The Toyota Highlander isn’t just one of the most popular crossovers—it’s the crossover owners keep the longest. In fact, it’s the second-longest-kept passenger vehicle in America, period. So if drivers love this crossover so much, what’s behind this year’s jaw-dropping decline in sales?

A shocking sales decline hits Toyota’s Highlander crossover

When iSeeCars ranked drivers’ “favorite” vehicles based on how long folks keep them, the Highlander beat out every other crossover. It beat out every vehicle, except the Toyota Prius. Why? iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer explained, “Along with being a reliable vehicle, the Toyota Highlander is among the most spacious three-row crossovers making it a popular choice for a practical family vehicle.” That kind of loyalty shouldn’t disappear overnight. But it did.

In Q1 2025, Toyota sold 36,473 Highlanders. That’s a 63.2% drop from the same quarter last year. Though the number looks like a typo, it’s real. It’s one of the biggest drops of any vehicle this year.

So how can a car that 12.4% of owners trusts enough to keep for 15+ years suddenly fall off a cliff?

The new kid on the block might have something to do with it: Toyota just distilled everything drivers love about the Highlander in an all-new vehicle.

Blame the Grand Highlander for stealing the spotlight

In the same quarter that regular Highlander sales plummeted, Toyota moved 19,679 Grand Highlanders. And that SUV didn’t even exist a year ago. Car and Driver called the Grand Highlander “the biggest new winner,” and that’s not just a pun. It literally took 2.5% of market share for new models.

So what’s the draw? Bigger size, more space, and a more premium vibe. For families shopping for three-row crossovers, the Grand Highlander offers everything the original does—plus more elbow room.

This kind of internal competition is rare but not unheard of. Sometimes automakers cannibalize their own lineup to chase new markets. And with the Grand Highlander winning over new buyers, it looks like Toyota’s okay with that trade.

But longtime Highlander owners aren’t so quick to switch. According to iSeeCars, “Toyota makes 8 of the top 23 models that owners keep for over 8 years.” The Highlander leads the pack for crossovers, with loyalty that rivals the Prius and Sienna. America’s favorite long-haul crossover just hit a speed bump. But current Highlander drivers probably won’t jump ship over a newer, flashier option. They’ll drive it ‘til the wheels fall off—just like they always have.