Equal to the emphasis on the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid’s powertrain technology is the attention paid to safety. Inside, each passenger, even in the third-row seat, is granted a three-point seatbelt. Six airbags are provided, including two frontal, two front side, and two side curtains that protect front- and second-row occupants.

Outside and below the skin are antilock brakes with electronic brake assistance and electronic brake-force distribution. Stability and traction control systems are standard, and are integral to the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system. The Highlander Hybrid is the first Toyota equipped with VDIM, which uses a microprocessor to manage stability control, traction control, and all brake systems in an effort to help the driver maintain control when traction is compromised in a turn.

Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has crash-tested the 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. However, the non-hybrid model received a good frontal rating from IIHS (the best possible) and five out of five stars from NHTSA for front and side impacts, with a rollover rating of four stars.