2022 Toyota Highlander — should you buy one?

Why people love the 2022 Toyota Highlander

The 2022 Highlander's 3.5-liter V6 paired with the eight-speed automatic delivers smooth highway cruising and enough torque to feel confident merging with a full load. Owners consistently praise the third-row legroom—a college grad can actually fit back there without folding like a lawn chair. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite comes standard, so adaptive cruise and lane-keeping assist are included, not optional. You get a tablet-sized 8-inch touchscreen standard (hybrid models get 10.5 inches), which feels straightforward after dealing with finicky infotainment in other brands.

Common complaints and known issues

The transmission can hesitate or jerk during downshifts around 20k–50k miles, though most dealers reprogram the logic for free under warranty. Some owners report a grinding noise from the front differential starting around 40k miles—Toyota extended coverage, but parts can take weeks to source. Paint clarity coat peeling on the hood and roof trim has surfaced in hot climates by 30k–60k miles. The infotainment system freezes or reboots occasionally, especially when pairing Bluetooth after software updates; a hard reset usually clears it. Sunroof creaking and wind noise appear around 35k miles on models with the panoramic roof.

Typical asking price

Under 80k miles: $32,500–$38,200. 80k–120k miles: $28,900–$34,500. Over 120k miles: $24,000–$30,800. LE and XLE trims (front-wheel drive) sit at the lower end; AWD and Platinum models command 8–15% more. Regional demand spikes in snow states. Single-owner, full-service records can add $1,500–$2,000 to asking price; accident history or frame damage drops value 20–30%.

Ranges are typical 2026 asking prices, not appraisals. The actual fair offer depends on this specific car's title history, accident record, and open recalls — which is what EstimateProof tells you.