2025 Toyota Highlander Family SUV Ultimate Reviews

2025 Toyota Highlander: Toyota offers eight different SUVs, and the 2025 Highlander falls somewhere in the middle in terms of size. With three rows of seats, the Highlander is better suited for growing families than the smaller RAV4, although families with older children may want to consider the larger Grand Highlander that debuted last year. 

It's been five years since this latest Highlander generation debuted. For the 2025 model year, we don't expect any major changes, but it is possible that Toyota will update the Highlander's styling or add some new standard features.

The Highlander's four-cylinder engine delivers plenty of torque at low revs, and this makes the Highlander comfortable to drive around town. On the Edmunds test track, our all-wheel-drive Highlander test vehicle accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds, which is slightly faster than most V6-equipped three-row midsize SUVs.

The 2025 Toyota Highlander ability to stop quickly and confidently and negotiate twisty roads is solid. Body roll is controlled as you go through corners, and the available torque-vectoring AWD system also helps by channeling engine power to each of the rear wheels to subtly improve the SUV's handling balance. 

All these advanced technologies help the Highlander feel more agile than the average midsize SUV. Overall, the Highlander makes everyday driving a non-straining activity, and that's what counts.

The Highlander's ride quality is very pleasant. Big and small road imperfections are dealt with thanks to the appropriate suspension, yet it doesn't feel floaty or unsteady at higher speeds. The front seats are comfortable even on long trips, and the available second-row captain's chairs (which our test Highlander had) provide almost the same level of comfort. 

Unfortunately, the third-row seat is one of the Highlander's biggest drawbacks. Thin cushions, tight space, and cushions mounted low to the floor make the third row unsuitable for adults.

The climate controls are easy to use, and the standard tri-zone system provides ample heating and cooling capacity, which helps compensate for the heat and the rather effective seat ventilation. The only area we found the four-cylinder engine lacking was sound. 

You don't really hear it when cruising, but substantial acceleration demands reveal a less-than-subtle four-cylinder sound. Otherwise, our complaints are few. There are no vibrations, squeaks or wind noise to speak of, even at higher highway speeds. Highway noise is minimal.

2025 Toyota Highlander Specs

18-inch alloy wheels

LED headlights

Height-adjustable power lift door

Keyless entry and ignition

Height-adjustable driver's seat

Three-zone automatic climate control

60/40-split folding seats in the second and third rows

8-inch infotainment touchscreen

Digital instrument panel display

Frontal collision warning with automatic braking (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)

Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)

Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle in its lane)

Blind spot warning with rear cross traffic alert (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot when changing lanes or when reversing)