- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 4
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Open recalls on record
4 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2020 Toyota Highlander
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Owner complaints
- 300
- Complaints citing a crash
- 13
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
4 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
4 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 20V633000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 20V162000high
Fuel system issue
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 23V720000high
Body/structure issue
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
- 23V865000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
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.
Full campaign recordRemedy
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.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 Toyota Highlander.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 16.4%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2020 Toyota Highlander 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 8 comparable 2020 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 16.4% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2020 Toyota Highlander, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
20
City
28
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,650
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 386 g/mi
How this compares
At 23 MPG combined, the 2020 Toyota Highlander ranks 6th of 9 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2020 — 2 MPG short of the 25 MPG median for that group.
That places it a little below the middle of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,650, $150 less than the $2,800 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $13,250, a $750 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 386 grams per mile — about 5.8 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
300 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 300
- Total
- 13
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 14
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE127
- OTHER37
- BRAKES34
- AIR BAGS32
- STRUCTURE26
Notable Issues
300 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 14 reports involve injuries. 13 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Toyota Highlander, newest first.
- Recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Recall
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Recall
Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- Drive type
- FWD
- Engine
- 2.5L 4-cyl
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Seats
- 5
Fuel economy
20
City
28
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,650
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Recall
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Improper deployment of the seat-mounted side air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Recall
Improper fuel supply programming can result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.