Nicole Anderson

2013 Toyota Highlander

••3.5

Posted On: February 6, 2024

Good Vehicle

Pros
Great gas mileage, heated seats

Cons
Not enough charging outlets for phones, rear window wipers dont clear the whole window

I have a 2013 Toyota Highlander. I have driven this car for a little over a year now. It's a good family car. It has 3 rows of seats which is good if you have a big family. The downfall on the 3 rows of seats is if you use the 3rd row, then you have very little trunk space. Without the 3rd row of seats up, its a huge trunk space. I love that it has heated seats for the winter months. If you need ... Read more

2013 Toyota Highlander Review

Pros

Quality interior
High resale value
Good reliability

Cons

Weak four-cylinder engine
Sluggish acceleration
Poor fuel economy

The new Toyota Highlander is loaded with features, seats up to seven, and has a spacious interior, making it a good option for anyone with a large family that prefers an SUV to a minivan.

Overview

The Highlander has an important spot in Toyota’s lineup as a key portion of its array of sport utility vehicles. The new Toyota Highlander is loaded with features, seats up to seven, and has a spacious interior, making it a good option for anyone with a large family that prefers an SUV to a minivan.

Pricing and Features
7.0/10

For 2013, Toyota added a new trim level for the Highlander lineup. Hence, there are four different trims on offer. These include Base, Plus, SE, and Limited models. The new Plus trim adds standard features like cargo cover, rear reading lights, metallic-tone accents and LED fog lamps. It stands between the base trim and SE trim models. Prices and features for different trim levels are mentioned below.

Trims	Base	Plus	SE	Limited
MSRP (FWD)	$30,395	$31,850	$34,560	$37,950
MSRP (AWD)	$31,845	$33,300	$36,010	$39,400
Key Features	6-speaker audio system	Adds to Base trim features	Adds to Plus trim features	Adds to SE trim features
	Hill-Start Assist	Cargo cover	Rearview camera	Speed sensitive volume control
	Chrome shift knob	Rear reading lights	Engine immobilizer	Leather shift knob and steering wheel
	Tilt & telescopic steering column	Dual-illuminating vanity mirrors	Tire Pressure Monitoring System	Steering wheel mounted controls
	12V rear power outlet	Power-adjustable lumbar seat for driver’s seat	4-way manually-adjustable passenger’s seat	Universal garage door opener
	8-way manually-adjustable driver’s seat	Metallic-tone accents	LED DRLs	Heated front seats
	LED taillights	Fog lamps	Power moonroof

Buying Advice

The new Plus trim comes with all the features of the base trim model and adds some extra features to the list. Moreover, its rivals offering the same features are priced higher. Hence, the Plus trim would be a good option to fill your garage. If you want Toyota’s Entune infotainment system, it is optional on the SE trim.

Engine and Performance
7.7/10

The Toyota Highlander comes with two different engine choices The engine standard on every trim except the Limited is a rather weak 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. Standard on the Limited and optional on all other trims is a 3.5-liter V6. This engine makes 270 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. The four-cylinder is equipped with a six-speed automatic while the V6 is paired to a five-speed automatic. The Highlander can be had in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.

The Highlander looks substantial but it handles like a much smaller SUV. The steering feel is light and the Highlander is surprisingly nimble in parking lots and while making u-turns. Although you may experience somebody leans on curves, the Highlander’s soft suspension provides a very comfortable controlled ride and cabin noise is minimal. The Highlander’s 3.5-liter V6 engine has ample power for accelerating from a stop and enough pep to pass easily on the highway. The electronically-controlled 5-speed automatic transmission shifts are nearly imperceptible.

Model	Toyota Highlander	Hyundai Santa Fe	Ford Explorer	Nissan Pathfinder
MSRP	$30,695	$28,600	$31,100	$28,270
Engine	3.5L Naturally Aspirated V6	3.3L Naturally Aspirated V6	3.5L Naturally Aspirated V6	3.5L Naturally Aspirated V6
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD	FWD	FWD
Transmission	5-speed automatic	6-speed automatic	6-speed automatic	CVT
Power	270 hp @ 6200 rpm	290 hp @ 6400 rpm	290 hp @ 6500 rpm	260 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque	248 ft-lbs. @ 4700 rpm	252 ft-lbs. @ 5200 rpm	255 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm	240 ft-lbs. @ 4400 rpm
0-60 MPH (sec)	9.6	6.6	8	7.8
Quarter Mile (sec)	17	15.1	16.1	14.2
Top Speed (mph)	130	130	120	121

Despite 270 horses galloping under the hood, the Highlander has a sluggish acceleration in this competition. Surprisingly, the Hyundai Santa Fe beats its rivals for the crown while the Nissan Pathfinder overtakes it in the quarter-mile run. The Ford Explorer has a decent acceleration compared to its rivals.

Fuel Economy
7.0/10

If you are one of those persons who think fuel efficiency is your top priority then look forward as the Toyota Highlander burns more juice than its rivals. According to the EPA, the SUV returns 18 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine has better city estimates. It is rated 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Model	Toyota Highlander	Hyundai Santa Fe	Ford Explorer	Nissan Pathfinder
MPG (City)	18	18	17	20
MPG (Highway)	24	25	24	26
MPG (Combined)	20	21	20	22
Fuel Capacity	19.2	18.8	18.6	19.5
Range (City/Highway/Combined)	346/461/403	338/470/404	316/446/381	390/507/448

Both the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Ford Explorer boast good fuel economy compared to the other two rivals on the table. Thanks to a larger fuel tank, the Nissan Pathfinder offers a combined range of 448 miles. Meanwhile, the Highlander doesn’t impress its buyers with bad fuel estimates.

Interior
7.9/10

The interior of the Toyota Highlander looks good but it is an amalgam of the trim quality. The plastics on the dash are fine but some competitors are using softer and nicer looking pieces. The optional leather seats and chrome accents will remind you of the Highlander’s Lexus cousins but they are combined with unimpressive plastic woodgrain trim and a fuzzy economy car like a headliner.

The seats are comfortable and the third row is fairly easy to get into. With the third-row folded, cargo space is good and the second-row easily slides fore and aft and can be folded flat for even more cargo space.

Model	Toyota Highlander	Hyundai Santa Fe	Ford Explorer	Nissan Pathfinder
Seating Capacity	7	7	7	7
First Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg ) (in)	40.6/59.7/43.2	39.6/59.4/41.3	41.4/61.3/40.6	42.2/60.7/42.3
Second Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	40.1/59.5/38.3	39.4/58..6/41.3	40.5/61/39.8	39.4/60.4/41.7
Third Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)	36.3/55/29.9	35.7/53.9/31.5	37.8/50.8/33.2	37.8/57.1/30.7
Cargo Capacity (cu-ft)	10.3	13.5	21	16

This section is the most competitive as all the rivals offer similar levels of passenger space but as usual, things are different in the third row. The Highlander loses some points as it offers just 29.9 inches of legroom while the Ford Explorer offers good head and legroom. Also, it offers segment-best 21 cubic feet of cargo space while the Highlander is the least practical in this competition. Some of the other features include:

Scuff plate
Leather steering wheel
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Push-button start
Heated front seats
Woodgrain accents

How intuitive is the 2013 Toyota Highlander’s infotainment system?

On the center of the dash is a small 3.5-inch display that features functions like Bluetooth and USB connections. The base trim also comes with a backup camera and a six-speaker stereo system. Toyota’s Entune Infotainment system is optional on the SE and Plus trims and standard on the Limited trim. It adds features like HD radio and Satellite radio with navigation system. A nine-speaker JBL audio system is standard on the Limited trim. Some of the other features include:

Smartphone integration
Auxiliary audio input
USB port
12V rear power outlet
Speed sensitive volume controls
CD player

Exterior
7.0/10

The Toyota Highlander has an attitude with cleaner and curvier lines overall look. It has a much more sporty appearance, part of which has to do with the more angular grille and headlamps. The grille is finished in matte silver.

Bulging wheel-wells give the Highlander an athletic stance while roof rails remind you of its practical nature. In the back, the rear roof pillar slopes down at a less severe angle bulging out of the tail lamps. Finishing off the look is a large rear hatch with an interesting stretch hexagonal shape.

Model	Toyota Highlander	Hyundai Santa Fe	Ford Explorer	Nissan Pathfinder
Curb Weight (lbs)	4045	3946	4557	4185
Length (in)	188.4	193.1	197.1	197.2
Width (in)	75.2	74.2	78.9	77.2
Height (in)	68.1	66.5	70.4	69.6
Ground Clearance (in)	8	7.3	7.6	6.5
Wheelbase (in)	109.8	110.2	112.6	114.2

The Highlander sits high above the ground at 8 inches but it has a narrow wheelbase. At 114.2 inches, the Nissan Pathfinder has the widest wheelbase which means better rear-seat legroom. The Hyundai Santa Fe is the only SUV with a curb weight below 4000 pounds. Some exterior highlights of the Highlander include:

Chrome door handles
Chrome grille
Roofline spoiler
LED taillights
Fog lamps
Halogen headlights

Safety
9.3/10

The new Toyota Highlander earned a good reputation when it comes to safety. IIHS regarded the Highlander as their ‘Top Safety Pick’ in its class. This is the organization’s highest recognition for a vehicle. It also earned four out of five stars in crash tests conducted by NHTSA. Some of the active safety features of the Highlander include:

Hill-Start Assist
Hill Descent Control
Brake Assist
Stability and Traction Control
Rearview camera
Seven airbags

Final Verdict

You’ll like the Toyota Highlander if you are looking for a midsize SUV that has realistic seating for seven, a long list of features, and a high resale value reputation. However, if you are a trendy design then the Highlander may not be the one for you because it doesn't have the distinctive styling of some of its competitors.

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Good Vehicle

ProsGreat gas mileage, heated seats

Cons Not enough charging outlets for phones, rear window wipers dont clear the whole window

2013 Toyota Highlander Review

Pros

Cons

Overview

Pricing and Features7.0/10

Engine and Performance7.7/10

Fuel Economy7.0/10

Interior7.9/10

How intuitive is the 2013 Toyota Highlander’s infotainment system?

Exterior7.0/10

Safety9.3/10

Final Verdict

Saved Cars

Pros
Great gas mileage, heated seats

Cons
Not enough charging outlets for phones, rear window wipers dont clear the whole window

Pricing and Features
7.0/10

Engine and Performance
7.7/10

Fuel Economy
7.0/10

Interior
7.9/10

Exterior
7.0/10

Safety
9.3/10