2016 Toyota Highlander MPG and Fuel Cost
The 2016 Toyota Highlander gets up to 22 mpg combined with a gas engine and up to 28 mpg as a hybrid, across 5 EPA-tested versions.
EPA fuel economy
2016 Toyota Highlander · 5 EPA-tested versionsBest gas version
22MPG combined
20 city 25 highway
$2,950 a year to fuel
2.7L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic
Best hybrid version
28MPG combined
27 city 28 highway
$2,300 a year to fuel
3.5L 6-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT
Fuel cost: 15,000 miles a year at EPA's $4.32 a gallon (regular gas).
At EPA's price assumptions, fuel costs $2,300 to $3,250 a year.
Every 2016 Highlander version
EPA's ratings for each version it tested. Fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current prices.
| Version | Combined | City / Hwy | Fuel / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | |||
3.5L 6-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT Best
EPA listing: Highlander Hybrid AWD |
28 mpg | 27 / 28 | $2,300 |
3.5L 6-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT · LE Plus
EPA listing: Highlander Hybrid AWD LE Plus |
28 mpg | 28 / 28 | $2,300 |
| Gas | |||
2.7L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic
EPA listing: Highlander 2WD |
22 mpg | 20 / 25 | $2,950 |
3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic
EPA listing: Highlander 2WD |
21 mpg | 19 / 25 | $3,100 |
3.5L 6-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic
EPA listing: Highlander AWD |
20 mpg | 18 / 24 | $3,250 |
Fuel cost at your prices
EPA's annual cost uses 15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving and its current prices: $4.32 a gallon for regular gas. Change the numbers to match your driving.
| Version | Per year | 5 years |
|---|---|---|
3.5L 6-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT | $2,314 | $11,571 |
3.5L 6-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT · LE Plus | $2,314 | $11,571 |
2.7L 4-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic | $2,945 | $14,727 |
3.5L 6-cyl · FWD · 6-speed automatic | $3,086 | $15,429 |
3.5L 6-cyl · AWD · 6-speed automatic | $3,240 | $16,200 |
At the default settings the results match EPA's annual cost before EPA rounds it to the nearest $50.
Toyota Highlander MPG by model year
The best-rated version in each model year; the highlighted year is this page. Gas: 22 to 25 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2023. Hybrid: 28 to 36 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2020.
- Best gas version
- Best hybrid version
2016: gas 22 mpg · hybrid 28 mpgTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Best gas version | Best hybrid version |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 22 | 28 |
| 2017 | 23 | 29 |
| 2018 | 23 | 29 |
| 2019 | 23 | 29 |
| 2020 | 24 | 36 |
| 2021 | 24 | 36 |
| 2022 | 24 | 36 |
| 2023 | 25 | 36 |
| 2024 | 25 | 36 |
| 2025 | 25 | 35 |
| 2026 | 24 | 35 |
How the 2016 Highlander compares
2016 midsize SUVs covered on this site, ranked by their best combined rating. Fuel cost is for each model's cheapest version to run, at EPA's prices.
| 2016 model | Best combined | Best gas | Fuel / year |
|---|---|---|---|
Toyota Highlander This page Best: hybrid |
28 mpg | 22 mpg | $2,300 |
Best: diesel |
25 mpg | 21 mpg | $3,100 |
Best: gas |
22 mpg | 22 mpg | $2,950 |
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2016 Highlander recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 116 owner complaints for the 2016 Highlander.What they cover, and crash test ratingsQuestions
Does AWD lower the 2016 Toyota Highlander's gas mileage?
Yes. On versions that differ only in drive, AWD lowers the combined rating by 1 mpg: the 3.5L 6-cyl gets 21 mpg combined with front-wheel drive and 20 with AWD.
How much fuel does the 2016 Highlander hybrid save?
Comparing AWD or 4WD versions at EPA's assumptions (15,000 miles a year, $4.32 a gallon), the hybrid costs $2,300 a year to fuel against $3,250 for the gas model: $950 a year, or $4,750 over five years.
Does the 2016 Toyota Highlander need premium gas?
No. EPA lists every 2016 Toyota Highlander version on regular gasoline.
Sources and method
- US EPA and Department of Energy fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
- EPA fuel price assumptions: regular $4.32, midgrade $4.93, premium $5.32, diesel $6.29 a gallon; electricity $0.15 per kWh.
- Recall and complaint counts: NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026.
Ratings are EPA estimates. Real-world mileage depends on how, where and in what weather you drive. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.