2020–2026 Toyota Highlander Upgrades, Ranked: 4 Mods in Order, With Hybrid and XSE Fit Traps

Second row. Two captain's chairs make a 7-seat Highlander and a three-person bench makes an 8-seat one. The floor liner guide notes that some 7-seat Highlanders put a small console between the chairs and others leave an open walkway. Don't go by grade. As we read Toyota's 2025 release, the LE has seating for eight, the Hybrid Platinum has second-row captain's chairs, and on some grades seven seats are standard with a bench optional. We could not map seating to every grade and year, so open the rear door and count.

Powertrain. Toyota's 2025 release says the Hybrid's battery is installed under the second-row seats. We could not confirm what that changes in the floor, but two sets in the table are listed as gas only. Wikipedia says the Hybrid is available on every grade except the L and XSE, so look for the badge on the liftgate.

Rows. The cabin has four zones: front, second row, third row and cargo. A two-row set plus Smartliner's third-row liner, about $40–$70, covers three rows. Husky's 25791 cargo liner, about $100–$150, runs to the back of the second row and folds with the third row.

The rails. The site's vehicle data records flush side rails on most trims and holds no roof load figure. etrailer classes the rails as flush-mounted with fixed mounting points. Richeer's listing says raised side rails and BRIGHTLINES' says flush side rails, so compare the mount in the listing photos with your own rail. A flush rail has no gap under it; a raised rail does.

Three ways to mount bars.

• Budget Amazon sets are sold for the factory side rails and cost about $80–$140. The roof rack guide could not confirm how their feet attach, so check the listing photos, and measure the spread you end up with.

• Bolt-in bars use the rails' preset points: Toyota's PT767-48200 and BRIGHTLINES' replacement. They sit at fixed positions, and the guides publish no spread for either, so measure center to center before choosing a box. Toyota's US parts page lists the XLE, Limited and Platinum only; have a dealer check an XSE or a Hybrid by VIN.

• Fixed-point systems from Thule and Yakima cost about $695–$705 on etrailer. The Rack Shop lists a 31 in maximum spread for its Thule Fixpoint kit.

The limit. Toyota Customs, a Canadian Toyota dealer's parts store, lists 75 kg (165 lb), evenly distributed, for Toyota's crossbars. etrailer rates the Thule WingBar Evo and Yakima SkyLine systems at 165 lb, and AHG Auto Service gives the same 75 kg for the genuine bars on 2020–2023 models. BRIGHTLINES lists 154 lb. The 220 lb and 260 lb on two Amazon sets are sellers' bar ratings. The guides found no separate roof figure for this generation, so use the lowest number and check the owner's manual.

Liftgate. A long box set too far back meets the liftgate. Thule gives a front-clearance figure of more than 54 13/16 in for the 91.7 in Motion 3 XXL.

The rating. The site's vehicle data lists a maximum of 5,000 lb. Toyota's 2025 release says the 2.4L turbo models can tow up to 5,000 lb and all Hybrid models up to 3,500 lb. Your figure is in the owner's manual.

The engine change. Wikipedia says the 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder replaced the 3.5L V6 for the 2023 model year. Toyota's 2021 release says the available towing package enables a 5,000-pound towing capacity on V6 models. We did not find a figure for a V6 without that package.

The receiver. The vehicle data records Class III with a 2 in receiver. Toyota's parts site sells a Tow Hitch Receiver, PT228-48174, as an accessory with a 12-month warranty. As we read that page, it gives no model years, class or rating. We could not confirm that any grade leaves the factory with a receiver, so look under the bumper.

What a bolt-on hitch changes. It adds a receiver, not rating. The lower of hitch and vehicle applies. CURT's Class 3 13460 is rated at 6,000 lb with 900 lb of tongue weight, B&W's RH670220BW at 5,000 lb and 750 lb, and Reese's 84439 at 6,000 lb and 900 lb, as read on Reese's page on September 24, 2026. We could not confirm the Highlander's own tongue weight limit, or whether Toyota allows weight distribution; both are owner's manual questions.

The XSE. Added for 2021, it has what Toyota's release calls "the first-ever twin-tip exhaust on a Highlander". CURT excludes it, Reese excludes 2020–2023 twin-tip models, and etrailer lists the B&W for it.

The spare. etrailer's notes for every 2023 Highlander hitch it sells say the hitch fits with the 18 in spare only. Toyota's 2025 release puts the XSE, Limited and Platinum on 20 in wheels. We could not confirm which spare each grade carries, so look at yours.

Wiring. Tekonsha's 118827, about $40–$70, is a plug-in 4-way flat harness listed for 2020–2025. Some other harness listings say a factory tow package is required, so confirm the connector with the seller.

Grand Highlander. The guides treat it as a larger, separate vehicle from the 2024 model year, with its own liners, bars and hitches. Only a cargo box and Tekonsha's 118827 harness are listed across both. Skip any listing that names both vehicles for one liner, bar or hitch.

2014–2019 parts. The floor liner guide says the 2020 Highlander has a new floor, and Husky's 99601 set is a 2014–2019 part. Buy liners and bars whose years start at 2020. Hitches need a closer read, because Reese lists the 84439 across 2014–2023 with its twin-tip exclusion.

Inside the generation. Per Wikipedia, the XSE arrived for 2021, the turbo four replaced the V6 for 2023, the L was dropped for 2024 and the LE for 2026. None of this splits a part number in the guides.

Listings that stop early.

• Through 2024: Husky's X-act Contour kit and the B&W hitch's Amazon title. etrailer lists the B&W through 2026.

• Through 2025: the TGBROS liners, the Richeer, HEKA, lockable and BRIGHTLINES bars on Amazon, the TLAPS hitch, the Reese kit's Amazon title and the Tekonsha harness.

• Through 2026: the MAXPRO and LASFIT liners, Husky's WeatherBeater pieces, Snailfly's bars and CURT's 13460.

The next Highlander. Wikipedia says a fifth-generation Highlander was unveiled on February 10, 2026, with sales set to start in late 2026. No part in the four guides is listed for it, and we have no fit data for it.

• The roof takes bulky, light gear. With 165 lb for bars, box and contents, a hard box leaves roughly 90 to 115 lb for gear.

• The hitch takes heavy gear. Tongue ratings in the hitch guide run from 500 lb on etrailer's own hitch to 900 lb on the CURT and Reese, though the Highlander's limit in the owner's manual still governs.

• Bikes go on the hitch. The boxes are 33 to 38 in wide and The Rack Shop's Thule kit uses 50 in bars, so a box leaves little room for a bike mount. CURT says the 13460 is not compatible with vertical hanging bike racks.

• Fuel. fueleconomy.gov puts a rooftop box at 10–25% worse at 65–75 mph and a rear-mounted carrier at 1–5% on the highway. Take the box off between trips, on the Hybrid most of all.

Fit the four in this order.

1. Floor liners. Remove the factory mats, hook the driver liner onto Toyota's retention posts and press the pedals to the floor. 2. Crossbars. Set the front bar, then the rear, and tighten side to side in steps. 3. Trailer hitch. Lower the spare and trim or remove the underbody panel as the instructions show. etrailer's reported times for the B&W run from about 50 minutes to more than 2 hours. etrailer notes the CURT may limit the hands-free liftgate, so test it afterward. 4. Cargo box. With a helper, center it, slide it forward and open the liftgate slowly before tightening the clamps.

Running boards and lighting have no Highlander guide on this site yet, so they aren't ranked.