The Toyota Highlander has a long history of quality performance, and many consumers can’t wait to climb behind the wheel of the 2020 model. With upgrades to tech and safety, along with a new suspension design, Toyota has made the improvements that make a sweet ride even sweeter. Toyota has always been a top producer of reliable vehicles, across its variety of models. But how reliable is the new Toyota Highlander? We checked in with the expert ratings to find out.

What’s new for Toyota Highlander in 2020?

New for this year is a standard V6 engine, along with a Highlander Hybrid available option, boasting a 36-mpg fuel efficiency. Toyota also standardized a suite of safety features, previously reserved for select trim levels. They also made connectivity a priority, and Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa are all standard.

Reliability for the 2019 Toyota Highlander

If you find yourself on the new-car-buying fence about whether you want a 2019 or a 2020 model year, reliability might help you decide. According to past ratings from J.D. Power and Associates, the 2019 model boasts a reliability score of 4.5 stars. Based on previous years of consumer ownership, gauging vehicle problems, and repairs, this means Highlander is superbly low maintenance and reliable SUV overall.

It may be too soon to rate reliability for 2020

Both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power rely on consumer reported data when making their suggestion for reliability ratings. It may be too early for the experts to decide just how well the 2020 model year will rank.

Although, based on past reliability ratings, some project reliability to be similar to that of Highlanders past. It is important to note, with all-new features and designs, there may be room for new failures, concerns, or issues.

What RepairPal.com suggests for Toyota Highlander

RepairPal.com offers reliability ratings based on a vehicle model’s cost of ownership, frequency to the shop, and severity of the repairs. Their view of Highlander is favorable, with a 4.0-star rating.

This paces Highlander seventh out of 26 midsize SUVs overall. The average annual repair cost comes in around $489, with average frequency and significance of repair costs.

Reliability among the Highlander competitors

The 2019 Honda Pilot scored a 2.5-star reliability rating with J.D. Power. The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Explorer both fared slightly better than the Pilot with 3.5-star reliability rankings. Again, these ratings are based on actual consumer feedback regarding vehicle issues and repairs. They’re average ratings overall but pale in comparison with Toyota Highlander’s 2019 reliability score of 4.5-stars.

Toyota reliability

Toyota has some serious bragging rights in the reliability department in general. The experts rank Toyota eighth out of 32 various car brands in terms of dependability.

The average repair cost, over the course of a year, with a Toyota, is $441. Also considered in this determination is the number of average visits to a repair shop (0.3 visits on average) and the probability of a repair being significant (12% average).

If a Toyota Highlander is in your near future, you’re not going to be disappointed. You’ll love the new roster upgrades for 2020. One thing of which you can be sure, you’ll be parking a superbly reliable SUV in your garage every night. Knowing you’re less likely to experience mechanical failures during the duration of your ownership, will certainly have you breathing a sigh of relief behind the wheel of this top-notch ride.