Most things have stayed the same for 2024. It’s no longer possible to get the base L trim, the Hybrid, or the Hybrid XLE Bronze. In their place will be the LE and XLE Nightshade trim levels for the hybrid car. The XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum trim levels now all come with a power liftgate that you can open and close without using your hands. Toyota got rid of the V-6 engine and put in a brand-new four-cylinder turbocharged engine for the 2023 model year.

Pros

• Large touchscreens can be used.
• New ways to package inside.
• It comes in mixed form.

Cons

• There is noise coming from the engine inside the house.
• The third row is squished.
• It’s a boring way to drive.

The 2024 Highlander comes with either a regular fuel engine or a hybrid engine. The gasoline model has a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 265 horsepower. It can be driven with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It is equipped with an automated drive that has eight different speeds. With this kind of gear, our drivers were able to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.2 seconds in an all-wheel drive car. The Highlander Hybrid has 243 horsepower from its two electric motors and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The hybrid can have either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and it has a CVT (continuously variable transmission). Even though the Highlander Hybrid uses a lot less gas, it is still competitive with the gas-powered car; in the 0-60 mph race, it only lost by a hundredth of a second. Both types have a safe, predictable ride and handling that makes them good for family driving. The hybrid Highlander used to be an oddity, but now it goes up against the Ford Explorer, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-90 PHEV, Kia Sorento, and many more. When it comes to gas mileage, the Toyota is better than the other electric utes.

Toyota has worked hard to add more tools that help drivers, and the Highlander is just one example. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, traffic sign recognition, and automatic high-beam headlights are all part of the usual safety package. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have websites where you can find out more about the Highlander’s crash test findings. Some important safety factors are:

• Most automatic emergency brakes can tell who is on the road.
• Blind-spot monitoring is standard, and it comes with a rear-cross traffic alarm.
• Typical lane exit alert that assists you in remaining in the lane you are using.

Keeping in mind that the L model will be taken away in 2024, the base LE model can fit eight people. However, the second-row captain’s chairs are only offered on the XLE and higher trims, so only seven can fit. The Chevrolet Traverse still has the most space for passengers. The third row has almost six inches more headroom than the Highlander, even though the amount of space available is about the same as or slightly higher than the CX-90. There is the same amount of space in the trunk, but the Highlander can only fit four carry-on bags behind the third row, while the Traverse can hold six. The inside of the house is made of better materials than the last generation of Highlanders, and the layout is simple but effective. The most luxurious options are the more expensive Limited and Platinum models. These models have fewer features than the Palisade and Telluride, but they do have leather seats, bigger screens, ventilated seats, and other niceties.

The EPA says that the gas-powered Highlander will get 25 mpg overall, 21 mpg in the city, and 29 mpg on the highway. The all-wheel drive version, on the other hand, will lose one mpg in each area. It gets 36 mpg overall, 36 mpg in the city, and 35 mpg on the highway. The Highlander Hybrid does better than its all-wheel drive counterpart, which gets one mpg less in each category. We have yet to test either version on our 75 mph highway fuel economy route. As soon as we do, we will make changes to this report.

Traditional analog gauges and a small 7-inch information screen are used in the rest of the line. The LE and XLE, on the other hand, get by with an 8.0-inch infotainment screen. The XLE model comes with a 12.3-inch layout, while the Limited and Platinum models come with a standard layout. The Platinum model also comes with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. On Limited and Platinum, an 11-speaker JBL audio system is standard. On XSE, however, it is an option, and the XSE audio system comes with six speakers, which is normal. All models come with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, and SiriusXM satellite radio. With models XLE and up, a built-in wireless charging station for smartphones is included as standard. Navigation is available on the top two trims, and it’s also available on the XSE.

We still suggest the XLE trim because it offers even better value, especially since the base L will no longer be available after 2024. A motorized sunroof, a wireless charging pad for smartphones, heated front seats, second-row captain’s chairs, and sunshades are all standard on the XLE. The LE already has a lot of great features. We would also pay an extra $1600 for all-wheel drive and the Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation option, which comes with a better sound system and navigation built into the dashboard.