- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 5
- on record
- MPG
- 23
- combined
Fatalities reported
Owner complaints to NHTSA include 1 report involving a death. Read the complaint record closely.
Vehicle Summary
2022 Toyota Highlander
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- Owner complaints
- 227
- Complaints citing a crash
- 12
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 We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
5 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
5 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 22V310000high
Incorrect or missing label
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022 4Runner, Tacoma, Highlander, and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification labels may not be permanent and can fade, becoming illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence
An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
GST will notify owners by mail, including a replacement load carrying capacity modification label for their vehicle and detailed replacement instructions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 22R1.
- 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.
- 24V419000high
Tire/wheel issue
TIRES
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence
Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 24R1.
- 24V452000high
Tire/wheel issue
TIRES
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander vehicles. The 20-inch accessory tires with an insufficient load rating for the vehicle's Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) were installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Full campaign recordRemedy
SET will inspect and replace the tires and information placard, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 16, 2024. Owners may contact SET's customer service at 1-866-405-4226. SET's number for this recall is SET24A.
- 26V128000high
Safety restraint issue
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2021-2024 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The second-row seat backs may fail to lock into position during seat back adjustment.
Consequence
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will replace the return springs in the seat back recliner assemblies, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed April 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated August 27, 2026. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB06 and 26TA06.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2022 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 2022 Toyota Highlander 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 7 comparable 2022 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 2022 Toyota Highlander, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
20
City
28
Hwy
23
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,650
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 389 g/mi
How this compares
At 23 MPG combined, the 2022 Toyota Highlander ranks 8th of 10 small SUVs (2WD) EPA rated for 2022 — 3 MPG short of the 26 MPG median for that group.
That places it among the thirstiest vehicles in 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 more than the $2,500 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 389 grams per mile — about 5.8 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
227 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 227
- Total
- 12
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 8
- Injuries
Most reported components
- ENGINE50
- STRUCTURE37
- BRAKES34
- OTHER30
- AIR BAGS21
Serious Concerns
227 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a death. 8 reports involve injuries. 12 reports involve a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2022 Toyota Highlander, newest first.
- Recall
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Recall
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, 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
A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Recall
Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Recall
An illegible label may allow the vehicle to be overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash.


