Is the Toyota Highlander Really the Best Mid-Size SUV You Can Buy?
The Toyota Highlander has long held a place of honor in American driveways. It's roomy, dependable, and backed by Toyota's legendary reputation for reliability. For millions of families, it's the safe, sensible choice in the crowded mid-size SUV segment. But "safe and sensible" doesn't always mean "the absolute best." As the SUV market has matured, several competitors have quietly crept ahead of the Highlander in critical ratings categories — including safety scores, owner satisfaction, predicted reliability, and overall value. If you're shopping for a new three-row SUV, you owe it to yourself to look beyond the badge. Here are five SUVs that actually post better ratings than the Toyota Highlander.
Why Ratings Matter When Choosing a Mid-Size SUV
Before diving into the list, it's worth understanding what "better ratings" actually means. Automotive ratings come from several authoritative sources, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study, and Consumer Reports' owner satisfaction surveys. A vehicle that scores well across multiple of these platforms is genuinely outperforming its competition — not just winning a single cherry-picked metric. The Toyota Highlander earns solid marks across the board, which is precisely why beating it is so meaningful. Any SUV that clears that bar deserves serious consideration.
1. Kia Telluride — The Segment's New Gold Standard
Few vehicles have disrupted the mid-size SUV segment quite like the Kia Telluride. Since its debut, the Telluride has racked up awards and top-tier scores at a remarkable pace. Consumer Reports consistently ranks it among the highest-rated SUVs in its class, and J.D. Power owners routinely praise its interior quality, ride comfort, and user-friendly technology. The Telluride earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation and boasts a spacious, upscale cabin that punches well above its price point. Where the Highlander feels functional and measured, the Telluride feels genuinely premium — without the premium price tag. Its predicted reliability scores have also improved steadily, making it a credible long-term ownership choice.
2. Hyundai Palisade — Family Comfort Taken Seriously
The Hyundai Palisade shares its platform with the Telluride, but it brings its own distinct personality to the table. Reviewers consistently highlight the Palisade's exceptional third-row legroom — a genuine differentiator in a segment where back-row passengers are often afterthoughts. The Palisade also earns strong marks from IIHS and has scored highly in J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study. Owners appreciate its long list of standard safety features, which include highway driving assist, blind-spot collision avoidance, and rear occupant alert. When stacked directly against the Highlander in owner satisfaction surveys, the Palisade frequently comes out ahead, particularly among buyers who prioritize passenger comfort over towing capability.
3. Mazda CX-90 — The Driver's Choice in the Segment
Mazda has long been the enthusiast's pick for fun-to-drive vehicles, and the CX-90 brings that philosophy to the three-row SUV space. But this isn't just about handling — the CX-90 has earned serious credibility in objective testing. It received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award and earned strong reliability predictions from Consumer Reports. Its turbocharged inline-six engine delivers smooth, confident power, and the interior design is widely regarded as the most refined and upscale in the mainstream mid-size SUV segment. Buyers who want something that feels more like a luxury vehicle without crossing into luxury pricing consistently give the CX-90 higher satisfaction scores than the Highlander, particularly in the areas of driving dynamics and interior quality.
4. Honda Pilot — Reliability Meets Practicality
The Honda Pilot is perhaps the most direct competitor to the Toyota Highlander, and in recent generations, it has managed to edge ahead. The redesigned Pilot earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and received notably high scores from Consumer Reports, which ranked it above the Highlander in overall road-test performance. The Pilot's Trailsport trim adds genuine off-road credibility, while the higher trims deliver a well-appointed, technology-rich interior. Honda's reliability reputation is right there alongside Toyota's, and the Pilot's fuel economy, cargo space, and family-friendly features make it a nearly perfect all-rounder. For buyers who want Toyota Highlander-level dependability with sharper driving dynamics and more interior flexibility, the Pilot is the obvious answer.
5. Subaru Ascent — The All-Weather, All-Terrain Alternative
For buyers who live in snowy climates or frequently venture off paved roads, the Subaru Ascent offers something the Highlander can't fully match: standard all-wheel drive on every single trim. While the Highlander offers AWD as an option, Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is standard across the Ascent lineup, which matters enormously in cold-weather states. The Ascent consistently earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status and scores well in Consumer Reports' reliability surveys. It also offers the most standard passenger seating in the segment — up to eight seats — along with a generous number of USB ports and family-focused storage solutions. Owner satisfaction rates are particularly high among outdoor-lifestyle families.
So Should You Still Buy the Toyota Highlander?
The Toyota Highlander is not a bad SUV — far from it. Its hybrid powertrain is among the most fuel-efficient in the segment, its resale value remains strong, and its long-term dependability record is hard to argue with. But the market has evolved. The five SUVs listed here demonstrate that the Highlander's lead in key rating categories is no longer a given. Whether you prioritize interior luxury, safety scores, third-row space, driving dynamics, or standard all-wheel drive, there's now at least one mid-size SUV that does that specific thing better than the Highlander.
The smartest approach to buying any SUV is to test-drive multiple candidates and compare ratings across trusted sources. The Highlander will absolutely remain on many buyers' shortlists — but in 2024 and beyond, it's no longer the automatic best answer. These five rivals have earned their place at the top of the conversation, and any serious SUV shopper should give them a close look before signing on the dotted line.
- Kia Telluride — Best overall ratings and owner satisfaction in the segment.
- Hyundai Palisade — Top marks for third-row comfort and safety features.
- Mazda CX-90 — Highest scores for interior quality and driving refinement.
- Honda Pilot — Closest rival to the Highlander in reliability with sharper performance.
- Subaru Ascent — Best choice for all-weather capability and standard AWD.