2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
The 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid adds efficiency to the long-beloved Highlander nameplate. Still seating up to eight (or offering as much as 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space, depending on number of passengers), the Highlander Hybrid provides the bonus of exceptional fuel economy, achieving up to 35 combined mpg (compare that to 25 combined mpg for the gas-only Highlander). In changes for the 2025 model year, all Highlander Hybrids now get an electronically controlled all-wheel drivetrain (AWD). And to celebrate the Highlander’s 25th year in production, the hybrid line has expanded with the Limited 25th Edition, which has commemorative badging to highlight the quarter-century milestone. The LE trim and its Nightshade variant have been dropped from the lineup.
Like all 2025 Toyota vehicles, the Highlander Hybrid comes with the ToyotaCare no-cost maintenance plan, which covers regular factory-scheduled service (oil/filter changes, tire rotations, and multipoint inspections) for two years or 25,000 miles, plus two years of 24-hour roadside assistance (unlimited miles).
Trims and Powertrain
The 2025 Highlander Hybrid roster includes five trims: XLE, XLE Nightshade, Limited, Limited 25th Edition, and Platinum. The powertrain pairs an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission with a 186-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and three electric motors (two front, one rear), producing 243 combined net horsepower. As mentioned, electronic on-demand all-wheel-drive (AWD) is standard. All trims have a drive mode selector with modes called Sport, Eco, Normal, EV, and Trail. The Limited and above also have predictive fuel-efficient drive (available on the XLE and XLE Nightshade). The XLE and XLE Nightshade return 35 city and highway mpg, while the rest of the lineup gets 35 city/34 highway mpg. Every Highlander Hybrid trim can tow up to 3,500 pounds and comes equipped with trailer sway control technology.
Standard Equipment
The SofTex-upholstered XLE seats seven, with a heated 10-way power driver's seat with lumbar support, a heated 8-way power front passenger’s seat, second-row folding captain's chairs, and a sliding, fold-flat third-row bench with 60/40 split and recline. Its other attractive features are tri-zone automatic climate control with second- and third-row vents, a leather-trimmed shift knob and steering wheel, a 7-inch LCD digital instrument cluster, a power moonroof with sunshade, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, heated power side-view mirrors with integrated turn and blind-spot warning indicators, a power liftgate, the Smart Key System (front doors and liftgate), wireless smartphone charging, LED projector headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED fog lights, LED taillights, an LED high-mount stop light, push-button start, five USB ports (one USB-A media port and four USB-C charging ports), two 12-volt auxiliary power outlets, a backup camera washer, solar glass for the front windows, privacy glass for the rear windows, grille shutters, a roll-top center console with a removable utility tray, an overhead console with sunglasses storage and map lights, a conversation mirror, second-row sunshades, silver-painted roof rails, 14 beverage holders, an in-dash split-level shelf, and 18-inch machine-finished alloy wheels. A second-row bench seat is available on the XLE, to replace the captain’s chairs for an 8-passenger layout. The XLE Nightshade gets the same features but adds black exterior accents, badging, and wheels.
The Limited is leather-upholstered with heated/ventilated/memory front seats, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a heated steering wheel, power-folding side-view mirrors with reverse tilt-down and memory, LED-strip daytime running lights, Highlander logo puddle lights, high-output LED fog lights, two 120-volt power outlets (center console and cargo area), metal front doorsills, acoustic noise-reducing front windows, ambient interior lighting, ornamental faux-wood interior trim, silver-finished roof rails, a tonneau-style cargo cover, and 20-inch chrome-finished alloy wheels.
The Limited 25th Edition sports trim-exclusive embossed leather front headrests, carpeted floor mats, an all-weather cargo liner, puddle lights, illuminated metal front doorsills,25th Edition badging, chrome-plated lower trim, and 20-inch alloy wheels. The Platinum has a panoramic glass roof with a front power tilt/slide moonroof and sunshade, a 10-inch head-up display, heated second-row captain’s chairs, a digital rearview mirror, an adaptive front-lighting system with auto-leveling LED projector headlights, and a scuff plate for the rear bumper.
Safety and Driver-Assist Technology
Every 2025 Highlander Hybrid comes with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5, compiling automatic high beams, a pre-collision system with pedestrian control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, road sign assist, and full-speed dynamic radar cruise control. The XLE and XLE Nightshade also get hill start assist control, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, and a backup camera that shows the projected drive path. The upgrades for the Limited and above include front and rear parking assist with automatic braking and dynamic gridlines for the backup camera. The Limited 25th Edition and Platinum both get a panoramic view monitor with a 360-degree overhead view (available on the Limited).
Infotainment and Connectivity
The XLE and XLE Nightshade receive an 8-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity and streaming (Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Bluetooth), SiriusXM satellite radio, and a six-speaker sound system. The higher trims pair a 12.3-inch touchscreen (available on the XLE and XLE Nightshade) with a premium JBL audio system that has 11 speakers, a subwoofer, and an amplifier. All Highlander Hybrids are set up to access Toyota’s subscription-based Connected Services suite and come with up to a 10-year trial subscription to Safety Connect and Service Connect. The Limited, Limited 25th Edition, and Platinum add a 1-year trial subscription to Drive Connect, which includes cloud navigation.
