 10,000 built · Toyota reported 95,348 Highlander built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)
Filed per year: 2024: 7 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 19
Most-cited components
In owners' own words
Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.
Second row seats not latching when moved forward. Sliced up multiple finger when trying determine what was causing it not to latch. Put in a couple of stitches in 2 finger and bandage up the remaining 2 fingers
My 12.3” display screen goes really dark and I have to restart vehicle to reset
Detailed Description of the Incident: I am reporting a recurring powertrain safety issue regarding the 8-speed automatic transmission (UA80-series) in my vehicle. [Symptoms] During cold-start conditions (outside temperatures below 30°F), the vehicle consistently experiences a violent jerk/shock and an audible clicking noise during the…
When the engine is running after hours a gasoline smell and vapor exit the tank by the cap
UNKNOWN - 2024 Toyota Highlander makes a drumming or hooting sound when driving over normal to slightly rough roads. It is not related to expansion joints in the road. 1st dealer said it was a rt. wheel bearing, changed it and it did not work. He then said it was in all Toyota's with 20" wheels.
Ours has pulsing brakes and brakes feeling "off" at low speeds, potentially due to the interaction of regenerative and conventional braking. The brake pedal will also suddenly jolt the car forward when switching between braking systems. The system is unsafe
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Reported by Toyota itself: 23 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 4 killed, 29 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 24 per 100,000 built. Every Highlander model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.
Crash ratings
Source: NHTSA NCAP| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Service bulletins & campaigns
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications- Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Toyota warranty extension 22TE09Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about…
The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Toyota warranty extension (10) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →
Most often about: Electrical System, Structure, Engine, Equipment, Wheels.
- T-SB-0110-20 Rev2 Service bulletin2026-08-20 · Engine
- OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0051-26.
- T-SB-0040-24 Rev1 Service bulletin2026-06-25 · Structure — Body
- Some 2020 – 2026 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a water leak from the roof rack attachment clips. This may be caused by the sealant in the roof channel obstructing the proper seating position for the clip gasket.
- 22TE09 Warranty extension2026-05-14 · Electrical System
- Although the HV Floor Under Wire Harness and Rear Traction Motor Cable is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing extended coverage under this Customer Support Program for repairs related to excessive corrosion to the wire harness connections at the Rear Mo
- T-SB-0021-26 Service bulletin2026-03-18 · Electrical System
- Some 2020 – 2024 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the air conditioner does not cool due to a leak and/or corrosion in the rear underbody air conditioner tube and accessory assembly. The anti-corrosion material has been updated to reduce the possibility of this condition.
- T-SB-0104-21 Rev2 Service bulletin2026-02-27 · Engine
- OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.
- T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 Service bulletin2026-01-07 · Unknown Or Other
- Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to provide general guidelines and procedures for odor remediation. This Service Bulletin provides a guide on how to prepare and treat the interi
- T-SB-0083-25 Service bulletin2025-11-07 · Electrical System
- A new head unit software update is available for 2022 – 2025 model year Tundra, and Tundra Hybrid; 2023 – 2025 model year Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Mirai, and Sequoia Hybrid vehicles equipped with Toyota Multimedia versions earlier than version 2230.
- 25TD01 Service campaign2025-09-25 · Electrical System
- The subject vehicles are equipped with a rear motor unit and an HV Floor Under Wire that provide high voltage to operate the motor. Mud, water, or road salt could potentially enter the HV Floor Underwire connector housing and could cause corrosion over time. Excessive corrosion could cause AM Radio Static during certain driving cycles, or the vehicle may not start.
A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.
At the New York inspection station
Source: New York State DMVIn New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2024 Toyota Highlander failed the emissions check on 0.71% of first inspections — lower than the 1.5% for every 2024 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.83% (every 2024 vehicle: 0.74%).
failed emissions
3,983 initial inspections of 3,916 vehicles.
| Measure | The 2024 Highlander | Every 2024 vehicle | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failed the emissions check | 0.71% | 1.5% | 3,366 |
| Failed the safety inspection | 0.83% | 0.74% | 3,983 |
| Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit | 0.15% | 0.17% | 3,983 |
| Miles driven a year | 10,527 | 9,424 | odometer at inspection |
| Average odometer | 24,349 | 21,104 | odometer at inspection |
New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2024 vehicle” is every 2024 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).
Highlander by model year
all years, side by side →Common questions about the 2024 Highlander
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsDoes the 2024 Toyota Highlander have any recalls?
NHTSA has posted 7 recall campaigns for the 2024 Toyota Highlander. The most serious on file is 26V128000, covering Seats. 2 campaigns are phased, so the repair reached some model years before others. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.
How safe is the 2024 Toyota Highlander?
NHTSA gave the 2024 Toyota Highlander 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it D (68/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.
What is the fuel economy of the 2024 Toyota Highlander?
Across the 6 EPA-rated configurations of the 2024 Toyota Highlander, the best EPA combined figure is 36 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.
What do owners complain about on the 2024 Toyota Highlander?
Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 Toyota Highlander, most often about unspecified, service brakes, fuel/propulsion system. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 5 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.
How clean is the 2024 Toyota Highlander?
The EPA smog rating for the 2024 Toyota Highlander is 7 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.
Are there service bulletins for the 2024 Toyota Highlander?
The manufacturer has filed 145 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2024 Toyota Highlander, most often covering electrical system, structure, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-08-20. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.
How does the 2024 Toyota Highlander do at state inspection?
In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2024 Toyota Highlander failed the emissions check on 0.71% of first inspections — lower than the 1.5% for every 2024 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.83% (every 2024 vehicle: 0.74%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.
What we hold, and what an empty row means
Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.
| Data | Held | Source | What it covers — or what empty means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy & configurations | 6 configurations | EPA certification records | Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures. |
| Emission certificates | 6 configurations | EPA emission certificates | Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new. |
| Recalls | 7 | NHTSA recall campaigns | A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags. |
| Owner complaints | 43 | NHTSA complaint database | Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold. |
| Crash ratings | 4 tested | NHTSA NCAP | Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them. |
| Service bulletins | 145 | NHTSA manufacturer communications | Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall. |
| Investigations | none | NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation | No defect investigation has been opened. |
| Driver-assist crash reports | none | NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01 | No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like. |
| Specifications filed with NHTSA | none | NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns | We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable. |
| Trims, pricing & equipment | 20 trims | Manufacturer press kit | Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from. |
Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.