Toyota Remote Connect is a subscription-based connected vehicle service that can let drivers start the vehicle, lock or unlock the doors, and use other remote functions through the Toyota app. Toyota offers it on select 2022-and-newer vehicles, but availability depends on the model, year, trim, equipment, market, and active service eligibility.

How much is Toyota Remote Connect?

Toyota lists Remote Connect as part of its available Connected Services plans rather than as one universal standalone price. The published monthly prices are:

• Music Lover: $15 per month
• Go Anywhere: $15 per month
• Premium: $25 per month

Remote Connect is included with these listed plans for compatible vehicles. Toyota notes that taxes, promotional trials, regional availability, and vehicle eligibility can affect the final cost.

Toyota accessory information also lists connected-services options priced at $325 for two additional years of Drive Connect and Remote Connect, as well as $485 for certain packages combining three years of Drive Connect with two years of Remote Connect.

What is Toyota Drive Connect?

Toyota Drive Connect is a connected navigation and infotainment service for compatible Toyota vehicles. It includes:

• Cloud Navigation: connected navigation with updated information
• Destination Assist: navigation support from a live agent
• Intelligent Assistant: a voice-operated assistant

Drive Connect requires an active trial or paid subscription. It is separate from the basic ability to use remote vehicle functions, although Toyota may package Drive Connect and Remote Connect together in some plans or offers.

What can Toyota Remote Connect do?

On an eligible vehicle, Remote Connect can provide access through the Toyota app to functions such as:

• Starting the vehicle remotely
• Locking the doors
• Unlocking the doors
• Checking or accessing other available vehicle controls

The exact functions are vehicle-specific. A Toyota with the same model name may have different remote capabilities depending on its model year, trim, factory equipment, and subscription status.

How to remote start a Toyota Highlander

There is no single remote-start procedure that applies to every Toyota Highlander. Toyota’s Highlander documentation states that remote-capable vehicles may use a mobile device for functions such as locking and unlocking, while remote-start availability depends on the vehicle’s equipment and Connected Services eligibility.

For a compatible Highlander with active Remote Connect, remote starting is generally performed through the Toyota app. The available app controls should match the functions supported by that specific vehicle.

Key-fob remote start on equipped Highlanders

Some Highlanders may have the separate Remote Engine Starter accessory. For a vehicle equipped with that system, Toyota documentation describes this key-fob sequence:

1. Press and release the key-fob LOCK button twice within two seconds.
2. Press and hold the LOCK button for three seconds.

This procedure applies to Highlanders equipped with the separate accessory and should not be assumed to work on every model year or trim.

What is ToyotaCare?

ToyotaCare is Toyota’s scheduled maintenance and roadside-assistance program associated with eligible new vehicles and lease offers. Coverage can include scheduled maintenance and roadside assistance, but the exact intervals, mileage limits, terms, and eligibility depend on the vehicle and the purchase or lease program.

ToyotaCare should not be confused with Remote Connect or Drive Connect. ToyotaCare concerns ownership support and maintenance benefits, while the Connected Services plans provide digital vehicle, navigation, and infotainment features.

Is ToyotaCare Plus at $329 worth it?

The available Toyota information does not verify the current $329 ToyotaCare Plus price or the exact benefits included with that offer. Because of that, the value cannot be judged from the price alone.

Before purchasing a ToyotaCare Plus plan, compare the written offer with:

• The maintenance services already included with the vehicle
• The number and timing of additional maintenance visits
• The plan’s mileage and time limits
• Roadside-assistance terms, if included
• Any exclusions, transfer rules, or cancellation conditions
• The expected cost of paying for the same services separately

A $329 plan may be useful when it covers services that would otherwise cost more, but the price alone does not establish its value. ToyotaCare Plus benefits can vary by vehicle, model year, purchase or lease terms, dealer offer, and market.

What to check before subscribing

• Confirm that the vehicle is a compatible 2022-or-newer Toyota or otherwise eligible model.
• Check whether the vehicle has the equipment required for remote start and other requested functions.
• Review whether Remote Connect is included in the selected plan.
• Verify whether the vehicle is still within a complimentary trial period.
• Compare the monthly plan price with Toyota’s multi-year connected-services offers.
• Review ToyotaCare or ToyotaCare Plus terms separately from Connected Services pricing.