Best Trailer Hitches for 2020–2026 Toyota Highlander: 5 Fit-Checked Picks incl. XSE and Hybrid

CURT's 13460 has the highest published rating of any Class 3 Highlander hitch we found: 6,000 lb gross trailer weight and 900 lb tongue weight, and 8,000 lb with weight distribution. It is carbon steel with a gloss black powder coat over CURT's co-cured rust protection, tested to SAE J684, with an open-back receiver that doesn't trap mud. CURT lists it for 2020–2026 Highlanders excluding XSE. etrailer sells it as C45CR for $256.62 and marks it hybrid compatible.

etrailer's install notes list no drilling, trimming of the underbody panel, the 18 in spare only, and a possible limit on the hands-free liftgate. CURT also notes it is not compatible with vertical hanging bike racks, so platform and horizontal hanging racks are the ones to pair with it. The 6,000 lb rating doesn't raise the Highlander's own 5,000 lb gas or 3,500 lb Hybrid limit. It gives you margin and a high tongue rating for heavy hitch racks.

B&W's RH670220BW (etrailer part BW62PR) is the hitch to check first if you drive an XSE. etrailer lists it for the 2020 Highlander, 2021–2026 non-XSE models and 2021–2026 XSE models, while CURT and Reese exclude the XSE or its twin-tip exhaust. B&W rates it at 5,000 lb gross trailer weight and 750 lb tongue weight, which matches the gas Highlander's own 5,000 lb rating. It is powder-coated steel, made in the USA, and etrailer lists it at $244.29 with a limited lifetime warranty.

It bolts to existing attachment points with the included hardware, no drilling or welding. etrailer's reported install times range from about 50 minutes to more than 2 hours. Like every Highlander hitch etrailer sells, it needs underbody panel trimming and fits with the 18 in spare. etrailer specifically tells 20 in full-size spare owners to verify compatibility. The Amazon title names 2020–2024, so confirm 2025–2026 fit on the listing.

For a single order that covers the hitch and trailer lights, this kit pairs Reese's 84439 hitch with 4-way wiring. Reese's page, read on September 24, 2026, gave strong numbers for the hitch: a 2 in receiver, 6,000 lb gross trailer weight and 900 lb tongue weight, and 8,000 lb with weight distribution. It described all-welded steel with black powder coat, tested to V-5 and SAE J684, and a 30–40 minute bolt-on with no drilling. We could not reopen that page on October 4, 2026, so confirm the figures and the hitch class on the listing; the Amazon title names no class. The ball mount is sold separately.

Read two fitment details before buying. Reese's own page, as read on September 24, 2026, listed the 84439 for 2014–2023 Highlanders excluding 2020–2023 models with twin-tip exhaust, so XSE owners should skip it. A hitch its maker lists across both generations is a different case from a listing that names only 2014–2019, so go by Reese's fit line for your year. And the Amazon title reads "Reese Trailer Hitch + 4 Way Wiring for 20-25 Toyota Highlander w/OEM Tow PKG 84439". Toyota's 2021 release says the V6's available towing package "includes a heavy-duty radiator with engine oil cooler"; as we read it, it names no receiver or wiring connector, and we could not confirm that any grade ships with a receiver. Ask the seller what the kit needs on your Highlander and whether 2024–2025 is covered, since Reese's page stopped at 2023.

Tekonsha's T-One 118827 is the plug-in way to put 4-way flat trailer lights on a 2020–2025 Highlander. You find the vehicle's harness connector behind the taillight, unplug it and insert the T-connector, so there is no cutting or splicing. The included ModuLite HD module is circuit protected and handles 7.5 A on the taillight circuit and 5 A on stop and turn, using 16 ga. wire. Tekonsha quotes 30 minutes with a test light and a trim panel tool, and the warranty is one year.

One caution. Some other 2020+ Highlander harness listings say a factory tow package is required, which suggests certain Highlanders may lack the connector the harness plugs into. Tekonsha's page doesn't mention that, so confirm with the seller that your Highlander has it. The listing names 2020–2025. For 2026, confirm on the listing. If you plan to tow near the turbo gas model's 5,000 lb with electric brakes, you'll need 7-way wiring and a brake controller, which this doesn't provide.

The TLAPS listing is a Class 3 hitch with a 2 in receiver sold for 2020–2025 Highlanders, in a lower price band than the brand-name picks. For owners who mostly want a receiver for a platform bike rack or a light cargo carrier, that may be enough. We could not find a maker page publishing its GTW, TW, install notes or warranty, so confirm the ratings on the listing, and confirm whether it clears the XSE's twin-tip exhaust if you have one.

The bigger issue with budget hitches on the Highlander is the paper trail. CURT, B&W and Reese publish exclusions for XSE and twin-tip exhausts, and etrailer documents the underbody trim and the spare limit. With a budget listing you have to ask about those yourself. If you plan to tow a trailer near the gas Highlander's 5,000 lb limit, the CURT or B&W is the safer choice for about $60–$100 more.