2020 Toyota Highlander

The Verdict

Worst problem area

Transmission & Drivetrain

Transmission & Drivetrain leads by volume: 124 of 320 complaints (39%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Brakes include more reported injuries (8) than those mentioning any other identified area.

Complaints filed fell from 484 in 2019 to 320 in 2020.

Data last changed Sep 16, 2026. Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology

Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History

Fuel cost, fuel economy, and complaint history by model-yearScroll sideways to see all 5 years. Fuel figures show the range across trims for years with more than one EPA-rated configuration.Also cataloged for 2020: 3 configuration(s) of a different vehicle class, excluded from the comparison bar only (but included in the figures above).
Category	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	vs. 2020 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Annual fuel cost ($)	2,150–2,850	2,150–2,850	1,750–2,700	1,750–2,700	1,750–2,700
Combined MPG	22–29	22–29	23–36	23–36	23–36
City / Highway MPG	19–30 / 24–28	19–30 / 24–28	20–36 / 27–35	20–36 / 27–35	20–36 / 27–35
CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi)	305–407	305–407	245–387	245–389	245–389
Complaints filed	269	484	320	523	245	Not compared
Recalls issued	5	3	5	5	6	Not compared
Crash-involved complaints	24	22	15	16	16	Not compared
Fire-involved complaints	2	1	0	4	1	Not compared
Injuries reported	25	18	20	18	13	Not compared
Deaths reported	0	0	0	0	1	Not compared
Configurations compared	5	5	3	3	3

Common questions

How many recalls does the 2020 Toyota Highlander have?

5 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.

What is the most common complaint about the 2020 Toyota Highlander?

Transmission & Drivetrain: 124 of 320 NHTSA complaints (39%) mention it.

What gas mileage does the 2020 Toyota Highlander get?

EPA rates it 23–36 MPG combined.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2020 Toyota Highlander?

EPA estimates $1,750–$2,700 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.

Similar Vehicles

EPA-Rated Configurations (6)

Every EPA-rated configuration on this page, one row each.A number tagged (low) or (high) is this page’s own cost-table figure of that name, above.
Configuration	Transmission	Cylinders	Displacement	Drivetrain	Fuel Type	Vehicle Class	City	Highway	Combined	Annual Fuel Cost	CO₂
Configuration 1	Automatic (S8)	6	3.5L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD	20 mpg (low)	28 mpg	23 mpg (low)	$2,700 (high)	386 g/mi
Configuration 2	Automatic (S8)	6	3.5L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD	21 mpg	29 mpg	24 mpg	$2,600	372 g/mi
Configuration 3	Automatic (S8)	6	3.5L	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	20 mpg (low)	27 mpg (low)	23 mpg (low)	$2,700 (high)	387 g/mi (high)
Configuration 4	Automatic (AV-S6)	4	2.5L	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD	36 mpg (high)	35 mpg (high)	36 mpg (high)	$1,750 (low)	245 g/mi (low)
Configuration 5	Automatic (AV-S6)	4	2.5L	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	35 mpg	35 mpg (high)	35 mpg	$1,800	254 g/mi
Configuration 6	Automatic (AV-S6)	4	2.5L	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	35 mpg	34 mpg	35 mpg	$1,800	251 g/mi

Complaints by Category

Complaints by category, in the same fixed order on every page
Category	Complaints	Crash-Involved	Injuries
Engine	16	2	3
Transmission & Drivetrain	124	2	1
Fuel System	19	2	3
Electrical	17	2	2
Brakes	43	6	8
Steering	4	2	3
Suspension, Wheels & Tires	8	0	0
Airbags & Restraints	40	3	6
Driver Assistance & Speed Control	19	4	7
Body, Seats & Latches	32	1	0
Visibility & Lighting	6	0	0
Other	42	3	3

A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.

Recalls (5)

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · Campaign 23V865000 · Dec 20, 2023
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS · Campaign 23V720000 · Oct 26, 2023
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Highlander & Highlander Hybrid vehicles. During normal vehicle operation, minor impact to the front lower bumper cover may result in the cover coming loose or detaching.
Consequence: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will repair or replace the upper and lower front bumper covers as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed April 22, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB12/23TA12.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC):CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE · Campaign 22V239000 · Apr 13, 2022
Defect: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Consequence: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.
SEATS; AIR BAGS · Campaign 20V633000 · Oct 14, 2020
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander and Highlander hybrid vehicles. Incorrect seat trim covers on one or both of the front seats can prevent the seat-mounted side air bag from deploying properly.
Consequence: Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats and replace the seat trim covers as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB14 / 20TA14.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY; ENGINE · Campaign 20V162000 · Mar 19, 2020
Defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Highlander vehicles equipped with a 3.5 L, V6 (2GR-FKS) gasoline engine. Due to an Engine Control Unit (ECU) programming error, fuel may not be correctly supplied to the engine while using the stop and restart feature.
Consequence: Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECU, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA06.