2020 Toyota Highlander: Everything You Need to Know


Toyota’s popular Highlander three-row SUV got a redesign that first appeared at the 2019 New York International Auto Show, but we still had to wait months to actually drive both the gas-powered and hybrid versions.
Related: 2020 Toyota Highlander Review: More in Some Ways, Not in Others
- ${price_badge()}
- ${battery_badge()}${ev_report_link()}
- ${hot_car_badge()}
- ${award_badge()}
- ${cpo_badge()}
${price_badge_description}
The EV Battery Rating is based on this vehicle's current expected range relative to the vehicles expected range when new. ${battery_badge_text}
Certified cars are manufacturer warrantied and typically go through a rigorous multi-point inspection.
This car is likely to sell soon based on the price, features, and condition.
${award_blurb}
${award_two_blurb}
Shop the 2020 Toyota Highlander near you

Powered by either a 3.5-liter V-6 producing 295 horsepower and 263 pounds-feet of torque — or in the hybrid, a combined gas-electric powertrain that uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine for a combined system output of 243 hp and 175 pounds-feet of torque — the 2020 Highlander is available in front- or all-wheel-drive variants (the previous-generation Highlander Hybrid was only available with all-wheel drive). Automatic transmissions are the name of the game here, with an eight-speed automatic paired to the gas V-6 or a continuously variable automatic for the hybrid.
Three rows of seats fit into the 2020 Highlander, which is 2.4 inches longer than the outgoing generation. That extra length was added to improve cargo space, but while there is more than previous models, our editors wonder if that was enough in such a competitive field. Toyota, however, seems to prefer to keep the Highlander on the smaller side of things for the sake of “maneuverability.”
If you’re considering a three-row SUV — and, given the popularity of the segment as a whole, there’s a decent chance you might be — be sure to check out not only our coverage of the 2020 Highlander specifically, but also our recent comparison test of seven other three-row SUVs, including the new-for-2020 Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.
You can find that coverage below, as well as our research page for the 2020 Highlander and comparisons of the new Highlander with its previous generation and the top three finishers in our class comparison. Here’s everything you need to know on the 2020 Toyota Highlander:
News and Reviews
2020 Toyota Highlander Review: More in Some Ways, Not in Others
2020 Toyota Highlander: Well-Equipped But Whoa-Nelly Priced
Toyota, Lexus Extend Life of Battery Warranty for 2020 Hybrids
What’s New With Toyota in 2019?
Auto Show Face-Off: 2020 Ford Explorer Vs. 2020 Toyota Highlander
Is the 2020 Toyota Highlander Interior Any Roomier Than Before?
2020 Toyota Highlander Grows a Little, Gets More Efficient Hybrid
2020 Toyota Highlander Tease Convinces Us We’re Seeing Things in NY
Which SUVs Have the Most Cargo Space in 2019?
Other 3-Row SUVs
2020 3-Row SUV Challenge Video: Hyundai Palisade Fends Off Fierce Competition
What’s the Best 3-Row SUV for 2020?
We Have a Winner: Why the 2020 Hyundai Palisade Is the Best 3-Row SUV
How We Found the Best 3-Row SUV of 2020
2020 3-Row SUV Challenge: What’s the Best MPG SUV?
3-Row SUVs With the Best Cargo Areas
Research and Compare
Compare the 2020 and 2019 Highlander
Compare the 2020 Highlander to the Top Three Finishers in the 2020 3-Row SUV Challenge
Find a 2020 Toyota Highlander for Sale Near You
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

Road Test Editor Brian Normile joined the automotive industry and Cars.com in 2013, and he became part of the Editorial staff in 2014. Brian spent his childhood devouring every car magazine he got his hands on — not literally, eventually — and now reviews and tests vehicles to help consumers make informed choices. Someday, Brian hopes to learn what to do with his hands when he’s reviewing a car on camera. He would daily-drive an Alfa Romeo 4C if he could.
Featured stories



2025 Lincoln Navigator Review: Elephantine Elegance
