This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Key takeaways

  • The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2022 model year is the Tesla Model Y RWD at 129 MPG.
  • EPA estimates this car saves around $2,500 in fuel over five years compared with an average new vehicle of the same model year.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

Combined MPG 36 MPG
City MPG 36 MPG
Highway MPG 35 MPG
Annual fuel cost $1,650
Tailpipe CO₂ 245 g/mi
Fuel type Regular

How the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid compares

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid returns 36 combined MPG, which is right around the 36 MPG class average for cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year.

The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2022 model year is the Tesla Model Y RWD at 129 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Toyota Highlander Hybrid alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 2022 model year (across all classes) returns 30.7 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 2022 model year is on its own page.

2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
36 MPG
Class average, 2022
36 MPG
Class best, 2022
129 MPG
Average new car, 2022
30.7 MPG

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for regular gasoline, which is $3.99/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 416.7 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Driving pattern Estimated annual fuel cost
Light driver, 7,500 miles per year $825
Average driver, 15,000 miles per year $1,650
Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year $2,750

Year-over-year MPG for the Toyota Highlander Hybrid

The EPA has rated the Toyota Highlander Hybrid across 5 model years, from 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid through 2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run, hovering close to 36 MPG.

Year Combined MPG Open year page
2024 36 MPG 2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
2023 36 MPG 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
2022 36 MPG this page
2021 36 MPG 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
2020 36 MPG 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Compare against other Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD for 2022

If you are cross-shopping the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The Tesla Model Y RWD leads this group at 129 MPG, 93 MPG ahead of the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

Specifications

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid runs a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a automatic (av-s6), sending power through front-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
Engine
2.5L 4-cylinder
Transmission
Automatic (AV-S6)
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel type
Regular
Annual petroleum use
8.3 barrels per year
Start-stop system
Yes

Common questions about the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

  • Is the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid fuel efficient?
    It is in line with the rest of the class. The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid returns 36 combined MPG, and the average car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the same model year sits at 36 MPG.
  • What MPG does the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid get?
    The EPA rates the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid at 36 combined MPG, 36 MPG in city driving, and 35 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
  • How much does it cost to fuel a 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid per year?
    The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $1,650 for the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
  • What fuel does the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid use?
    The EPA lists the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid as running on regular gasoline. Using a different grade than the manufacturer specifies can affect fuel economy and engine longevity.
  • Has the Toyota Highlander Hybrid become more fuel efficient over time?
    Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, 36 MPG) and most recent (2024 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, 36 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
  • How much CO₂ does the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid emit?
    Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 245 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 3,675 kilograms of CO₂.
  • What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
    City driving returns 36 MPG and highway driving returns 35 MPG. A flat (or city-better) split is the signature of a hybrid or electric drivetrain, where regenerative braking recovers energy that would otherwise be lost in stop-start city traffic.
  • What engine is in the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
    The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (EPA description: SIDI & PFI; Hybrid).
  • What transmission and drivetrain does the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid have?
    The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid comes with a automatic (av-s6) transmission and front-wheel drive.
  • How does the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid compare to the best car in its class?
    The most efficient car in the Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD class for the 2022 model year is the Tesla Model Y RWD at 129 combined MPG. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid returns 36 MPG, a gap of 93 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.