Toyota Highlander

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $34000.00 from Diehl Toyota York Pa

Year / Model Reviewed:
2008 Sport Highlander

Strengths:
Very good engine and transmission...still bult in Japan !~

Weaknesses:
Fit and finsih provided by American assemblers in USA...hate to say that but its TRUE !

Summary:
After owning 7 new Toyotas over the years , it saddens me to report I've bought a lemon Toyota this time...which is still far better than an domestic lemon...I have been plagued with fit and finish issues...rattles, squeakes and the windshield or dashboard creaks when you drive over EVERY little bump in the road...in PA thats a lot bumps, even the cracks on a cement highway make the dash or windshield creak ...drives me crazy.... flaws in the paint on the hood ...thet told me it was water spots as they had just washed it...when I got home I went to rub them off and found they were flaws in the clear coat , this is with 14 miles on the odometer...headliner flops when driving with the sun roof open and when you close rear passenger door theres a rattle between the panels somwhere...maybe a joke from some one at the factory ?

I paid $800.00 for a towing package and theres no trailer hitch to tow my trailer or use my bike rack...$400.00 additional hitch from toyota solved that problem....ouch $1200.00 to use my bike rack !!! I aslo paid $34,000.00 for a car with no floor mats ...easy fix, jjsut pay another $120.00 and they'll order them for you...needles to say this has been a very sorry experience form Toyota...I think its gonna be a Honda Oddessy Touring Edition next time for this buyer !!

Price Paid:  $33500.00 from toyota dealer

Year / Model Reviewed:
2006 Highlander limited

Strengths:
Good safety protection

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.

Summary:
Good reliability,

Similar Products Used:
Traded with a 2007 Mazda CX9. Far superior vehicle for approx same money.

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
4.38 of 5, 16.00 votes

Price Paid:  $25000.00 from kearny mesa toyota

Year / Model Reviewed:
2005 Limited

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

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.50 of 5, 16.00 votes

Price Paid:  $27000.00 from Price Toyota New Cas

Year / Model Reviewed:
2004 Toyota 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.

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.

Similar Products Used:
2005 Nissan Murano, 1999 Ford Explorer

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
2.67 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $25000.00 from westbury toyota

Year / Model Reviewed:
2004 Toyota

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

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.

Similar Products Used:
Camry Wagons(1990)and 1995. Honda Pilot used by my wife.