The Toyota Highlander has long been recognized as a frontrunner in the competitive midsize crossover SUV segment. The 2019 Toyota Highlander continues this legacy, offering families a compelling blend of safety, performance, and driving comfort. This three-row SUV, capable of seating up to eight passengers, remains a top choice for those seeking versatility and reliability. The 2019 gas model is available in LE, LE Plus, XLE, SE, and Limited grades, each offered in both Front-Wheel Drive (FWD) and All-Wheel Drive (AWD) configurations. For those prioritizing fuel efficiency, the Highlander Hybrid is available in LE, XLE, and Limited trims. Let’s delve into what makes the 2019 Toyota Highlander a standout option for your family.
What’s New for the 2019 Highlander?
Toyota has refreshed the 2019 Toyota Highlander with a series of exterior enhancements across all grades, adding a touch of modern sophistication and sporty flair.
For the LE, LE Plus, and XLE grades, both gas and hybrid models, a new black bodyside rocker panel provides a sleek, grounded appearance.
The sporty SE grade receives a more dramatic visual upgrade with black headlights, black taillamps, black bodyside rocker panels, black wheels, and distinctive black chrome LED fog lamps, amplifying its athletic stance.
Luxury-focused Limited and Platinum grades, available in both hybrid and gas versions of the 2019 Toyota Highlander, now come standard with elegant chrome LED fog lamps, adding a premium touch to the front fascia.
Toyota Dependability: A Cornerstone of the Highlander
Toyota’s reputation for quality, dependability, reliability, and overall value is a major draw for Highlander buyers. Beyond its practical attributes, the 2019 Toyota Highlander also boasts a sleek and strong design that appeals to discerning customers. The front grille design varies by trim, with LE, LE Plus, and XLE grades featuring a silver-painted finish, while Limited and Platinum grades showcase a painted chrome finish, adding to their upscale appeal. Standard LED taillights across the range enhance visibility and contribute to the Highlander’s modern aesthetic.
Advanced Safety Features: Peace of Mind for Every Journey
Safety is paramount for families, and the 2019 Toyota Highlander delivers with a suite of advanced safety technologies. All gas and hybrid models come standard with Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS-P), a comprehensive suite of driver-assist systems. TSS-P utilizes millimeter-wave radar and a monocular camera to detect preceding vehicles or pedestrians.
This system includes:
- Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/ PD): Can help mitigate or avoid frontal collisions by providing alerts and automatic braking in certain situations.
- Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/ SA): Alerts the driver if the vehicle starts to drift out of its lane and can provide gentle steering inputs to help maintain lane position.
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC): Maintains a preset following distance from the vehicle ahead, automatically adjusting speed to maintain a safe gap.
- Automatic High Beams (AHB): Automatically switches between high and low beams based on the presence of other vehicles to optimize visibility for all drivers.
Beyond TSS-P, the 2019 Toyota Highlander offers even more safety enhancements. A standard backup camera is included on all models, and LE Plus grades and above benefit from a standard Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (BSM w/ RCTA). BSM uses radar to detect vehicles in adjacent lanes, alerting the driver with visual indicators in the side mirrors and a signal in the multi-information display. RCTA helps drivers safely back out of parking spaces by detecting approaching cross-traffic.
The Limited Platinum grade elevates safety and convenience with the standard Bird’s Eye View Camera with Perimeter Scan. This system provides a live, 360-degree view around the vehicle when parked, enhancing maneuverability in tight spaces and improving overall awareness.
Family Power and Efficiency: The Engine and Transmission
The 2019 Toyota Highlander offers a robust 3.5-liter D-4S Injection V6 engine paired with a Direct Shift –8-speed automatic transmission. This combination delivers both power and efficiency. Even with its impressive power output, the AWD models achieve EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.
To further enhance fuel efficiency, all V6 gas models (excluding the LE) incorporate a Stop and Start Engine System (S&S). This system automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a complete stop, seamlessly restarting when the driver releases the brake pedal, saving fuel in stop-and-go traffic.
Spacious Interior: Room for Everyone and Everything
Despite being only slightly longer than a midsize sedan, the 2019 Toyota Highlander offers generous three-row seating and a spacious cabin with up to 158.7 cubic feet of total volume. The second-row sliding seats feature a one-step mechanism on both sides for easy access to the third row. Third-row passengers also benefit from a standard recline feature for added comfort (for use when the vehicle is stationary).
Even with all three rows in use, the Highlander provides 13.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row. Folding down the 60/40 split fold-flat third-row seats expands cargo capacity to 42.3 cubic feet, and further lowering the 60/40 split fold-flat second row yields a substantial 83.7 cubic feet of space.
For enhanced communication within the cabin, XLE grades and above feature Driver Easy Speak. This system amplifies the driver’s voice through the rear speakers, making it easier to converse with passengers in the third row without raising your voice.
A Refined and Quiet Cabin: Comfort on Every Drive
The 2019 Toyota Highlander prioritizes passenger comfort with a super-tight body structure, a finely tuned MacPherson strut front suspension, and a multi-link rear suspension, resulting in an exceptionally smooth ride. Extensive sound-control features, including hydraulic engine mounts, acoustic windshield glass, a dash silencer, and comprehensive body sealing, contribute to a quiet and serene cabin environment.
Interior upholstery options range from premium fabric in the LE grade to available SofTex® synthetic trim and smooth or perforated leather-trim in higher grades. LE Plus and above trims feature contrast stitching on the seats, while Limited grades add wood-grain pattern trim on the dash and doors for an elegant touch. Limited grades also feature unique wood accents. A soft-touch instrument panel and silver-painted, satin, and chrome-plated accents further enhance the Highlander’s premium feel.
The roll-top center console provides a large and comfortable armrest for the driver and front passenger and conceals a spacious storage box capable of accommodating a large handbag. An LCD Multi-Information Display (MID) in the gauge cluster provides essential driving information at a glance. LE and LE Plus grades feature a 4.2-inch color screen, while all other grades receive an upgraded 4.2-inch color LCD MID with additional information displays, including navigation, audio status, and more.
Dynamic Torque Control All-Wheel Drive (AWD) for Confident Handling
For enhanced traction and control in various driving conditions, the 2019 Toyota Highlander offers Dynamic Torque Control AWD on V6 models. This sophisticated system actively manages torque distribution to the rear wheels based on input from various sensors, including vehicle speed, steering angle, and throttle input.
Under normal driving conditions, the system operates in front-wheel drive to maximize fuel efficiency. However, it seamlessly switches to AWD when needed, such as during acceleration, cornering, or when wheel slippage is detected. The system can vary front-to-rear torque distribution from 100:0 to 50:50. An AWD LOCK switch allows for a fixed 50:50 torque split at speeds up to 25 mph for challenging low-speed driving situations.
The Sporty SE Grade: Style and Performance
The SE grade of the 2019 Toyota Highlander injects a dose of sportiness into the lineup. Visually, the SE stands out with dark paint treatment on the front grille, headlamp housings, and roof rails, along with unique 19-inch wheels. Beyond aesthetics, the SE features specially tuned front and rear suspension that enhances handling agility and provides a more engaging driving experience.
Inside, the SE boasts unique black leather-trimmed seats with striking red stitching and pattern inserts, complemented by dark dash and door accents. The SE is available as a V6-powered model in FWD or AWD with a seven-seat configuration.
Highlander Hybrid: Enhanced Power and Fuel Efficiency
The 2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is offered in LE, XLE, and Limited grades, combining power and exceptional fuel economy. Its Hybrid Synergy Drive system utilizes the direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine in conjunction with a high-torque electric motor-generator, delivering a combined net horsepower of 306.
The Highlander Hybrid achieves impressive EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 29 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined, making it the most fuel-efficient Highlander model. All Highlander Hybrid models come standard with Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive System with intelligence (AWD-i), which uses a separate electric motor to drive the rear wheels when needed for optimal traction.
Trim Levels and Features: Toyota Value Across the Range
The 2019 Toyota Highlander offers a range of trim levels to suit different needs and budgets, each packed with value and features.
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LE and LE Plus: These well-equipped “mono-spec” grades offer extensive standard features, including 18-inch alloy wheels, Entune Audio with a 6.1-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a backup camera, eight-passenger seating, heated side mirrors, and five USB ports in the LE grade. The LE Plus adds fabric and SofTex-trimmed seats, fog lights, a height-adjustable power liftgate, an 8-way power driver seat, Entune Audio Plus with an 8-inch display, three-zone automatic climate control, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
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XLE: The XLE trim elevates comfort with leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, Smart Key System with push-button start, a power moonroof, Driver Easy Speak, second-row sunshades, Chromtec roof rails, a 4.2-inch color multi-information display, anti-theft system, Homelink, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and Entune Premium Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite.
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SE: Building upon the XLE, the SE trim adds sporty styling cues and performance enhancements, including dark paint treatment, 19-inch black wheels, black leather-trimmed seats with red stitching, sport-tuned suspension, and unique interior accents.
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Limited: The Limited trim emphasizes luxury with a painted chrome grille, 19-inch Chromtec alloy wheels, blue LED ambient lighting, leather-trimmed and perforated seats, heated and ventilated front seats, a 4-way power passenger seat, memory settings, rear parking assist sonar, and Entune Premium JBL Audio with Integrated Navigation and App Suite.
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Limited Platinum: The top-of-the-line Platinum Package for the Limited trim adds even more premium features, including Bird’s Eye View Camera with Perimeter Scan, a panoramic moonroof, heated steering wheel, heated second-row captain’s chairs (or outboard chairs with the bench seat option), rain-sensing wipers, dark chrome wheels, puddle lamps with Highlander projection, and more. Limited and Limited Platinum grades offer a choice of seven- or eight-passenger configurations.
Warranty and ToyotaCare: Added Confidence
The 2019 Toyota Highlander is backed by Toyota’s comprehensive warranty, including a 36-month/36,000-mile basic new-vehicle warranty, a 60-month/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, and a 60-month corrosion warranty with no mileage limitation. Hybrid components are covered for 8 years or 100,000 miles. Furthermore, all 2019 Highlander models come standard with ToyotaCare, a complimentary plan covering factory-scheduled maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles.
The 2019 Toyota Highlander stands as a testament to Toyota’s commitment to quality, safety, and family-friendly design. With its range of trims, powertrain options, and advanced features, the Highlander continues to be a leading choice in the midsize SUV segment, offering something for every family’s needs and preferences.
