2012 Toyota Highlander Base V6 FWD
All photo credits
- Photo: 2009 Toyota Highlander V6 AWD, front left, 11-24-2023 by MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: 2009 Toyota Highlander V6 AWD, front left by MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (XU40) China (23) by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (XU40) China (24) by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: 2011-2013 Toyota Highlander, rear left by Guyon from Richmond, VA, United States of America, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The 2012 Toyota Highlander Base V6 FWD is a 270-hp 3.5-liter V6 SUV with a 5-speed ect-i automatic and front-wheel drive. It starts at $29,245 MSRP and is rated at 20 mpg combined.
It makes 270 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 248 lb-ft of torque at 4700 rpm. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway (20 mpg combined).
The Highlander measures 188.4 inches long on a 109.8-inch wheelbase and has a curb weight of 4,045 lb.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | |
| Body Type | SUV |
| Powertrain | Gas |
| Price | |
| MSRP | $29,245 ($41,396 *) |
| MSRP with Destination | $30,055 ($42,543 *) |
| Destination Charge | $810 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Type | 2GR-FE 3.5L DOHC 24-valve Dual VVT-i V6 |
| Displacement | 3.5 L |
| Horsepower | 270 hp @ 6,200 rpm |
| Torque | 248 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm |
| Valvetrain | DOHC 24-valve Dual VVT-i |
| Bore and Stroke | 94 x 83 |
| Injection Type | Sequential multi-port EFI |
| Drivetrain | |
| Drive Type | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Transmission | |
| Transmission | 5-speed ECT-i automatic |
| Fuel Economy | |
| City | 18 MPG |
| Highway | 24 MPG |
| Combined | 20 MPG |
| Recommended Fuel | Regular Unleaded |
| Suspension | |
| Front Suspension | Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar |
| Rear Suspension | Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar |
| Brakes | |
| Front Brake Disc | 12.9 in. ventilated disc |
| Rear Brake Disc | 12.2 in. solid disc |
| Tires & Wheels | |
| Wheels Front | 17 in. |
| Wheels Rear | 17 in. |
| Tires Front | P245/65R17 |
| Tires Rear | P245/65R17 |
| Dimensions & Weight | |
| Length | 188.4 in |
| Width | 75.2 in |
| Height | 68.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 109.8 in |
| Front Track | 64 in |
| Rear Track | 64.2 in |
| Ground Clearance | 8 in |
| Approach Angle | 22° |
| Departure Angle | 23° |
| Cargo Volume | 10.3 ft³ |
| Curb Weight | 4,045 lbs |
| Interior | |
| Headroom Front | 40.6 in |
| Headroom Rear | 40.1 in |
| Legroom Front | 43.2 in |
| Legroom Rear | 38.3 in |
| Shoulder Room Front | 59.7 in |
| Shoulder Room Rear | 59.5 in |
| Hip Room Front | 56.7 in |
| Hip Room Rear | 56.5 in |
Similar cars
Rivals to the 2012 Toyota Highlander Base V6 FWD with similar size, power and price from around the same years.
Safety & Recalls
NCAP safety ratings
| Overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ (19.8 % risk) |
Other tested variants (1)
- 2012 Toyota Highlander SUV AWD: 4 ★ overall
Recalls
2 recalls on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota HIGHLANDER. Not every recall applies to every trim or VIN — check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Apr 9, 2013 · EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
Southeast Toyota is recalling certain model year 2008 and 2010-2013 Toyota Tundra, 2010-2012 Rav4, 2012 Toyota Sequoia, 2010-2011 Toyota Corolla, 2010-2011 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid, 2010-2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser, 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, 2010-2013 Toyota Venza, 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner, 2010-2013 Toyota Tacoma, 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna, 2012 Toyota Prius, 2013 Scion FR-S, 2011 Scion XD, 2011 Scion XB, and 2012 Scion TC vehicles. These vehicles were sold with labels that were outside the allowable one percent of accuracy of actual weight added. Thus, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) Number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Consequence: An inaccurate label could lead to owners overloading their vehicles and tires. An overloaded vehicle can result in a tire failure which may result in a vehicle crash, personal injury, or property damage.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners and provide a corrected label with instructions concerning its installation. A small group of the affected vehicles will need additonal remedies which are still being developed. The recall began on May 28, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
NHTSA campaign 13V123000
Jan 16, 2013 · AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain models interspersed through model years 2009 through 2013 as follows: model year 2009-2012 Tacoma, 4Runner, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Prius, and RAV4; model year 2009-2010 Avalon, FJ Cruiser, and Highlander Hybrid; model year 2010-2013 model year Corolla, Sienna and Tundra; model year 2009-2013 Highlander and Venza; model year 2012 Prius V; and model year 2010-2012 Sequoia. During modification by SET to include accessories such as leather seat covers, seat heaters or headrest DVD systems, these vehicles may not have had the passenger seat occupant sensing system calibration tested. Without passing the calibration test, the occupant sensing system may not operate as designed.
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant sensing system is out of calibration, the front passenger airbags may not deploy or they may deploy inappropriately for the passenger's size and position. This could increase the risk of personal injury during the event of a vehicle crash necessitating airbag deployment.
Remedy: Southeast Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will test the sensitivity of the occupant detection sensors, and recalibrate them as necessary. The recall began on March 21, 2013. Owners may contact Southeast Toyota at 1-800-301-6859.
NHTSA campaign 13V014000
191 owner complaints to NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota HIGHLANDER
Owner Complaints
191 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Toyota HIGHLANDER (16 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 5 an injury). See all on nhtsa.gov
| Steering | 47 |
| Electrical System | 30 |
| Unknown Or Other | 24 |
| Structure | 22 |
| Engine | 17 |
| Service Brakes | 15 |
Complaints are unverified reports submitted to NHTSA by owners. They cover the whole model year, not a specific trim, and a count alone doesn't show how common a problem is.
Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (nhtsa.gov), matched as 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER. US-market vehicles only; data cached for up to 7 days.