Toyota Highlander years to avoid
Across the 2015–2022 Toyota Highlander, the 2021 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 522, about 1.9× the 268 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The 2019 is close behind, at 484. The most-reported components that year were the powertrain and the brakes. The 2016 drew the fewest, at 115. Separately, the 2022 carries the most recall campaigns, 6. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
The 2021 Highlander is the outlier of the 2015–2022 Toyota Highlander, with 522 complaints against the model's 268.5 median.
Every Highlander model year, ranked
Every Highlander model year NHTSA holds records for, most complaints first. Counts are NHTSA records as of 2026-09-15; recall campaigns and complaints are counted separately because a recall is the manufacturer acting and a complaint is an owner reporting. Years with enough on record have a page of their own.
| Model year | Owner complaints | vs the 268.5 median | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Highlander | 522 | 1.9× | 5 | the powertrain |
| 2019 Highlander | 484 | 1.8× | 3 | the powertrain |
| 2020 Highlander | 320 | 1.2× | 5 | the powertrain |
| 2018 Highlander | 269 | 1× | 5 | the powertrain |
| 2017 Highlander | 268 | 1× | 4 | the powertrain |
| 2022 Highlander | 244 | 0.9× | 6 | the powertrain |
| 2015 Highlander | 194 | 0.7× | 2 | the electrical system |
| 2016 Highlander | 115 | 0.4× | 3 | the brakes |
Buying a Toyota Highlander? Check its VIN.
Model-year complaint totals do not describe one car. Confirm its identity free, then decide whether to review its reported title, mileage and auction history before you buy.
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See what the paid report includes →How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse car. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road.
- The comparison is between years of the Highlander only. It says nothing about how the Highlander compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. Only a VIN lookup shows whether one vehicle is included and whether the work was done.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Toyota Highlander year-by-year questions
Which Toyota Highlander year should I avoid?
Across the 2015–2022 Toyota Highlander, the 2021 model year drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA: 522, about 1.9× the 268 median of the other seven model years with enough complaints to compare. The 2019 is close behind, at 484. The most-reported components that year were the powertrain and the brakes. The 2016 drew the fewest, at 115. Separately, the 2022 carries the most recall campaigns, 6. Complaint volume and recall campaign counts also reflect how long a model year has been on the road and how many were sold, so they rank years within this model rather than measuring build quality.
Which Toyota Highlander year is the safest bet?
Of the 2015–2022 Toyota Highlander, the 2016 drew the fewest owner complaints to NHTSA — 115, against the model's 268.5 median. Newer years have had less time on the road, which lowers their count on its own, so treat this as a starting point and check the individual VIN.
Do complaint counts mean the Toyota Highlander is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model — which is what this page does — not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific Highlander?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. That reports open campaigns for that exact vehicle, including whether the repair is still outstanding. A model-year page cannot tell you that.