2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD Off-Road Review 

Can you do a video of the 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid AWD on snow please?

Thank you for the break from work, Corona and protest for a few minutes!!

It performed much better than I thought it would but those oversized wheels look extra ridiculous on such a rough trail. The 18" rims on the cheaper models seem like a better idea for fuel economy and rougher roads. #SaveSideWall All in all a 35 mpg , 3 row CUV that can go up a trail like that is an impressive accomplishment.

Great video and keep up the great work.

Props for actually taking this thing off-road! Great video and thanks for making it.

Great video, thanks a bunch! I'm feeling much stronger about the hi hi because of it. We have a 2 mile steep forest service road we navigate regularly. Currently our 06 v8 explorer does it no problem. But we get 16-17 mpg on the 100 mile run to get to those last 2 miles. It would be great to use half as much fuel and pick up the modern tech. Some knobby tires could really help as well. The last gen highlander had a aftermarket 2" lift kit available, I'm sure this one will as well. One of the advantages of a very popular model. Thanks again!

Hey I really enjoyed this video. I would never take my highlander to a road like this but it's sure conforting to know it faired well. Thanks for posting!

Thank you so much Ryan! I was waiting for this review. Honestly, I have no plans to go off-roading with the Highlander, but it's good to know that under certain conditions you could. Based on your comments, it looks like they've improved the e-AWD system for this new generation. My choices are now narrowed down to two hybrid options - The Highlander or 2021 Sorento. Thanks again, you addressed several of my concerns.

Love your reviews 😁

Considering your recent videos of hybrids on this trail, I'm very excited to see how Jeep's 4xe system will perform when it comes out. I hope you get your hands on at least one of them

Love that tan interior!

Best review on the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

I always look forward to your crossover trail reviews. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid all-wheel-drive did a lot better than I anticipated. It is still no match to the Subaru Ascent or even the Jeep Grand Cherokee when it comes to off-road capability in the three row full-size crossover category. Keep doing what you do, Ryan.

if toyota would program the e awd system to work better (like a 3 motor wheel lock) , this thing would be great with 3 electric motors.

Nice Video Ryan and team. Waiting for review of the Kia Seltos / Kia Sorento if possible

God bless the dealership that lent this car. Between, this is the best review of a Highlander offroading. These usually are urban commuters choice but glad it has some potential to hit such terrains. Cheers!

I think we can all agree these vehicles are built for grocery store runs on smooth foreign and domestic roads. However, this review is awesome. I am very impressed with somewhat adequate off road capabilities of the 2020 Toyota Highlander. 👍

Great review and filming! Your reviews are getting better and better! Will you continue your off-road reviews with Mazda CX-30 or with another Subaru Outback adventure?

Hi Ryan. Thanks for video if possible please try a video with Sorento 2021 hybrid

Just bought a 2021 Highlander Limited Hybrid AWD. Put 18 inch wheels on, and will eventually put on 255/65 Falken Wildpeak AT Trail tires. I'm probably going to add 2 inch spacer lifts to add more ground clearance. I thought about getting a 4Runner, but I wanted something that was capable of occasional light off-road use, like the trail in the video, without driving a truck all the time.

This channel is so underrated.

Can you guys do torque numbers on these hybrids? Toyota seems to be omitting them these days. Same goes for new 2019+ Rav4, upcoming Venza...as well.

Fantastic test, could you also try the lexus ux hybrid in this trail?

"NOPE, NOPE!! Not catching!!" the panic, haha. Loving my 2021 Highlander Hybrid Limited. Nothing really comes close for a reliable hybrid 7 seater SUV!

Saw this at the dealership today and they even have a configuration with a bench in the middle. Giving you 8 passenger max capacity! Of course the The 6th, 7th, and 8th passengers have to be tiny children. That makes an interesting cross shopping experience between Highlander and Sienna.

Good info

Love you Highlander 😘😘😘

I only watch off road vids from 2 channels tfl and this 1. Great review btw!

thanks great review. more or less you could probably take it to Alps ofroading, with some dirt/rocky roads, but thats it :)

On a road like that clearance is more important than traction. I would have no problem driving up that road with a two wheel drive pick up, but I wouldn’t want to try it in anything without decent clearance. Better tires would be a great benefit as well.

I love the new highlanders. Was lucky enough to rent one from enterprise. Drives very well.... and the size and style of the windows make you feel there's a much larger view. One thing..they seriously need to add somewhere to rest your arms.....my elbows can't reach the door rest and the center

plz share your insightful review for lexus lx & gx

thank you ryan

Super los review.

I'm seriously concerned it does not have hill descent control system... I've been driving a lot in the mountains recently and I'm worried about brakes. V6 version has it but could not find any buttons on Hybrid one. Any thoughts?

was it really the car or lack of grippy tires that led to the slips. The car seamed fine to me

It did pretty well compared to previous tests but of course you are not following the same exact path. This is why I prefer to see roller tests where you can put rollers under different tires and eliminate all variables like the type of surface or the type of tires or the exact path you need to follow. Would be nice if you could maybe find some rollers to do such test.

No clutch for rear axle - fine , no overheating clutch , but does rear motor (MGR) have active cooling? Such slow mo uphill stressing rear motor also should get hot and unless actively cooled eventually would give up and awd will say : front drive only ;(

Is this AWD system the same in the Lexus RX or Nx ?

Do we know HP and TQ figures for the rear axle in this thing? I’ve searched high and low and can only seem to find the rear motor specs for the RAV4 Hybrid. This was quite impressive... I wasn’t expecting the Hybrid to perform this well.

How does it compare to the XC90 T8?

Woh... That Highlander 'trail mode' button seems way better tuned than the rav4's one..

I have a 2015 v6 and its always been just a family car, but the other day I tried to take it up a dirt cemetery road that should have been totally doable, but was totally surprised how poorly it did. Brand new tires that had aggressive enough tread, traction off and all 4 wheels locked. The "logic" never sent power to the wheels that could get traction.

this thing looks pretty sweet irl

@Driving Sports TV Will adding occupants or additional weight make this trail climb impossible for this vehicle?

I have 2008 hl hybrid n lived it has v6 3.5 n rear motor n its fast

It's the torque to each wheel that counts not the power to each wheel. At 0 mph with high rotation force there is exactly 0 hp. Even at 2 mph, no more than 10% of the power is required but high torque is if there is the traction to support it. At 1 mph, 10 hp provides 3750 lbs of force. At 4 mph, 54 hp can provide over 5000 lbs of force. I believe 54 hp is what the rear motor can provide alone. Couple this with the front drive train, power to either axle is not the limiting factor, it's each motor's respective torque rating, the availability traction, and most importantly the left right distribution of torque on each axle when slip is encountered.

I just bought me XLE 2021 Hibyrd AWD . I love it . Sure it has 60 something less horsepower than the V6. But it’s a family vehicle not a sports car! I love my highlander well worth the 52 k I paid for it .

So in comparison with the 6 cylinder Highlander 4 wheel drive, how did it do? Does the six have the trail switch?

It seem like it did better then the RAV4 Hybrid you testes a few months ago.

Did you ever do a Toyota Highlander hybrid snow test video?

I find it really interesting that the Highlander performed as well as it did on the rock trail compared to your test of the RAV4 XSE last year. The RAV4 seemed to have all the advantages in that test (lighter, dry conditions), and yet struggled much more. Surprising considering they're essentially the same AWD system. The only thing I can come up with is that the Highlander has more weight on the rear axle. Any thoughts on why the two cars performed so differently?

I’m surprised such a big car with capacity to seat over 1000 lbs in passenger weight only comes with 180ish horse power.

Kindly review the new ford escape looks like a nice vehicle...

I love my 04 Camry, 00 tundra but having 2 vehicles is kind of a hassle. It may be nice to have just 1 do it all vehicle. New cars are crazy expensive though

I think that given the RAV-4 gas / hybrid reviews, and now the counterpart reviews of the Highlander, if you think you might push a Highlander (and especially the RAV4), to the upper edge of their reasonable limits, and yet you still want to stick with a CUV instead of going for an SUV, then you definitely want to avoid their Hybrid versions, at least for now. Hybrids are definitely improving, but they are not there yet when it comes to these types of driving scenarios. In the specific case of the 2020 Highlander, going with the gas version provides you with the added bonus of an 8-AT instead of a CVT, plus you get more HP, more torque, and a lot more towing capability as well. Hybrids, and a real-word example of the 2020 Highlander: If you plan on keeping the vehicle and driving well over 100K miles, in most cases, the V6 gas version will be better on both maintenance costs and subsequent resale value. As the hybrid batteries start wearing out at around 100K miles, they cost about $1500 to replace, and that is for REFURISHED ones. If you specifically request a brand new battery, the cost is no joke. It will cost around $6K, which is why they almost always use refurbished instead. However, in the refurbished batteries, they just replace bad cells, which means that while other cells might still be "good", the remaining good cells are much more likely to start going out, triggering additional battery refurbish cycles, that are also now on a more frequent basis, as they have increased wear on them. At about $1500 per pop for battery refurbish / replacement, it adds up quickly. Any savings in gas costs is immediately wiped out, and then some. Here is a real-world example on difference of gas costs between Hybrid vs. Gas version on 2020 Highlander: (We will use a current gas price in my area of $2.79 per gallon, and the 17.1 gallon tank on the Highlander.) AVG 35 MPG (Hybrid) @ 17.1 gallon tank = avg of 595 miles per tank VS. AVG 30 MPG (Gas) = avg of 510 miles per tank With the hybrid 2020 Highlander, you gain an average of 85 more miles per tank of gas. Not bad! With the example price of $2.79 per gallon, it means that it would cost you an average of $7.90 more per tank refill / "tank distance" on the V6 gas version of the Highlander. So... let's say you drive a full tank of gas once per week in the Highlander. With the added cost of $7.90 ("per tank") at 1 tank per week for each year, that's 52 x $7.90, which means an average cost increase of $410 per year. At that rate of driving each week consistently, it would take about 3.8 years to reach 100,000 miles. When you take the added cost of $410 per year x 3.8 years = $1500, which puts you at the end of battery warranty and also the cost of a replacement of a refurbished battery! However, with the gas, you pay that amount very gradually over time, whereas the cost of batter replacement is a whopping $1500 all at once. Moreover, you still have labor charges to replace the battery, and from 100K miles onward, you can anticipate a refurbished battery needing more frequent replacement than your NEW, original battery that the car came with. Even based on these estimates, it becomes very clear that the Hybrid is going to cost more money, especially over the long haul (pardon the pun), but we are nowhere near done... Despite the benefits of a Hybrid, and the fact that they are definitely improving, if you drive about 26K miles per year, the V6 gas version of the 2020 Highlander is definitely the way to go. However, you might say Paul, that is a lot of miles per year, and I drive about half that! Fair enough, but in which case, that burn rate of additional gas / money per year difference, would also be cut in half. So, instead of an additional average of $410 per year, it would be $205 per year (or about $0.55 per day) to drive the V6 instead of the Hybrid. At that tiny difference, the added cost of gas for the V6 isn't enough to give a damn, whereas dropping $1500 per replacement battery / refurbishment on the Hybrid DOES make a big difference. Also, you would have the cost of labor. Next, with the Hybrid Highlander, you also have to worry about the replacement of electronic differential, which comes in at about $2600 + labor, which is separate from the refurbished battery and labor. Moreover, with the Hybrid version of the 2020 Highlander, it comes with a CVT transmission, which have reliability issues (although improving), and their notorious design nature almost always requires a complete replacement when they start having problems. Just to be fair, the CVT is not the fault of the vehicle being a hybrid. It is just a matter of circumstance Toyota chose a CVT for the Hybrid model, instead of the 8-AT of the V6 gas version, but nevertheless, this is the real-world situation with the 2020 Hybrid Highlander (as well as the RAV4 counterpart). The cost of a CVT in the Highlander is about $3500, and that is without labor! It is pretty clear that almost no matter your driving habits, unless you are going to buy new and you know you are going to trade in before you hit 100K miles, I would avoid the hybrid and go with the V6, and you will have fewer unpleasant and costly surprises. With the results of Ryan's off-road testing of the hybrid vs the V6 model, it just further underscores the huge advantage of going with the V6 model over the hybrid. Sorry about that Hybrid Highlander.😒 Keep the reviews and comparisons coming Ryan!

The best way to find out if you going to like this suv is to rent it out for few days. Me personally I don't like the poor quality material, camera resolution, road noises , 3rd road space, infotainment system and price its very expensive. I only consider for the hybrid engine. I will rent one hybrid 2020 for few days and see if I can use it for my business.

Rav4 hybrid or highlander is better for offroad?

How do you think it would do at a beach where you can park on the sand?

How does this translate to handling in snow?

Not sure the tires like very much the approach "just keep your foot flat on it" :)

Good car but priced in the Lexus price bracket here in the UK...

Is it reliable like gasoline engine?

Looks like it did better that the Rav 4 TRD? Was that what you also were seeing? I was more impressed by this one. Thanks for another great review.

How I get it in Melbourne Australia this beautiful super car , I really like it

They need to make a Highlander PRIME !

Great video and great information as always. Thanks I never own a Toyota. I think is poor quality. I’m considering to give it a try to these hybrid model but I’m still not happy with the poor quality of the camera, no usb connection in 3rd row seat , no power fall down seats for 2nd / 3rd row. Road noises, and my biggest dislike is the interior space on the 3rd row seat. The only thing that is making to go for Toyota Highlander is for the hybrid engine. But I’m not sure yet For a $50 grand suv I see better options with more features and a fresh style with palisade / telluride / Tahoe / bmw x5. I’m afraid to get the Highlander and hate it every day. Any recommendations? My current car is a 2018 forester XT. I want to trade it for a 2021 forester. I’m convinced and totally in love with Subaru Forester but I could use the hybrid Highlander and extra room in compare with forester. But the Toyota Highlander is very expensive and I’m not buy with their quality. Like I said if I go big I could get the palisade or Tahoe.

Not too horrible. Toyota's AWD systems have been pretty weak. My Dads Highlander got stuck on a patch of loose gravel, he had to give it the old running start.

I want that car

7:21 There goes the rocker panel....

Theres 1 thing you can do is put this car manually in 1st gear for decend control !! And also charge your battery in return

How is this Highlander compares with Subaru Accent? Thanks

Like!

Oohhhh better than the Outback overall?

That is seriously impressive but definitely NOT the right tires or rims for those conditions!

Can this model tow any trailers on the highway?

I’m disappointed why they discontinued V6 hybrid?

Just out of curiosity, how do you think this AWD system would do on a 4x4 beach where you deflate the tires to ~20PSI? I have a 2021 hybrid, and our family is talking about going to the Corolla 4x4 beach which does allow for AWD vehicles on a case by case basis.

5:30 off road part

Do you live in Washington?

On the off-roading testing the tires play a big part and these tires are not off-road types.

I'm kinda sold.

Dostum bu otomobilin ederi 30$ bin dır daha fazlası değil kalite sağlamlık sorunsuzluk kullanıcıya kattıkları neden fiyatlar bukadar yüksek bilmediğimiz nedir altı üstü teneke ve plastik ten ibare iyi yayınlar.

Why would take a hybrid off road with tires that are made for off-road? Those tires have low resistance tread to get higher mpg on the road.

Those street tires severely limit the vehicle. Slap on some mudders.

The Highlander is not an off-road car, it is a comfortable family SUV. For off road adventures you have to start looking at a 4runner or Land Cruiser.

the worst is the extreme low 8 inches high.

I took the xle gas because the hybrid suck for power, take the rava 4 it's much better if you want to save money on gas.

Should drive this in beach sand or rollers to find out actual potential of awd.

Need much better tires

Toyota could have made a bigger RAV 4. This is almost same as seinna.

good review - so it is horrific off road - I've been on that kind of trail many times with normal front wheel drive cars with ease... seems to be a family car with very limited off road capability

nobody test on water...im i the only one that lives where streets gets flooded?

Old fashion way is always better… so gimme my old driveshaft for AWD system …. And manual crawls better cause torque converter cant perform well on high torque on low revolutions

Amazing mileage but it seems underpowered for a vehicle of this size.

I want to like the Highlander, but I just don't.

Wrong tyres

52 grand? Thats a down-payment on a house...🤢🤢🤢. Id buy it. But my wife won't be happy 😅

$53k for a 4 cylinder 180HP? what a ripoff! HELL NO! are they out of their minds? you can get a luxus GX v8 300HP for that price.

Don't like the design of it, looks too round, I prefer the look of the 4runner any day.