The Highlander's $552 a Month: Fuel Costs More Than the Car

Our calculator puts the 2022 Toyota Highlander at $552 a month over five years, or $33,096 in total, on an assumed $24,800 purchase price. Only $6,077 of that is depreciation. Fuel alone is $12,136.

That shapes the verdict. Yes, it is a smart buy at or below roughly $25,000 with under 60,000 miles, and the hybrid is the version to hunt for if the premium is modest. Check current asking prices against Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds before you go. If a dealer is asking well above what those sites show for your trim and mileage, walk. This is a good family SUV, not a rare one, and there are plenty of them.

Why fuel is the number to fight

Most shoppers fixate on the sticker price. On this vehicle the sticker is not where most of the money goes.

Over five years, our calculator has fuel at $12,136, about $2,427 a year or roughly $202 a month. That is twice the depreciation figure. Insurance is next at $8,811, then maintenance at $4,149, repairs at $1,668, and registration at $255.

So the engine choice matters more than the paint color or the leather. The 2022 Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V6 or a hybrid four-cylinder. Look up both on fueleconomy.gov and compare the annual fuel cost lines for the exact trim you are considering. At 12,000 miles a year and $3.50 a gallon, the gap between the two is real money, and it adds up across five years of ownership.

If a hybrid costs a few thousand dollars more than a comparable V6, the fuel savings can cover much of that over a typical ownership span. If the premium is large, the V6 wins on simple math. Do the subtraction with the listing in front of you.

Which Highlanders to buy and which to skip

The 2022 model is part of the fourth generation, which started in the 2020 model year. That helps you, because you can shop across three or four model years and compare.

Smart picks:

• XLE trim. It gets you the features most families want, such as a power liftgate, a larger touchscreen, and dual-zone climate control, without Limited or Platinum pricing. Those higher trims lose value faster in the used market, so the price drop is already working for you.
• LE hybrid, if you find a clean one. It is the cheapest way into the fuel savings.
• Any 2022 with a documented service history. Toyota owners tend to keep records. Ask for them.

Trims to treat carefully:

• Platinum. You pay extra for a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated seats, and bigger wheels. Those things are fine when new. On a used car they are more things that can break, and you rarely get the money back.
• The base L. It is rare and often an ex-fleet vehicle. Ask where it came from and look hard at the interior wear.
• 2020 model year, if the price is the same as a 2022. Early production of a redesigned vehicle usually has more complaints. Do not pay a 2022 price for it.

Check the exact VIN against the NHTSA recall database before you sign anything. Recalls are free to fix at a Toyota dealer, but only if they are done. An open recall on a car you are about to buy is a negotiating point.

The reliability picture

Toyota's reputation is deserved, but it is not a guarantee. The Highlander is not a car that tends to strand people.

RepairPal's Highlander page is the place to check average annual repair costs and how often owners visit the shop for unscheduled work. Compare it to the class average. Our calculator's repair estimate is $1,668 over five years, about $334 a year. That is low for a three-row SUV, and I would not call it padded.

The problems that do show up on this generation tend to be annoyances, not engine failures:

• Transmission behavior on the V6. Some owners report rough or hesitant shifts at low speeds with the eight-speed automatic. Sometimes a software update helps. Sometimes it does not. If it feels wrong on the test drive, believe it.
• Infotainment glitches. Screens freezing, Bluetooth dropping, and phone connection problems are the most common complaint on late-model Toyotas. A fix can be a software update or an expensive head unit replacement outside warranty.
• Hybrid system parts. Toyota's hybrid system has a strong record, and the hybrid battery carries long warranty coverage from Toyota. Ask the dealer to confirm in writing what coverage remains on that specific car. A battery replacement outside warranty runs into the thousands.
• Brakes and tires. The Highlander is heavy. Expect tires and brakes to wear at a normal rate for a vehicle this size, and do not count on a long life from them if the previous owner drove hard.

None of this is a reason to avoid the car. It is a reason to check these systems before you buy.

What you will spend each year

These estimates cover running costs only: fuel, insurance, maintenance, repairs, and registration. They leave out the purchase price and depreciation.

Under 50,000 miles: about $4,800 to $5,200 a year. Fuel is about $2,400 and insurance about $1,750. Maintenance is oil changes, tire rotations, and filters, around $500 to $700. Repairs are close to nothing and covered by warranty on many cars. Most 2022s still have some factory coverage left.

50,000 to 100,000 miles: about $5,500 to $6,200 a year. The factory basic warranty typically ends around here. Maintenance climbs toward $900 to $1,200 with brakes, tires, fluid services, and a battery. Repairs might average $400 to $700 a year, and a single bad year with a $1,500 bill is possible.

Over 100,000 miles: about $6,500 to $7,500 a year. Suspension parts, a water pump, hoses, and the odd sensor are all fair game. Plan on $1,000 or more in repairs in some years, and do not expect the number to fall. Insurance usually eases as the car loses value, but fuel does not.

Our five-year averages are lower than these upper figures because they blend the lower-mileage years in. The insurance number is our estimate based on the vehicle's value and class. It is not a quote, and your own will differ by age, ZIP code, and driving record.

Ten minutes of checking before you pay

1. Drive it at parking-lot speeds on the V6. Feel for clunky or delayed shifts between first and second gear.
2. Run the infotainment hard. Connect your phone, make a call, use navigation, and switch inputs. Look for freezing or lag.
3. Check the hybrid warning lights. On a hybrid, any message about the hybrid system should send you to a dealer for a scan before purchase.
4. Ask for the hybrid battery warranty status in writing. Do not accept a verbal answer.
5. Look at the tires. Uneven wear can point to alignment or suspension problems on a heavy SUV.
6. Test the third row. Fold and raise the seats a few times. Check the latches and the head restraints.
7. Check the power liftgate. Open and close it using the key fob, the button, and the kick sensor if equipped.
8. Confirm the driver assistance features work. The cameras and radar should be calibrated, especially after a windshield replacement. Warning messages here mean a repair bill.
9. Look underneath for rust and leaks. Salt-belt cars show it early on brake lines and the subframe.
10. Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall tool and ask for proof of completion on any recall that was open.

Two alternatives worth a look

Honda Pilot (2021 to 2022). It usually costs about the same used, offers a roomy third row, and matches the Highlander on reliability reputation, though it has no hybrid option.

Mazda CX-9 (2021 to 2022). It is more enjoyable to drive than the Highlander and often cheaper, though its third row is tighter and fuel economy is nothing special.

The line where this stops being a deal

The 2022 Highlander is a good deal at $25,000 or less with under about 60,000 miles, and it is fair up to roughly $27,000 for a clean, well-documented hybrid. Above that, the price is paying for a name, and the Pilot and CX-9 start looking better. Past 100,000 miles, buy only if the price has dropped well below our $24,800 assumption and you have a service history in hand, because our own tiers show running costs rising above $6,500 a year. At that point you are buying a good car with a bad bill coming.