Toyota Highlander Towing Capacity

This is a close look at a Toyota Highlander driving through a barren landscape.

Purchasing a new family vehicle is a big decision. Not only do you need something that will fit your entire family, but you need a vehicle that will allow you to do the activities you love. A Toyota Highlander is a large SUV with plenty of seating for the family and cargo space and a hefty towing capacity.

The Toyota Highlander is a versatile vehicle that can be used for many applications. Below, let’s take a closer look at what the Toyota Highlander has to offer.

The Toyota Highlander SUV can tow 5,000 pounds easily. This weight is a large amount of weight for an SUV and is impressive in its own right. Towing 5,000 pounds makes it possible to pull a medium-sized flatbed trailer, a medium-sized enclosed trailer, or even a medium-sized boat or a small boat and trailer.

This SUV can attribute its towing capacity to its large engine. The Toyota Highlander features a 3.6 L V6 engine, giving it plenty of power. The highest model, the Toyota Highlander XLE, also has a 5,000-pound towing capacity. The Highlander also comes in a hybrid model, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is still able to reach a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. This large towing capacity stands in a league of its own when it comes to comparable SUV models.

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Comparable Models

This is a close look at a white Toyota Highlander on a bricked driveway.

Compared to its little brother, the Toyota Rav4, this large Toyota SUV gives you enough seating for the entire family, with three roomy rows of available seats and enough towing capability to bring along your favorite toys. The Toyota Rav4 towing capacity is similar to the Highlander hybrid at 3,500 pounds. The Toyota 4Runner is another popular option from Toyota with similar towing features and towing power. The

Toyota 4Runner can also tow 5,000 pounds but lacks the roomy third row of seating. If you are looking for a pickup truck option, the Toyota Tacoma can tow up to 6,800 pounds with some specialized towing models.

Available Features

This is a gray silver Toyota Highlander on display at a car show.

To help assist with your towing applications, both the 2019 Toyota Highlander and the 2020 Toyota Highlander come with plenty of accessories and features. The Highlander has a towing sway feature that helps assist with heavy loads. The trailer sway alert sends a message to the car when the trailer begins to sway in one direction or the other.

The car then starts to apply the brakes were needed to regain control of the trailer. Further, several tow hitch options are available for the 2020 Toyota Highlander, allowing you to purchase the right size hitch for your needs. When it comes to towing, Toyota has it figured out.

Plus, the Toyota Highlander has plenty of cargo capacity for fragile items you do not necessarily want to tow behind your car. The cargo volume is 84.3 cubic feet, with both rows of back seats folded down. This roomy interior gives you loads of room to fill the cargo space with your heavy items. Have the confidence knowing that your Toyota will be able to handle the additional weight with ease.

Where Can I Buy a Toyota Highlander?

This is a close look at a black Toyota Highlander at a car show.

Purchasing a Toyota Highlander is easy, with many available options. Of course, for the newest Highlander models, it is best to go to a Toyota dealer. Here, you will compare models side by side and test drive the various options. This car also is frequently available from several used car dealerships, including nationally used car dealerships like Carvana and Car Max. Alternatively, the Toyota Highlander may be available through private sale routes.

Frequently Asked Questions

We understand that choosing a new car is a big decision. Most people keep their vehicles for years, so choosing the right SUV is important. Many people keep their vehicles for recreational use and want to make sure they have made the best decision for their own needs and their family’s needs.

To help make your decision easier, we have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions about the Toyota Highlander towing capacity. Hopefully, these answers will help give you better insight into the Toyota Highlander to make your decision easier.

What is the Toyota Highlander towing capacity?

The Toyota Highlander with the V6 engine can easily tow 5,000 pounds. If you choose the hybrid version of this SUV, towing capacity is still large but reduced to 3,500 pounds.

Does Toyota Highlander have a towing package?

Yes! To make your towing needs easier and give you the necessary specs on your new SUV to tow heavyweights, the Highlander does come with a tow package.

Included in the package, new owners will find a tow hitch receiver, TOW/HAUL mode switch, 4.30 rear axle ratio, and a trailer brake controller to help when your trailer begins to sway from side to side. This automated assist is helpful when towing large and cumbersome loads.

Is Toyota Highlander good for towing?

Compared to other SUV models in this same price range and style, yes, the Toyota Highlander is very good for towing. This vehicle is a full-size SUV that offers three rows of seating and plenty of interior cargo space. Not only can you pack your entire family into the SUV, but you are also able to fold the seats down and take advantage of the ample interior storage space.

But, despite its large size, the Toyota Highlander can still tow a large amount of weight. This vehicle is on par with other trucks and SUV models produced by Toyota, maxing out at about 5,000 pounds. A similar size SUV, the Chevy Traverse has a range of 1,500 to 5,000 pounds, making the Highlander on the high end of towing capacities for a full-size SUV. If you are looking for a vehicle with a higher towing capacity, you will have to exit the SUV class and start to venture into the pickup truck models.

What campers can a Toyota Highlander tow?

With a maximum capacity of 5,000 pounds, the options are endless for your Toyota Highlander. This power is enough to offer the capacity needed to tow a trailer or an enclosed camper. When shopping for campers, be sure to look for ultra-lite models. These will have a reduced weight, be made of lightweight materials, and better fit an SUV towing capacity. Choose ultra-lite models such as the teardrop-style campers. These campers will give you the room to spread out but the necessary lightweight design to fit behind a Toyota Highlander easily.

About how much can a Toyota Rav4 tow?

The smaller SUV model made by Toyota is the Rav4. This smaller model is similar but only features the standard two rows of seats and limited cargo capacity. The largest model of Toyota Rav4 can tow 3,500 pounds. The hybrid version of the Toyota Rav4 is able to tow 1,750 pounds. This smaller SUV cannot pull as much as a Toyota Highlander and may limit your available applications when it comes to towing capacity.