The 2021 Toyota Highlander has grown to be a favorite among growing families. And why not? It offers three-rows of seating, is available with a long list of tech-savvy features, and comes standard with a V6 engine under the hood. But as revered as this three-row SUV may be, can you count on this year’s new Toyota Highlander to keep you and your brood safe? 

The 2021 Toyota Highlander’s standard safety features

Toyota makes nary a compromise when it comes to safety features. That’s why all 2021 Toyota Highlander models come standard with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, which includes sought after safety features like a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and lane tracing assist. This year’s model is also standard with road sign assist, which uses an intelligent camera to detect speed limit signs, stop signs, ‘Do Not Enter’ signs, and yield signs.

But those aren’t the only safety features that the 2021 Toyota Highlander offers. While it comes standard with plenty of safety features, it’s also available with features such as a blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alerts and front and rear parking assist with automatic braking. 

The 2021 Toyota Highlander is a Top Safety Pick+

While the 2021 Toyota Highlander may come standard with a long list of safety features, can you actually count on it to keep you and your passengers safe? According to the IIHS, you can. 

This year’s Highlander earned a score of ‘Good’ in all of the IIHS’ crashworthiness tests. It also earned ‘Superior’ ratings in crash avoidance and mitigation tests, including front crash prevention vehicle-to-vehicle tests and front crash prevention vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. With such high safety ratings from the IIHS, the 2021 Highlander was recognized by the organization as a Top Safety Pick+.

How the NHTSA scored the 2021 Toyota Highlander

Of course, the IIHS isn’t the only organization out to prove how safe the 2021 Toyota Highlander is. According to the NHSTA, the new Toyota Highlander earned four stars in its front driver side and front passenger side crashworthiness tests. It did, however, earn a five-star rating in the NHTSA’s side barrier and pole tests. All in all? The NHTSA gave this year’s Highlander a five-star safety rating, which is pretty impressive when paired with its Top Safety Pick+ title.

Toyota provides added peace of mind with roadside assistance coverage

While the Highlander has earned some pretty impressive safety ratings, what if something does happen? Say you find yourself in a situation where your car battery is dead, you have a flat tire or your car simply needs to be towed. What then? Well, you’ll be pleased to know that all 2021 Toyota Highlander models come standard with Toyota Care, which not only includes complimentary vehicle maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles but also 24-hour roadside assistance for two years, unlimited mileage.

Is the 2021 Toyota Highlander a safe SUV?

Yes, the 2021 Toyota Highlander is a safe SUV. It’s stock full of standard safety features and earned some pretty impressive crash test ratings. Let’s not forget that the IIHS recognized this year’s model as a Top Safety Pick+ too. So, really, if you’re after a safe SUV? You can’t go wrong with the new Toyota Highlander.