The 2020 Toyota Highlander Xle stands out for its impressive safety features and performance in crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This mid-size SUV earned top marks in various categories, showcasing its commitment to passenger protection.
Crashworthiness: Top Ratings Across the Board
The 2020 Highlander XLE achieved a “Good” rating, the highest possible, in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations:
- Small Overlap Front (Driver-side and Passenger-side): Simulates a crash into a tree or pole. The Highlander’s structure and safety cage held up exceptionally well, minimizing intrusion into the occupant compartment and protecting both driver and passenger.
- Moderate Overlap Front: Simulates a head-on collision with another vehicle. The Highlander exhibited excellent performance, safeguarding occupants from serious injury.
- Side: Simulates a T-bone collision. The Highlander’s strong side structure and airbags effectively protected occupants. The updated side test, conducted on a 2022 model, also resulted in a “Good” rating overall, though the driver-side pelvis received a “Marginal” rating.
- Roof Strength: Measures the force the roof can withstand before collapsing in a rollover. The Highlander’s roof strength exceeded IIHS requirements.
- Head Restraints & Seats: Evaluates the ability of the head restraints and seats to prevent neck injuries in rear-end collisions. The Highlander’s seats and head restraints provided good protection.
2022 Toyota Highlander XSE after the updated side crash test.
Front Crash Prevention: Superior Performance
The 2020 Highlander XLE comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite of advanced safety features. This system earned a “Superior” rating in both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian (daytime) front crash prevention tests. The system effectively avoided collisions in many scenarios and significantly reduced impact speeds in others. This technology plays a crucial role in mitigating or preventing accidents altogether.
Internal view of the 2022 Highlander XSE after the updated side test, highlighting the side airbags and damage.
Child Seat Anchors and Headlights: Ease of Use and Performance
The 2020 Highlander XLE received a “Good” rating for its child seat anchors (LATCH system), indicating ease of use and proper installation. The LATCH system makes it easier for parents and caregivers to secure child safety seats correctly.
Headlight performance varies depending on the trim level. The Platinum and Hybrid Platinum trims earned a “Good” rating for their LED projector headlights with curve-adaptive technology and high-beam assist. However, the L, LE, Hybrid LE, XLE, and Hybrid XLE trims received a “Poor” rating for their LED reflector headlights due to excessive glare. The Limited and Hybrid Limited trims received an “Acceptable” rating.
Greasepaint on the driver dummy illustrates head protection provided by the side airbags in the 2022 Highlander XSE.
2020 Toyota Highlander XLE: A Safe and Reliable Choice
The 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE’s consistent “Good” ratings in crash tests and its “Superior” front crash prevention performance make it a top safety pick in the mid-size SUV segment. Its comprehensive safety features, coupled with its family-friendly design and reliability, make it a compelling choice for drivers prioritizing safety.
Greasepaint on the rear passenger dummy demonstrates head protection by the side airbag in the 2022 Highlander XSE.
