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Toyota simplified this lineup for 2026. The LE is gone, all-wheel drive is standard on everything, and three of the four trims can be ordered as a hybrid.
Starting MSRP shown is the gas model. Hybrid, where offered, runs roughly $1,600 to $2,000 more.
Prices shown are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) and exclude tax, title, license, registration, destination and dealer documentation fees. MSRP figures were compiled from Toyota and reputable third-party sources, which vary by roughly $200 to $400, so confirm against Toyota's Build and Price tool. Inventory changes weekly, so call to confirm which trims are in stock.
The trim ladder is less important here than three yes-or-no questions.
Gas pulls up to 5,000 pounds. Hybrid stops at 3,500. If a boat goes to Lake Tuscaloosa behind this vehicle, that single line decides your powertrain before you look at a trim.
You cannot have both. The XSE is the only sport-styled trim and it is gas only. If the blacked-out look is what you want, the hybrid conversation is over.
Captain's chairs make third-row access easier and seat seven. The bench seats eight and is the answer if you regularly run a full carpool to school or practice.
Tap a category to switch the table.
| Feature | XLE | XSE | Limited | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP (gas) | $45,870 | $47,640 | $51,920 | $55,120 |
| AWD standard | ||||
| Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ | ||||
| Hybrid available | ||||
| Sport-styled exterior | ||||
| 8-seat option |
| Powertrain | Gas | Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2.4L turbocharged four | 2.5L four with hybrid system |
| Horsepower | 265 hp | 243 hp net combined |
| Torque | 310 lb-ft | Not published as a combined figure |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | Electronically controlled CVT |
| Fuel economy (EPA est.) | 21 city / 28 hwy / 24 combined | About 36 combined |
| Max towing | 5,000 lbs | 3,500 lbs |
| Offered on | XLE, XSE, Limited, Platinum | XLE, Limited, Platinum |
| Comfort | XLE | XSE | Limited | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heated front seats | ||||
| Ventilated front seats | ||||
| Leather seating | ||||
| Panoramic glass roof | ||||
| Seating capacity | 7 or 8 | 7 | 7 or 8 | 7 |
| Tech and Audio | XLE | XSE | Limited | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multimedia display | 8-inch | 8-inch | 12.3-inch | 12.3-inch |
| Digital gauge cluster | 12.3-inch | 12.3-inch | ||
| JBL premium audio | ||||
| Wireless charging | ||||
| Head-up display | 10-inch | |||
| Panoramic View Monitor |
Specifications compiled from Toyota's published 2026 Highlander data. Confirm exact equipment on the specific vehicle you are considering. See Toyota's official Highlander page or check fueleconomy.gov for EPA ratings.
XLE and XSE run an 8-inch multimedia display. Step to Limited and you get dual 12.3-inch screens, one for infotainment and one replacing the gauge cluster. That is the single biggest interior change in the lineup.
If you spend an hour a day in this vehicle running to Birmingham, it is worth driving both before deciding the smaller screen is fine. Most people find it is, right up until they see the other one.
It sits between the XLE and the Limited on price, but it is not a halfway point on equipment. You are paying for the sport-styled exterior, the black accents and a firmer feel, not for leather or bigger screens.
It is also the only trim with no hybrid option. Worth deciding early, because wanting the XSE look means accepting the gas engine and its 24 mpg combined.
Heated fronts are standard across the board, which is nice in January and irrelevant most of the year in Alabama. Ventilated fronts arrive at Limited, and in a Tuscaloosa August those are the ones you will actually use.
If you park outside on Skyland Boulevard or in an uncovered lot on campus, this is the feature to spend money on before the panoramic roof.
The XLE gets the same safety equipment as the Platinum. For 2026 the Blind Spot Monitor is standard across the lineup too.
Detects a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist ahead and can apply the brakes if you do not react in time.
Warns when the vehicle drifts from its lane and can steer gently to bring it back.
Full-speed range. Holds a set gap to the vehicle ahead, which earns its keep on I-20 and I-59.
Standard on every 2026 trim, with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert for backing out of a packed lot.
Reads speed limit and stop signs and displays them in the driver's view.
Switches between high and low beams on its own, useful on the unlit stretches of AL-69.
Sorted by how families around Tuscaloosa and Northport actually use a three-row SUV.
You want three rows, all-wheel drive and the full safety suite without paying for leather you did not ask for. It is the best value in the lineup and the hybrid is available on it.
You want the blacked-out sport styling and you are fine with the gas engine. No hybrid option, no leather, but it is the one that stands out in the school pickup line.
You want ventilated seats for August, leather, JBL audio and the dual 12.3-inch screens. This is where the interior stops feeling like the entry trim, and the hybrid is still on the table.
Panoramic roof, head-up display and the Panoramic View Monitor for tight parking downtown. Seven seats only, so skip it if you need the eight-seat bench.
We are at 3325 Skyland Blvd E, just off I-20 and I-59. Drive an XLE and a Limited back to back. The gap between them is almost entirely interior, and ten minutes in each settles it faster than any table on this page.
Sales is open 9 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday and until 5:30 PM Saturday. Coming from Birmingham, Hoover, Bessemer or Northport? Call (205) 553-3325 ahead and we will have them pulled up front.
Still weighing gas against hybrid? Our Highlander vs Highlander Hybrid comparison covers that trade in detail. Need a bigger third row? Look at the Grand Highlander.
The XLE, and it is not a close call. All-wheel drive and Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ are standard on it, and it can be ordered as a hybrid. Everything above it adds comfort and screen size rather than capability. If you want leather and ventilated seats, the Limited is the sensible next step.
Yes. The LE is gone for 2026 and the XLE is now the entry trim. Toyota also made all-wheel drive standard across the whole lineup, so there is no front-wheel-drive Highlander this year. If you are comparing against an older listing, that is why the specs look different.
XLE, Limited and Platinum. The sport-styled XSE is gas only. That is worth knowing early, because if you have your heart set on the XSE look, the hybrid is off the table and the trim decision has made your powertrain decision for you.
Up to 5,000 pounds with the 2.4-liter turbo gas engine, and up to 3,500 with the hybrid. If you pull a boat to Lake Tuscaloosa or Lake Lurleen, that 1,500-pound gap is the most important number on this page and it points at the gas model.
Both are available depending on trim. Second-row captain's chairs give you seven seats, and a second-row bench gets you to eight on the trims that offer it. The bench is the choice if you are regularly moving a full carpool. The captain's chairs are easier for third-row access.
They are aimed at different buyers rather than being a straight step up. The XSE is the sport-styled trim with black exterior accents and a firmer feel. The Limited is the comfort trim, adding leather, heated and ventilated front seats and the dual 12.3-inch displays. The Limited also offers a hybrid, and the XSE does not.
If your third row carries adults regularly, look at the Grand Highlander instead. It is a longer vehicle with a genuinely usable third row and more cargo space behind it. The Highlander's third row is best thought of as occasional seating for kids rather than full-time adult space.
Yes. Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ is standard on every trim, and for 2026 Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert is standard across the lineup as well. You do not have to move up a trim to get the safety equipment, which is the single best reason the XLE holds up so well.
Yes, and with this lineup you should drive an XLE and a Limited back to back. The gap between them is mostly interior, and it is much easier to judge from the driver's seat than from a spec table. Call (205) 553-3325 and we will have both ready on Skyland Boulevard.
That is the real decision in this lineup. Ten minutes in each will settle it.
Tuscaloosa Toyota | 3325 Skyland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
