The Highlander is Toyota’s car-based midsize SUV, built on a unibody platform with 4-wheel independe
The Highlander is Toyota’s car-based midsize SUV, built on a unibody platform with 4-wheel independent suspension. The Highlander offers a tight, quiet ride like a midsize sedan with the higher ride height, available 4-wheel drive, and cargo capacity of a midsize SUV.
The Highlander Sport joins the lineup for 2007.
Read Twain's full review of the Highlander Hybrid HERE
Weaknesses: Unstable on the highway, passing a truck makes the vehicle to be displaced on the road. Hesitates on acceleration than downshifts and lurches forward. Wind noise at speed. Driver seat cramped. Steering whell tilts only. Poor radio. Dirt and water enter engine compartment. Toyota dealer said nothing wrong with vehicle.
Similar Products Used: Traded with a 2007 Mazda CX9. Far superior vehicle for approx same money.
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Summary: Everyone is complaining about the windows....every four door auto does the same thing... to fix this all you do is CRACK one of the front windows while the back ones are open!! I love this vehicle...the navigation is awesome. Couldn't ask for a more professional, classy looking vehicle for the price
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Summary: Very good quality and value (for the stripped down version anyway). High reliability, but has some driver ergonomics design flaws that are hard to ignore.
The Highlander is very comfortable and quiet. The suspension (and stock Bridgestone tires) are very well controlled, but are tuned to the "great ride" side, not sporty side.
I've had absolutely zero machanical problems with the vehicle in 1.5 years of owning it. However, the 5 speed auto transmission can get annoying when rolling through a stop and then you hit the gas. It seems that it doesn't know what gear to be in 1st or 2nd-- then when it finally decides to go into first (after a 1 second pause), it really slams into 1st, and is hard to control. I've found that if you push the "Snow/ACT" button, it smooths out this rough action. I haven't been able to figure out what this "Snow/ACT" button does exactly in the manual or on the web, but it may favor starting off in 2nd gear???
After living with the car for a year, the driver ergonomics has really been bothering me. There is no telescoping steering wheel or movable pedals on this car, as on others (like my Nissan Murano).
I'm a standard size guy, 5'10" with normal proportions (for an American, not a Japanese person- maybe that's the problem?). When I adjust the seat to get a comfortable reach to the gas/brake, the steering wheel is WAY far away, especially at the top. The tilt steering does nothing to help. I have to move the tilt back too straight or move the entire seat forward to reach the steering wheel comfortably, which hurts my legs. At first I thought I could live with it, but I'm hating it more and more, especially on long rides.
My wife just bought a Nissan Murano LE with a 6 cylinder and CVT (continuously variable transmission) about 3 months ago. It's absolutely wonderful. Much sportier than the Highlander, great gas mileage, and the driver ergonomics are very comfortable.-- it has moveable foot pedals to get the position right. I even like the CVT. The CVT keeps revs low which helps MPG, but the engine is very torquey. If you need more acceleration, just hit the gas, and the CVT lets the revs rise immediately, and you get plenty of acceleration. I highly recommend the Murano over the Highlander, even though it costs more with all the extras. The Murano is funny looking, but it just works better for me than the Highlander.
Strengths: Value. All Wheel Drive. Very comfortable. Gas mileage is not bad for an SUV. Reliability
Weaknesses: Driver ergonomics- steering wheel too far away, transmission takes too long to shift sometimes, abrupt 1st gear engagement. Yes, I have the pain in my ears when leaving the window down, so I don't do it. Yes, the radio stinks too.
Also, compared to my Murano, it's rather boring. Stock "comfy" tires are not great in the snow, but the AWD makes it acceptable.
Similar Products Used: 2005 Nissan Murano, 1999 Ford Explorer
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Summary: Bought the Highlander for the following reasons
1) Owned two camry wagons for 10 years and was very satisfied.
2) Toyota discontinued wagons in 1995. However resal value of the wagons was high. The highlander is nothing more than acamry wagon disguised as an SUV as it rides on a camry chassis. A high rding camry wagon as it appears.
3) Highlander is poor mans lexus 300. As it has the same engine, drivetrain and physical dimensions without the bells and whistles.WHy should I pay 10K-15K for essentially the same vehicle.
Strengths: Smooth acceleration, excellent turning radius, drives like a car, roomy interior
easy to climb in and out, well laid out components under the hood, good view from the divers seat.
Weaknesses: Joke of a third seat, probably made for midgets, groans at initial start to cruising speed but is very smooth thereafter. Clicking sound of engine at idling. terrible wind noise at high speeds and on windy days. Roof racks makes the noise worse
Similar Products Used: Camry Wagons(1990)and 1995. Honda Pilot
used by my wife.
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Summary: I took the Highlander to on a trip to Sedona in Arizona from Los Angeles. The car did very well. I averaged over 28 mpg with two people, AC, and the vehicle was loaded for a trip with camping and photography gear and at speeds between 70 and 80 mph between LA and Phoenix. On the return route the car averaged 29 mpg at speeds between 65 and 75 mph between Sedona and Laughlin, Nevada. In the Sedona area, it climbed lots of hills, cruised at high freeway speeds and the car averaged 25 mpg. The handling to the car on twisty mountain roads was very good. When pushed, the engine seems to first have a small shift that I believe is the shifting of the variable valve timing to a performance mode then when pushed further, the transmission downshifts and the car takes off quite well. For all the aggressive driving that I did on twisty, two lane, high sped mountain roads, I never saw the engine speed exceed 4,000 rpm. In fact, engine speed will very seldom exceed 3,000 rpm in normal driving while having an engine redline of over 6,000 rpm.
The Highlander managed to get through every back road that I took it on. Many other vehicles couldn't go on the same roads that the Highlander went over without any problems. The high ground clearance helped the most, although I could feel the traction control working sometimes when I tried to accelerate on a gravel and loose dirt surfaces. The Highlander body seemed really ridged with no squeaks or creaking as it went over very uneven road surfaces. The Highlander was rated among the highest in crash testing. It's body seems very sound to me.
Strengths: Quiet ride, soft ride, good handling on twisty mountain roads, excellent engine and transmission performance, excellent fuel mileage, sound body build. The high road clearance was enough to go on the dirt roads where there are a lot of rocks.
Weaknesses: Doesn't have the low end torque and needs to tap power at higher engine speeds. The AC seems to switch off during hard acceleration. The alarm system is confusing and takes a while to figure out fully.
Similar Products Used: Honda Accord, Ford & Chevy Trucks
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