Toyota makes some attractive and reliable SUVs, including the Highlander. Since there are many variations of the Toyota Highlander on the market, which ones are the best to buy right now? The 2013, 2015, and 2020 years all have high reliability ratings from experts. In addition, these reliable Toyota SUVs offer high safety ratings to keep drivers safe.

Is the 2013 Toyota Highlander a reliable used SUV?

The 2013 Toyota Highlander might be harder to find, but it also might be worth the effort. Kelley Blue Book says the price for one today lingers between $14,200 and $17,925. The reliability score received a full five out of five, while the owner satisfaction received a four out of five.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) scored four out of five stars in most categories. Areas like the overall side-crash ratings received the full five out of five stars. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the front-moderate overlap and side crash sections the rating of “good.”

There are three open recalls for this year. The first one relates to the seats not locking into the track properly. An inaccurate label might result in drivers overloading the vehicle at the risk of a tire failure. The last but most crucial recall concerns the front passenger airbags. The passenger seat occupant sensing system could be out of calibration, resulting in the airbag not deploying correctly.

If you have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), you can enter it into the recall look-up box on the NHTSA site to check for unrepaired recalls.

The 2015 Highlander is a reliable SUV

In 2015, the Highlander was the SUV to get. This SUV is around $18,900 to $25,325, depending on the mileage. The reliability score received the same five out of five, while the owner satisfaction received a four out of five. Some optional safety features are forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and anti-lock brakes.

The IIHS rated the 2015 Highlander side crash, rear crash, roof crash, and front moderate overlap as “good.” The front small driver and passenger overlap both received a slightly lesser score of “acceptable.” From the NHTSA, the overall crash rating was five stars. Only two areas, general frontal crash and rollover for the four-wheel-drive model, received a score of four stars.

There are only two recalls for the 2015 year. The electrical system might be damaged and result in the engine stalling. There is another recall about a sudden loss of steering from the steering wheel. Both of these can result in a crash if not fixed promptly.

A newer option in the 2020 year model

The 2020 Toyota Highlander received a reliability score of four out of five, while the owner satisfaction received the same score. Since the 2020 Highlander is a newer vehicle, it has more standard safety features than the other listed years. Automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, and lane departure warning are all standard. The price is a bit higher since this is a relatively new model. Kelley Blue Book offers a price of anywhere between $33,625 and $46,075.

All IIHS crash testing ratings were rated as “good.” The overall frontal crash rating only received four stars, and both the driver and passenger side ratings. The 2020 Highlander has two recalls. An improperly mounted seat airbag could result in an injury should a crash occur. The second is related to the fuel systems. The fuel supply system might be improperly programmed, resulting in a collision if the vehicle stalls.

Overall, any of these options are a sound choice. If you find a 2020 Highlander, it might have some time left on the warranty. If you happen upon a higher mileage Highlander, be sure to get it inspected before buying. That way, you can know what repairs might be down the line.