2016 Toyota Highlander has three available engine options, including a hybrid model. While none of the powertrain options will win any drag races, they will get you where you need to go every time.
Key Points
- Toyota provides three engine/powertrain options for the 2016 Toyota Highlander, a naturally aspirated 3.5L V6, a 2.7L I4, and a hybrid system pairing the same V6 with three electric motors.
- The regular 3.5L V6 is the most common engine with good reason, offering a great balance between performance, fuel efficiency, and unwavering dependability.
- Overall, there are very few complaints about the 2016 Highlander. There have only been three recalls, zero investigations, and just 80 complaints with the NHTSA, none of which are overly serious.
- The 3.5L hybrid provides impressive fuel economy with 27 mpg in the city and 28 mpg highway but acceleration suffers, due to the standard CVT transmission.
Base 2.7L I4 Suffers from Lackluster Performance and Only Offers Average Fuel Consumption in Return
Toyota’s base engine option for the 2016 Highlander is a 2.7L I4. This engine is standard equipment for the LE trim and offers 185 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. Less than 200 hp in a vehicle that weighs over two tons is not ideal and gives the 2016 Highlander a zero to 60 mph time of 9.6 seconds.
As for fuel economy, the EPA estimates the 2016 Toyota Highlanders equipped with the 2.7L offer 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. When compared to the competition in its class, the four-cylinder Highlander only offers slightly better gas mileage than GM and Ford but has significantly less horsepower. When you compare the base Highlander to its main rival, the Honda Pilot, it loses hands down in both performance and fuel efficiency.
According to the NHTSA, the 2016 Toyota Highlander has had three recalls, zero investigations, and just 80 complaints since release. With numbers like that, it is safe to say that 2016 is a reliable year for the Highlander. In fact, there are zero recalls related to the Highlander’s engines.
One recall does affect the engine control module but it was caused by water leaking past the windshield and not a flaw with the engine itself. Not to mention, the recall only affects aftermarket windshields that were installed in a little over 8,200 vehicles.
3.5L V6 Engine Brings 85 More Horsepower to the Table with Virtually No Drawbacks
The most common engine you will find in the 2016 Toyota Highlander is the naturally aspirated 3.5L V6. This engine is available as an option on the LE trim but is standard equipment for the LE Plus, XLE, and Limited. The 3.5L offers 270 hp and 248 lb.-ft. of torque, which makes the Highlander more competitive in the mid-size SUV market.
Surprisingly, the addition of two extra cylinders and almost a full liter of displacement only lowers the gas mileage a little. The EPA estimates 2016 Highlanders equipped with the 3.5L V6 offer 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. When you compare the 3.5L to the 2.7L, the V6 is by far the better option because you get 85 more horsepower and only lose a couple of miles per gallon in the city.
With over 500 consumer reviews on Vehicle History, the 2016 Toyota Highlander is praised for its dependability and has received 4.7 out of five stars. Not many people have bad things to say about the 3.5L but some consumers noted issues with rough idles and check engine lights.
However, the majority of the problems were solved by replacing regular maintenance items like spark plugs and ignition coils.
Hybrid 3.5L V6 Powertrain Offers Best Gas Mileage, Hitting up to 28 mpg on the Highway
The final powertrain option Toyota offers for the 2016 Highlander is a 3.5L V6 hybrid. This engine is only available in the Hybrid Limited and Hybrid Limited Platinum trim levels. The Hybrid V6 is essentially the same as the normal 3.5L with the addition of three electric motors and a battery pack. The 3.5L hybrid has a combined output of 280 hp and 218 lb.-ft. of torque.
Despite having 10 more horsepower and electric assist, the hybrid is actually slower to 60 mph than the normal V6, at 7.2 seconds. This loss in performance is due to the standard six-speed automatic being replaced with a CVT unit and the extra almost 400 pounds of the weight added by the hybrid system.
On the other hand, the 3.5L hybrid engine offers excellent gas mileage for the class, providing 27 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. As for reliability, the 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid receives high marks from the NHTSA. It only has six more registered complaints than the regular Highlander, none of which involve the engine. Consumers love the hybrid as well, giving it 4.8 out of five stars on Vehicle History.
All Three Engine Options for the 2016 Toyota Highlander Provide Good Fuel Economy and Rock Solid Dependability
Overall, the 2016 Toyota Highlander is impeccably reliable and offers good fuel economy in all trim levels. If properly serviced, a 2016 Highlander will get you where you need to go for hundreds of thousands of miles.
For the best experience, we suggest the normal 3.5L V6 because it offers great performance, good fuel economy, and it will be cheaper to maintain than the hybrid in the long run.
Photos: Toyota
