2021 Toyota Highlander
Hybrid Gas Compact SUV
The 2021 Toyota Highlander is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Highlander Hybrid, is EPA-rated at 36 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 520 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlander Hybrid | Hybrid | FWD | 2.5L 4-cyl + 288V Ni-MH | 36 | 35 | 36 | $1,750 |
| Highlander Hybrid AWD | Hybrid | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl + 288V Ni-MH | 35 | 35 | 35 | $1,800 |
| Highlander Hybrid AWD LTD/PLAT | Hybrid | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl + 288V Ni-MH | 35 | 34 | 35 | $1,800 |
| Highlander | Gas | FWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 21 | 29 | 24 | $2,600 |
| Highlander | Gas | FWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 28 | 23 | $2,700 |
| Highlander AWD | Gas | AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (5)
Seats
highProblem: 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.
Risk: A seat back that fails to lock may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Tires
highProblem: 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."
Risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating can be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Air Bags
highProblem: 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.
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Structure
highProblem: 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.
Risk: A detached front bumper cover can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
minorProblem: Toyota Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022 Lexus LX 600, Lexus NX 350h, Lexus NX 450h+, Toytoa RAV4 Hybrid, 2021-2022 Lexus LS 500h, Toyota Mirai, RAV4 PRIME, Sienna, Venza, and 2020-2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The Skid Control ECU software may not turn on the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system when the vehicle is restarted after the driver has disabled the VSC system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk: Driving with a deactivated stability control system increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the Skid Control ECU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 22TA03. Lexus' number for this recall is 22LA01.
NHTSA investigations
Electrical System:Propulsion System — Pedestrian alert sounds (closed)
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · action DP22005
Owner complaints
520 complaints filed
16 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 18 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2020: 1 · 2021: 48 · 2022: 36 · 2023: 41 · 2024: 94 · 2025: 156 · 2026: 144
Most-cited components
- Power Train — 212
- Service Brakes — 66
- Unknown Or Other — 62
- Structure — 55
- Air Bags — 50
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
| SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 17% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 16% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Compare the 2021 Highlander with
Other Highlander model years
2026 Highlander
0 recalls · 2 complaints
B2025 Highlander
3 recalls · 9 complaints
F2024 Highlander
7 recalls · 42 complaints
F2023 Highlander
9 recalls · 186 complaints
D2022 Highlander
6 recalls · 244 complaints
D2020 Highlander
5 recalls · 320 complaints
B2019 Highlander
3 recalls · 483 complaints
C2018 Highlander
4 recalls · 269 complaints
C2017 Highlander
3 recalls · 267 complaints
B2016 Highlander
2 recalls · 115 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 43130, 43141, 43142, 43129, 43128, 43137). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.