Head-to-head reliability
Toyota Highlander vs Hyundai Palisade
How the Toyota Highlander and Hyundai Palisade compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Toyota Highlander vs Hyundai Palisade: The Highlander averages 220.7 complaints per year, mainly for transmission failures, while the Palisade averages 330.4, with brake and seat belt issues. The Highlander has fewer annual complaints but serious powertrain problems. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Toyota Highlander or Hyundai Palisade more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Toyota Highlander
The Toyota Highlander, over a decade of data, shows a high complaint volume averaging 220.7 per year, with a heavy concentration in the powertrain. Owners frequently report the UA80-series 8-speed transmission failing internally, causing stalling, no reverse, or no drive, especially in cold weather. Brake issues also appear, with the pedal sometimes sinking to the floor before engagement. While the vehicle has many recalls, the core reliability concern is the transmission's tendency to fail unexpectedly.
Hyundai Palisade
The Hyundai Palisade, with a shorter 7-year data span, has a higher annual complaint rate of 330.4. The most common issues are brake failures where the pedal sinks to the floor or brakes lock up, and seat belt/seat assembly recalls that may fail to detect occupants. Engine problems include sudden power loss and violent shaking at highway speeds. The Palisade's complaints suggest significant safety-related defects in brakes and seating systems.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Toyota Highlander | Hyundai Palisade |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 2,207 Better | 2,313 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 44 | 32 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 121 | 55 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 220.7 Better | 330.4 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 129 | 66 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Toyota Highlander
- 01POWER TRAIN692
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER352
- 03SERVICE BRAKES265
- 04ENGINE247
- 05FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM211
The UA80-series 8-speed transmission is prone to internal failure, causing stalling on the highway, inability to shift into reverse or drive, and hesitation during cold starts. This can leave you stranded or cause a loss of power while driving.
Brakes may not engage until the pedal is nearly to the floor, leading to extended stopping distances and near-accidents. Some owners report the brake warning light flashing, indicating a serious loss of braking power.
Engine issues include strong odors entering the cabin and the idle increasing when the AC is on, causing the car to creep forward unexpectedly. This makes it hard to control in traffic or at stoplights.
“Detailed Description of the Incident: I am reporting a recurring powertrain safety issue regarding the 8-speed automatic transmission (UA80-series) in my vehicle. [Symptoms] During cold-start conditions (outside temperatures below 30°F), the vehicle consisten…”
“The vehicle started stalling out randomly on the highway even with it being automatic, after getting home and parking it , it would not back up or drive . Took it to Toyota dealership and they said it’s an internal failure of the transmission which is a UA80…”
Hyundai Palisade
- 01SERVICE BRAKES432
- 02SEAT BELTS395
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER360
- 04ENGINE281
- 05VISIBILITY/WIPER264
The brake pedal can sink to the floor while driving, causing the vehicle to glide before stopping. In other cases, brakes lock up, preventing the car from moving. Both scenarios create a high risk of collision.
Recalls affect second- and third-row power seats and seat belt buckles, which may fail to detect occupants or properly restrain them. This increases the risk of injury in a crash, especially for children.
Engine problems include sudden power loss and violent shaking at highway speeds, often accompanied by a flashing check engine light. This can cause a dangerous loss of control and reduced power mode.
“2026 Hyundai Palisade SEL 8P AWD. Brake pedal sinks to floor when depressed while vehicle is in motion, causing vehicle to glide before stopping. Defect first noticed June 1, 2026 and confirmed June 2, 2026 at approximately 530 miles during a 34-mile round tr…”
“Stopped at the gas pump and filled up. When I went to leave all dash lights were lit up and car wouldn’t move. Brakes were locked. I tried restarting and restarting. Brakes would lock up when I tried to move, either direction. I finally gases it enough that i…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Toyota Highlander — 44 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Toyota Venza, 2023-2025 RAV4 Prime, RAV4, Highlander, GR Corolla, Crown, 2024-2025 Lexus TX, LS, Toyota Tacoma, Grand Highlander, and 2025 Lexus RX, Toyota Crown Signia, Camry, RAV 4 Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and 4 Runner…
The risk: An instrument panel display that does not show critical information can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software over-the-air (OTA) for non-PHEV vehicles, free of charge. For PHEV vehicles, dealers will inspect the instrument panel assembly, and either replace it, or update the software, free of charg…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or d…
The risk: A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's nu…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles. The third row center seat belt roof anchor may have been installed at an incorrect angle, preventing the seat belt from properly restraining the occupant.
The risk: A seat belt that does not properly restrain an occupant increases the risk of injury during a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reinstall the seat belt anchor with a new bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA16.
The defect: Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain 2022-2024 model year Highlander L and Highlander LE vehicles equipped with the Blackout Package that includes 20" black alloy wheels and tires. The installed tires have an insufficient load rating. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the r…
The risk: Tires with an insufficient load rating may be overloaded and fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: GST will inspect and replace the tires as necessary, and install a new tire information label as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. G…
Hyundai Palisade — 32 recalls
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 IONIQ 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Tucson vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel displa…
The risk: An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 24, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 855-371-9460. Hyundai's number…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Palisade and 2026 Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with a Limited or Calligraphy trim package. The second and third row power seats may fail to detect a person. The seat may continue to move after contacting a person during powered seat fun…
The risk: A person, especially a child, may become trapped by a rear powered seat, increasing the risk of injury or death.
The fix: Owners are advised to exercise caution when operating the second and third row power seat functions until the repair is performed. Children are advised to not be in the rear seats or near the rear seating area during power-folding operatio…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2026 Hyundai Palisade and 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid vehicles equipped with "Limited" and "Calligraphy" trim packages. The internal wiring within the third-row driver-side seat belt buckle may become damaged and result in a permanent display of…
The risk: A faulty seat belt status indicator may fail to alert occupants to an unfastened seat belt, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will install a wiring harness extension and replace the seat belt assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning May 8, 2026. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.…
The defect: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2025 Palisade vehicles. The seat belt buckles in the driver, passenger, and second-row window seats may fail to latch.
The risk: Seat belt buckles that fail to latch may not properly restrain occupants in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Passengers are advised to insert the belt firmly into the buckle with a quick and direct motion, pulling on the belt to confirm the seat belt is fully secured, until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will replace the seat belt buckle…
Buyer analysis
Toyota Highlander or Hyundai Palisade: which should you buy?
The Toyota Highlander has fewer complaints per year (220.7 vs 330.4) despite being on the market longer. In practice, the Highlander's issues are more transmission-focused, while the Palisade's brake and seat belt problems pose more immediate safety risks. The Highlander may be the more reliable choice overall.
Key differences
- Highlander's transmission failures (stalling, no drive) are more common than Palisade's engine power loss.
- Palisade has serious brake pedal sink-to-floor and lock-up issues, while Highlander's brakes are less severe but still problematic.
- Palisade has multiple recalls for seat belts and seats that may not protect occupants; Highlander's recalls are less safety-critical.
- Highlander has a lower annual complaint rate (220.7 vs 330.4) despite more years of data.
- Test the transmission thoroughly: check for hesitation, stalling, or failure to engage gears, especially after a cold start.
- Inspect brake pedal feel: if it sinks more than normal or requires deep travel to engage, the system may be failing.
- Check brake pedal for sinking to the floor or locking up; test at low speeds and after a short drive.
- Verify that all power seats and seat belt buckles in the second and third rows operate correctly and have had recall repairs performed.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full recall history for the specific VIN and confirm all recalls were completed.
- Test drive both vehicles, focusing on transmission smoothness and brake pedal feel.
- For the Highlander, perform a cold-start test to check for transmission hesitation.
- For the Palisade, operate all power seats and buckle/unbuckle rear seat belts multiple times.
- Review NHTSA complaint data for the exact model year you are considering.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Toyota Highlander | Hyundai Palisade |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 102 |
| 2025 | 8 | 231 |
| 2024 | 39 | 371 |
| 2023 | 166 | 383 |
| 2022 | 228 | 295 |
| 2021 | 479 | 413 |
| 2020 | 301 | 518 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Toyota Highlander or Hyundai Palisade in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Toyota Highlander vs Hyundai Palisade
- Toyota Highlander total complaints
- 2,207
- Hyundai Palisade total complaints
- 2,313
- Toyota Highlander total recalls
- 44
- Hyundai Palisade total recalls
- 32
- Toyota Highlander avg complaints/year
- 220.7
- Hyundai Palisade avg complaints/year
- 330.4
- More reliable overall
- Toyota Highlander
- Toyota Highlander top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- Hyundai Palisade top complaint area
- SERVICE BRAKES