The Toyota Highlander has been an enduring presence in Toyota showrooms for a long time. However, you might not know that the Highlander is turning 25 years old. Toyota is preparing the proverbial birthday cake with the all-new 25th anniversary edition which brings a number of trim enhancements and other minor additions to the SUV.
But is it all enough to help mark this important milestone? Or is it an example where Toyota could have done a better job celebrating its iconic SUV.
Two colors to choose from
Buyers looking to get the 25th Anniversary edition model will have two colors to choose from: Heavy Metal or Wind Chill Pearl. Our tester arrived with the Heavy Metal color and personally we would choose this color if we were shopping for a 25th Anniversary model for ourselves. The rest of the exterior styling is virtually unchanged from other Highlander models but 20-inch alloy wheels are part of the package and 25th anniversary puddle lamps balance out the body color rocker panels and badging.
This focus on subtle touches allows the Highlander to not go overboard in its attempts to draw in attention but we feel that a third color would have helped improve the color choices for consumers. Heavy Metal and Wind Chill Pearl are colors that tend to blend in more despite appealing to the bulk of SUV buyers and Toyota could have attempted to lure in attention seeking buyers by offering a bright red color to balance things out.
The best Highlander interior yet
Slip inside the Highlander 25th Anniversary Edition and you’ll find what could easily be considered the best Highlander interior we have ever experienced. The cabin can hold up to 7-passengers but comes with Portobello hued leather upholstery which is the first time this option has ever been offered on the Highlander.
The seats are very comfortable to sit in but the one odd detail we noticed is the weird positioning of the 25th Anniversary embossed logo. Instead of putting it dead center on the headrests, it’s mounted in the lower right corner (an interesting design choice.) Move past that weird detail and you’ll find that the Highlander continues to excel in offering buyers plenty of storage with numerous storage nooks and cubbies being splashed in. There’s also an equal amount of charging ports added in for good measure too.
A 12.5-inch infotainment screen is standard on the 25th Anniversary model and is carried over from the Highlander Limited. The screen comes with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard and the integrated multimedia software continues to be a standout item in the Highlander. However, some of the analog controls are a long reach including the volume control knob. The second-row gets captain’s chairs and these chairs can easily be slid forward or backward to access the third row or folded down completely to haul cargo.
Speaking of cargo, we gave this Highlander a workout in that regard. Not only did it haul some chairs and other assorted items for us from our parents house, but it was also used for our summer trip to the natural spring to stock up on filled water jugs. This latter task also revealed how tight the space is with the third row up and while this helped ensure the jugs were upright during our trip back home, other jobs might force owners to fold down the third row which cuts passenger count.
Hybrid engine continues to focus on fuel economy
Like other Highlander models, the 25th Anniversary Edition is powered by a hybrid equipped 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Once considered a gamble when Toyota first announced it was making the move a few years ago, the all hybrid lineup (a smaller 2.4 liter is standard on lower trims) has proven to be a very rewarding venture for the company with the hybrid producing strong sales.
It’s not the beefiest engine on the planet with the hybrid components allowing the 2.5-liter to produce a combined system output of 245 hp. But while this means our tester proved to be a bit wheezy when going down long rural roadways, our tester still managed to provide a balanced comfortable ride with the suspension doing a good job soaking up bumps and imperfections. A CVT is the lone transmission available and it continues to be a decent dance partner for the 2.5-liter but it’s tendency to hunt for the right simulated gear when rushed continues to be a weakness for it.
But while the Highlander will never be known for having any form of track oriented personality (the XSE version tries its best to inject it with this vigor) the Highlander prefers to focus on providing strong fuel economy numbers with our tester being capable of achieving an EPA-rated 35 mpg city /34 mpg highway /35 mpg combined. That’s very good for an SUV and the 3,500 lb towing capacity allows it to tow most trailers with relative ease as well.
Value Quotient?
With all of the other things the Highlander does right, the biggest weakness that the 25th Anniversary model has is actually in the way that Toyota priced the trim level especially when compared to other Highlander models. A base 25th Anniversary model starts at $53,480 before taxes and fees which is already a premium over the $51,275 Limited.
The weakness comes when the model is side by side with the $54,475 Platinum Hybrid. The two price tags are already very close to each other, but when the 25th Anniversary is loaded up with certain options, it can actually surpass the Platinum in price. This can cause owners to have some doubts when cross-hopping the two which in turn can eat into sales.
But while the 2025 Toyota Highlander 25th Anniversary Edition is certainly a flawed package in some respects, it ultimately manages to do many of the essentials correctly. It’s very comfortable, has some unique charm, and gets great fuel economy while hauling family and gear around. Look for these traits to make up for some of the imperfections especially if you give this particular version of the Highlander a chance to impress you.
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