To celebrate 25 years, Toyota revealed the 2025 Toyota Highlander 25th Edition. You essentially get a hybrid Highlander Limited with a few unique twists.
The first Toyota Highlander arrived on U.S. shores in 2000, at the dawn of the crossover SUV craze. 25 years later, Toyota decided to celebrate its mainstream SUV mainstay with the 25th Edition.
The 25th Edition starts life as a Highlander Limited Hybrid. From there, it receives silver like accents to the front and rear fascia as well as similar treatment to the side rockers. It rolls on 20-inch wheels with a different finish. And you’ll see 25th Edition logos scattered throughout. That includes it illuminated from the puddle lamps mounted under the sideview mirror cover. Light up your puddles in style, I suppose.
Finally, Toyota will paint the 25th Edition in either Wind Chill Pearl, or Heavy Metal paint colors. The Latter coated the car I photographed. Wind Chill Pearl basically looks like a fancy white.
Inside, the 25th Edition welcomes you with illuminated door sills that also say “Highlander 25th Edition.” Passengers sit on seats wrapped in a Portobello leather, which adorn both rows. They share space with black carpet and interior pieces with a bit of metal sprinkled in. The two colors pair well to my eye. More 25th Edition logos show themselves here as well, perhaps most notably embossed on the front seat headrests.
Powertrain
The 25th Edition makes up one of five different hybrid powered Highlander trims. It’s priced above the XLE, XLE Nightshade, and Limited trims; but still beneath the top-of-the-line Platinum Highlander Hybrid. Regardless of trim, you get 243 system horsepower to play with. Toyota does not disclose peak torque. And all hybrids now include on demand all-wheel-drive.
This all-electric, on-demand system mounts another motor on the rear axle to supplement the main Toyota Hybrid System bolted on up front. Using an additional electric motor grants the Highlander rear tractive force without the penalty of lugging around and spinning up a driveshaft.
Toyota still offers turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder powered Highlanders as well. They get 265 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft of torque. They also get an eight-speed automatic transmission and a choice between front- and all-wheel-drive. ICE power Highlanders range from LE, to XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum levels, with XSE and higher coming standard with all-wheel-drive.
conclusion
Toyota will build 2500 The 25th Edition Highlanders, making it a limited-edition model line. Expect the price to land close to the Platinum level Highlander, which for the 2024 model year starts just under $51,500 before including destination charge and the rest. The base Highlander LE costs just under $40k.
Toyota crafted a nice little homage to its crossover mainstay in the 25th Edition. If you want to stand out, but only a bit, this will suit you fine.
Toyota also updated its Minivan, check out the 2025 Toyota Sienna
