2026 Toyota Highlander · All-wheel drive
Which 2026 Toyota Highlander trims have all-wheel drive?
All seven trims, as standard. is standard on the XLE, XSE, Limited, Platinum, XLE, Hybrid Limited and Hybrid Platinum. The cheapest Highlander with it costs $46,270. It's an XLE.
Our Highlander data has all seven priced US 2026 Highlander gas/hybrid AWD grades, all four current factory option types and their verified grade restrictions. It doesn't have paint, upholstery colors, port/dealer , fleet equipment, earlier , separately covered Grand Highlander and announced 2027 battery-electric Highlander yet, so something missing from this page may still be offered.
Trim by trim
| Trim | How you get it | Cheapest with it |
|---|---|---|
| XLE | Standard, Mechanical AWD with a rear coupling | $46,270As it comes |
| XSE | Standard, Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD | $48,340As it comes |
| Limited | Standard, Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD | $50,725As it comes |
| Platinum | Standard, Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD | $53,925As it comes |
| Hybrid XLE | Standard, Electronic On-Demand AWD with a separate rear electric motor | $48,020As it comes |
| Hybrid Limited | Standard, Electronic On-Demand AWD with a separate rear electric motor | $52,475As it comes |
| Hybrid Platinum | Standard, Electronic On-Demand AWD with a separate rear electric motor | $55,675As it comes |
More Highlander answers
- XLE vs Hybrid XLE
- XLE vs XSE
- XLE vs Limited
- Limited vs Platinum
- Limited vs Hybrid Limited
- Hybrid XLE vs Hybrid Limited
- Hybrid Limited vs Hybrid Platinum
- All-wheel drive
- A hybrid powertrain
- Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD
- Eight seats
- A third row
- A panoramic glass roof
- A power moonroof
- Ventilated front seats
- Heated front seats
- A heated steering wheel
- A Panoramic View Monitor
- A head-up display
- JBL Premium Audio
- A 12.3-inch touchscreen
- A 120-volt AC outlet
- 1,500-watt AC outlets
- A plug-in hybrid powertrain
Build your own
Pick another to see how it comes on that one, or add and remove options and watch what else changes.
The cheapest Highlander with all-wheel drive
↑ The answerXLE
$46,270
XLE
$46,270
Build
Situation
Surface
Gas XLE rear coupling
Mechanical rear drive helps
Gas XLE sends power through an eight-speed automatic and mechanical propeller shaft to a controlled rear coupling. Toyota says up to 50% of available torque can go rearward when needed. That ceiling is not the split shown in every scenario.
How this works
Every US 2026 Highlander has AWD. Gas XLE uses a rear coupling; XSE, gas Limited and gas Platinum add left/right rear torque control. Every hybrid has a separate rear electric motor and no mechanical inter-axle driveshaft.
Gas Multi-Terrain Select and hybrid Trail Mode adjust automatic control. Neither is low range or an axle locker. No Hybrid MAX or plug-in hybrid is offered on this Highlander. Grand Highlander and the announced 2027 electric Highlander are separate vehicles.
Illustrative wheel states and flow, not measured torque, grip, recovery, stopping distance or efficiency.
Choose a trim
Packages & options
Comfort & seating
Technology
What your options change
This is a stock XLE. Pick a package and every part it swaps shows up here, and in orange on the SUV.
- Has AWD
- No Hybrid
- No Panoramic roof
- No Ventilated seats
- No Surround camera
- No JBL audio
- Drive
- Mechanical AWD · controlled rear coupling
- Transmission
- Direct Shift eight-speed automatic
- Seats
- 7 seats · SofTex · second-row captain’s chairs
- Touchscreen
- 8″ · wireless CarPlay / Android Auto
- Audio
- Six-speaker audio
- Roof
- Power tilt/slide moonroof
- Cargo, row 3 folded
- 48.4 cu ft · row 2 occupied
- Cargo, rear rows folded
- 84.3 cu ft
- Third-row legroom
- 28.0″
- Second-row legroom
- 38.7″
- Tires
- P235/65R18 all-season
- City / highway
- 21 / 28 mpg · Toyota-published EPA estimate
- Towing
- Up to 5,000 lb · proper equipment required
- Length / height
- 194.9″ / 68.1″
- Fuel tank
- 17.9 gallons
- Ground clearance
- 8.0″ · minimum
- AC outlets
- No 120V AC outlet
- Climate
- Three-zone automatic · vents in both rear rows
- USB ports
- Five · one USB-A media and four USB-C charging
- Hybrid charging
- Not a hybrid
- Safety
- Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ · driver supervision required