Toyota Highlander Fuel Economy (MPG)

Name: Toyota Highlander MPG & Fuel Economy
Creator: AutoSpecData
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

What is the real-world gas mileage of a 2026 Toyota Highlander?

The 2026 Toyota Highlander gets up to 36 MPG combined (36 city / 35 highway) in EPA testing.

Latest model year (2026):

The Toyota Highlander gets up to 35 MPG combined (35 city / 34 highway) in the Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L trim.

Verifiedfueleconomy.gov · Verified August 11, 2026

Overview MPG Engine Specs Fuel Cost Transmission Drivetrain Vehicle Class Maintenance Towing Gas Tank Dimensions Curb Weight Safety

Toyota Highlander MPG — All Years

Year	Trim	Engine	Fuel	City (MPG)	Hwy (MPG)	Combined (MPG)
2026Config 1 of 3	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	34	35
2026Config 2 of 3	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	35	35
2026Config 3 of 3	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	21	28	24
2025Config 1 of 5	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	34	35
2025Config 2 of 5	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	35	35
2025Config 3 of 5	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	21	28	24
2025Config 4 of 5	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	22	29	25
2025Config 5 of 5	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	21	28	24
2024Config 1 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	35	35
2024Config 2 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	34	35
2024Config 3 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	36	35	36
2024Config 4 of 6	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	21	28	24
2024Config 5 of 6	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	22	29	25
2024Config 6 of 6	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	21	28	24
2023Config 1 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	36	35	36
2023Config 2 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	35	35
2023Config 3 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	34	35
2023Config 4 of 6	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	22	29	25
2023Config 5 of 6	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	21	28	24
2023Config 6 of 6	Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L	4 2.4L	Regular Gasoline	21	28	24
2022Config 1 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	36	35	36
2022Config 2 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	35	35
2022Config 3 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	34	35
2022Config 4 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2022Config 5 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	21	29	24
2022Config 6 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	28	23
2021Config 1 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	36	35	36
2021Config 2 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	35	35
2021Config 3 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	34	35
2021Config 4 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2021Config 5 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	21	29	24
2021Config 6 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	28	23
2020Config 1 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	36	35	36
2020Config 2 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	35	35
2020Config 3 of 6	Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L	4 2.5L	Regular Gasoline	35	34	35
2020Config 4 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	21	29	24
2020Config 5 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	28	23
2020Config 6 of 6	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2019Config 1 of 8	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	30	28	29
2019Config 2 of 8	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	29	27	28
2019Config 3 of 8	Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L	4 2.7L	Regular Gasoline	20	24	22
2019Config 4 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2019Config 5 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	21	27	23
2019Config 6 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	19	26	22
2019Config 7 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	26	22
2019Config 8 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2018Config 1 of 8	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	29	27	28
2018Config 2 of 8	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	30	28	29
2018Config 3 of 8	Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L	4 2.7L	Regular Gasoline	20	24	22
2018Config 4 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	21	27	23
2018Config 5 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2018Config 6 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	19	26	22
2018Config 7 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	26	22
2018Config 8 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2017Config 1 of 8	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	29	27	28
2017Config 2 of 8	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	30	28	29
2017Config 3 of 8	Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L	4 2.7L	Regular Gasoline	20	24	22
2017Config 4 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	26	22
2017Config 5 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	19	26	22
2017Config 6 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2017Config 7 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	21	27	23
2017Config 8 of 8	Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	20	27	23
2016Config 1 of 5	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	28	28	28
2016Config 2 of 5	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	27	28	28
2016Config 3 of 5	Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L	4 2.7L	Regular Gasoline	20	25	22
2016Config 4 of 5	Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	18	24	20
2016Config 5 of 5	Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	19	25	21
2015Config 1 of 5	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	27	28	28
2015Config 2 of 5	Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	28	28	28
2015Config 3 of 5	Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L	4 2.7L	Regular Gasoline	20	25	22
2015Config 4 of 5	Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	19	25	21
2015Config 5 of 5	Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L	6 3.5L	Regular Gasoline	18	24	20

Data sourced from fueleconomy.gov (U.S. Department of Energy). MPG figures are EPA-tested. Fuel costs are estimates based on average fuel prices and 15,000 miles/year.

Toyota Highlander data analysis

How Toyota Highlander combined fuel economy varies

Across 72 configurations recorded for the 2015 through 2026 Toyota Highlander, combined fuel economy runs from 20 MPG to 36 MPG. The strongest figure belongs to the 2020 Toyota Highlander (Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L) at 36 MPG, and the weakest to the 2016 car (Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L) at 20 MPG — a spread of 80%. A gap that wide means the model year and configuration you buy matter more than the nameplate does: quoting a single number for the Toyota Highlander would be misleading.

What changed for 2026

Average combined fuel economy for the 2026 Toyota Highlander is 31.3 MPG, against 28.6 MPG for the 2025 car — it rose by 2.7 MPG. That is a real improvement, and it is the kind of change worth paying the newer-year premium for if this figure drives your decision.

How to read this Toyota Highlander data

This page lists every 2015 through 2026 Toyota Highlander record we hold for this measurement — 72 rows in total, one per configuration and model year rather than a single headline figure. Figures are published as the source agency records them: we do not round, average or interpolate missing years, and a year that is absent from the table is a year with no published measurement rather than a zero. Where a manufacturer offered several drivetrains or body styles in the same year, each appears on its own row, because those variants rarely share the same numbers.

Configurations behind these Toyota Highlander numbers

The 2015 through 2026 Toyota Highlander entries here cover the variants Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.4 L, Auto (S8), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Auto (AV-S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L, Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.7 L and Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.5 L. 2019 is the busiest model year in the record with 8 separate measured configurations, which is why a single quoted combined fuel economy figure for that year is rarely the one that matches the car in front of you. Match the row to the exact drivetrain, body style and engine on the window sticker or VIN before relying on the number, and use the comparison links below to see how those same configurations line up against rival models.

Where these Toyota Highlander figures come from

Every value on this page is loaded from federal open data — EPA fuel economy submissions, NHTSA vehicle and crash-test records, and manufacturer specification filings — rather than dealer listings or copied editorial content. The Toyota Highlander record refreshes as the agencies publish, which typically means new model-year rows appear in the autumn and crash-test results follow through the model year as vehicles are tested. Because certification data is filed per configuration, treat any single headline number for this vehicle with caution: the figure that applies to a specific car depends on its engine, drivetrain, body style and model year, all of which are listed separately above. If a number here disagrees with a brochure, the brochure is usually quoting the best available configuration rather than the one being sold.

Official Factory Specs vs. AutoSpecData Expert Benchmarks

The EPA highway loop never holds interstate speed. Here is what the same engine does when you sit on the cruise control.

Cruise speed	EPA highway spec	AutoSpecData adjusted MPG	Fuel you lose
60 mph	35 MPG	35 MPG	0%
65 mph	35 MPG	31.9 MPG	9%
70 mph	35 MPG	29.2 MPG	17%
75 mph	35 MPG	26.7 MPG	24%
80 mph	35 MPG	24.5 MPG	30%

Our Real-World Speed MPG Adjuster re-scales the Toyota Highlander EPA highway result with a quadratic drag term (mpg = hwy ÷ (1 + k·(v² − 60²)/60²), k = 0.55 for trucks, SUVs and vans, 0.42 for cars). Wind, roof racks, and a heavy right foot make it worse, never better.

Frequently Asked Questions About Highlander MPG

What is the MPG of the Toyota Highlander?

The Toyota Highlander gets up to 36 MPG combined (36 city / 35 highway) in the 2026 model year. Fuel economy varies by engine and trim — see the full table above for details.

Which Toyota Highlander trim has the best fuel economy?

The Auto (AV-S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L trim offers the best combined fuel economy at 36 MPG. Smaller engines and front-wheel-drive configurations typically achieve the highest MPG.