Will the 2024 Highlander be redesigned?
The 2024 Highlander is not a redesign; it carries forward the refreshed fourth-generation version that began with the 2023 model year. Toyota has not announced a new-generation Highlander for 2024, and current guidance points to a redesign coming later in the mid-decade cycle rather than this model year.
To understand what this means, it helps to look at the Highlander’s generation timeline, what the 2023 refresh brought to the table, and what industry observers expect for a future redesign. This article outlines the background, the 2023 refresh specifics, and the timing and potential features fans and buyers might anticipate in a next-generation Highlander.
Generation and refresh timeline
Current generation status
The Highlander entered its fourth generation in 2020. A comprehensive mid-cycle refresh followed for the 2023 model year, bringing updated styling, a larger touchscreen, and revised safety tech. The 2024 model uses those refreshed elements but is not a new generation itself. No official word has been issued about a redesigned Highlander for 2024 or 2025.
In short, the 2024 Highlander reflects ongoing improvements within the existing generation rather than a brand-new generation launch.
Key updates from the 2023 refresh that affected the 2024 Highlander:
- Exterior styling updates, including a refreshed front fascia with new headlight design and grille treatment
- Interior tech enhancements, notably a larger center touchscreen and updated digital instrumentation
- Powertrain options including a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine for non-hybrid models and the continued use of a 2.5-liter hybrid system
- Expanded safety and driver-assistance features through Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ across more trims
- Updated trim levels and available packages that broaden equipment and option choices
Taken together, these upgrades modernized the Highlander’s tech and refinement while preserving the current generation layout and mechanics.
What to expect in a future redesign
Industry outlook
There is no official confirmation yet about a redesigned Highlander for the 2025 or 2026 model years. Analysts typically expect a next-generation launch to occur in the mid-decade window, following Toyota’s broader cadence for its mainstream SUVs. Any redesign would likely reflect Toyota’s current design language and electrification push, while preserving practical family-SUV traits.
What a redesigned Highlander could bring, in broad terms, includes:
- Exterior styling overhaul to align with Toyota’s latest design language—bolder contours, revised lighting, and a contemporary silhouette
- Updated interior with higher-grade materials, more digital instrumentation, and enhanced infotainment capabilities
- Expanded electrified options, potentially stronger hybrid efficiency and possible plug-in or mild-hybrid variants
- New or improved powertrain options to boost performance and efficiency across trim levels
- Updated platform tech for improved ride quality, safety systems, and overall refinement
These possibilities reflect market trends and Toyota’s ongoing emphasis on electrification and advanced driver assistance, though official confirmation will come only with Toyota’s announcements.
Summary
In summary, the 2024 Highlander is not a redesign; it sits within the fourth generation and benefits from the 2023 refresh. There is no official word on a 2024 redesign, and industry observers anticipate the next major redesign to appear in the mid-2020s, likely paired with new styling, enhanced interior tech, and expanded electrified options. For now, shoppers will find a refreshed, well-equipped mid-size SUV rather than a ground-up redesign.
