Toyota Highlander review: An efficient yet small hybrid family SUV

• The Toyota Highlander is one of the best-selling three-row family SUVs in the US.
• I was impressed by its efficient hybrid engine, well-designed cabin and strong build quality.
• I was disappointed by its noisy engine, lukewarm performance and limited passenger/cargo space.

For much of its existence, the Toyota Highlander was a unicorn, being the only three-row midsize family SUV available as a hybrid.

But a number of hybrid and battery electric options have hit the market in recent years, such as the Mazda CX-90 PHEV and the Kia EV9.

Despite growing competition, the fourth-generation Highlander, which debuted at the end of 2019, remains extremely popular with consumers.

Sales fell 24% in 2023, thanks in large part to the introduction of the larger Grand Highlander. Still, Toyota managed to move nearly 170,000 Highlanders off dealer lots, outselling rivals like the Honda Pilot, Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride, Nissan Pathfinder and Subaru Ascent.