What’s the Best Battery for a Toyota Highlander?

Amanda T
Nov 27, 2020

If your Highlander is slow to start or is refusing to start at all, it’s likely time for a new battery. Luckily, you’ll be able to take care of this on your own. The first step? Finding the right battery.

2020 Toyota Highlander - Photo by Toyota

What’s the best battery for a Toyota Highlander?

The best Toyota Highlander battery is the Duralast Platinum Battery 24F-AGM Group Size 24F 710 CCA. The AGM battery provides your Highlander with bursts of energy when necessary while also providing the power it needs to stay strong over time. 

Here, we’ll go over everything that you need to know when you’re replacing the battery in your Highlander, from understanding the group size number to deciding whether it makes sense to go with an aftermarket part. If it’s your first time changing the battery in your vehicle on your own, don’t worry – we’re here to break down every decision that you’ll have to make as you choose the right battery.

Battery Group Sizes Explained

The first factor you’ll need to consider as you’re looking for a new battery is the group size. This number corresponds to the dimensions of the battery, ensuring that it will fit correctly.

As vehicles have become more efficient over time, there’s less and less space under the hood. This means that being off by even a fraction of an inch could cause your battery to be too large for your car.

Common group sizes include: 24, 24F, 27, 34, 35, H6 (48), H8 (49), 65, and 78. You’ll have no problem finding a HIghlander battery that fits perfectly.

Lead-Acid, Lithium-Ion, or SLI?

After you find the correct group size for your battery, you’ll need to make another choice: whether you’d like to go with a lead-acid SLI or a lithium-ion SLI (SLI stands for starting, lighting, and ignition).

2020 Toyota Highlander - Photo by Toyota

Lead-acid batteries are more common than lithium-ion batteries. Research shows that it’s likely that lithium-ion batteries will become more popular than lead-acid batteries in the coming years.

Lithium-ion batteries last longer, are more reliable, and are more environmentally sustainable than lead-acid batteries. That being said, lithium-ion batteries are more expensive than lead-acid batteries, which is why they’ve been slow to take off.

OEM vs. AfterMarket: What’s the Difference?

OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer. OEM parts come directly from the same company that manufactured the vehicle. Aftermarket parts come from another company. Aftermarket parts are made to fit several makes and models of vehicles.

If you decide to go with an aftermarket part, be sure to do some research to ensure that you’re getting the right type and size of part for your vehicle.

If You Do Go Aftermarket, Here’s What We Suggest

Deciding to go with an aftermarket battery for your Highlander? We’ve got you covered.

Here’s what we recommend:

Photos: Toyota

avatar Amanda T
Amanda T. is a freelance writer, mom, and health nut who refuses to drive anything other than a Nissan. She has six years of automotive writing experience, and loves providing drivers with well-researched information to help them make informed decisions.
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