Toyota Highlander 2020–2025

4th generation (XU70) · XU70 (TNGA-K) · 1,575 complaints, 184 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 19,500 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 24.6% of complaints (387 reports, 28 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 71,116 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 59,000 and 100,100 miles.

Body structure accounts for 10.2% of complaints (160 reports, 35 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 30,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 9,206 and 50,000 miles.

The airbag system accounts for 6.9% of complaints (108 reports, 10 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 50,500 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 31,000 and 67,080 miles.

The engine accounts for 6.4% of complaints (101 reports, 12 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 6,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,000 and 45,600 miles.

The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 5.0% of complaints (78 reports, 18 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 1,475 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 600 and 5,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 4.9% of complaints (77 reports, 15 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 17,781 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,800 and 57,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2021 model year drew the most — 612 complaints — while 2024 drew the fewest at 54. The median year sits at 303.

That makes 2021 an outlier: roughly 2.0 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 14 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (3), equipment (2), the tyres (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 1,575 complaints filed against this generation, 114 reported a crash; 7 reported a fire; 107 reported an injury; 3 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 7.2% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 39% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, the transmission and driveline and body structure are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Body structure in particular shows a median failure mileage of 30,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (14)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Toyota Highlander 2001–2007
• Toyota Highlander 2008–2013
• Toyota Highlander 2014–2019