factory hitch and 4 wire plug.  The RV dealers seem scared of touching it.

Those are essentially the same specs as my 2012 Highlander. You can tow an rPod just fine with that vehicle. 

There is one thing I'd watch out for. I'm not sure what rPod you have or are considering but the heavier ones with fresh water tanks forward of the trailer axle can get to a pretty high tongue weight very quickly. If you are planning to camp without hookups, want to travel with a full fresh water tank, and are considering mods like dual batteries and/or propane cylinders you can  very easily exceed 500-550 lbs tongue weight. My 179 is at 550 lbs fully loaded, which is the limit for the 2012 Highlander. Be sure to actually weigh yours so you know what you have before starting to make any mods that add more weight to the tongue. 

You will almost certainly want a weight distribution hitch and sway control, but a wdh does not increase your max tongue weight capacity. You will also want to keep the load in the rear of your Highlander low and as far forward as possible, as load behind the tow vehicle rear axle reduces the tongue weight capacity. If you don't already have one, be sure to get a receiver for the Highlander that's rated for use with a weight distribution hitch.  

None of these loading considerations effect your current question with brake controller installation, that I think is a concern about potential interference with the Toyota electronic safety system. I'd check in with the nice folks at eTrailer on that. 

Welcome to the forum from the OBX. 

We just traded our 2010 Highlander Limited in on a Tahoe.  The Highlander towed our 2017 179 HRE fine for three years. 

We've towed it on several big trips from our home base in Idaho.  The first was down to Zions for spring break.  That trip was before the weight distribution hitch.  Then the next spring break we went down to Sedona.  In addition to these two, we've done lots of mini trips around our area.  

By the Sedona trip we had put a E2 600 weight distribution hitch on.   IMHO, the weight distribution hitch is a must on the Highlander.  I followed the wife and son back from a camping weekend in Salmon.  I watch them bounce the entire way from Challis to Stanley on a windy two lane road that followed the Salmon River.  It was about the most nervous/anxious I've ever been.  The next week I bought the E2.  It helped even out the Highlander and took most of the bounce out. 

The v6 had a tough time going into overdrive on the highway when we had some rolling hills.  Cruise control would always downshift.  Better to drive with your foot around 60.  Gas mileage is 10-12 mpg.  Never pass a gas station once you get to half a tank.  We found the the tank dropped from 1/2 to E faster than full to 1/2.  Once we had to unhook the pod and run 40 miles to gas up, come back and get the pod.  I had a nice nap in the trailer.  That was some "I told you so" quality time. 

It would handle passes ok as well.  We have Galena summit to get up into the Sawtooth/Stanley basin.  We would have no problem up and over.  You don't want to know the mpg...

When it was time to consider a new rig, we wanted to go with a v8 and higher tongue capacity which also provides higher tow capacity.  The Tahoe has 8,100 capacity with transmission tow mode and rear axle ratio better suited.  Also has the integrated break controller.  I've towed the pod once with the Tahoe.  Don't even know it was back there. 

All in all the Highlander will tow the pod fine.  Be mindful of tongue weight and how you load the pod.  We traveled with full water tanks when we had no choice  You could feel the difference.  I've been a Toyota buyer for my past three cars (early 90's).  Unfortunately in my opinion Toyota has a hole in their offering.  The Four Runner may tow a pod better with its stiffer suspension, but its still a v6.  And I think the mpgs would be worse.  You have to go up to the Sequoia or Tundra beast to get the v8.  Mpgs really drops and the are big.  Enjoy the highlander/pod and have fun.

Thanks    

Wow, 10-12 mpg. I cruise in my 2012 Highlander at 60-65 towing and get 14-15 on flat ground, don't think I've ever gotten below 12 even in the mountains. And my 179 always has a full fresh water tank outbound. 

I was wondering what the difference was because I thought the drivetrains were identical on those model years. So I looked up the specs. Everything is the same except the diff ratio. On the 2010 its 3.478 for both 2 and 4wd. On the 2012 its still 3.478 for the 2wd but the 4wd is 2.928. Presumably the taller final drive ratio on the 2012 is providing better fuel economy? 

The 2019 has different drivetrain with an 8 speed automatic vs the 2010/2012 which have a 5 speed. So I would guess that would improve towing fuel economy, as well as highway fuel economy not towing. 

On the break controller, our dealer installed a Curt.  Worked great with no issues.

Thanks

In any case, the 8 speeds and the more powerful engine in Mbearden's 2019 should do better. Just watch that tongue weight and it should be fine. 

Thanks

Fuel consumption in the mountains is all about the total vertical climb, not the altitude of the highest point of the route. Figure on about 1 gallon for every 3000 ft elevation change for a TV + Rpod, plus what you'd normally use on level ground. Unfortunately you rarely get any of that energy back going downhill with a conventional drivetrain, because engine or wheel braking will waste the stored energy. 

That's why hybrids and EV's do so well in city driving, the regen braking recovers a lot of the stored energy in the battery.  What we really need is a hybrid tow vehicle with a modest on board battery pack plus a larger plug in battery pack in the trailer. Now that would greatly improve rig fuel consumption in mountain driving plus provide lots of energy storage for boondocking. No generator needed, and if you have electricity at the campsite you could do your day trips and short moves on 100% electric. 

Some decades ago, they built New Priest Grade. It's about 4X the distance, but the decent is much more manageable.

Seriously though, those kind of roads (and there are plenty like that all through the Appalahians) are fine as long as you can select a low enough gear and take your time. The problem in CA seems to be that there are too many people on too few roads and for some reason they seem to think its a racetrack, so you're holding up traffic.  That kind of thing is a lot less common in the East in my experience. 

Did you ever get someone to install a tow package on your 2019 Highlander? I'm hearing the same feedback and it's very frustrating as I bought the SUV because it's advertised that it can tow up to 5500lbs.

thanks for any feedback!