Excellent V6 engine. Toyota quality fit and finish. Simple air conditioning and audio system controls. Comfortable seats.

Cruise controls mounted on a stalk are obstructed by the wheel. Light controls on stalk instead of dash. Fussy washer/wiper controls. Uncomfortable arm rests. Poor audio quality from standard sound system. No standard front console - optional console has poorly designed cup holders.

Nice riding, comfortable car with a solid feel. It is my company car. We bought a 2WD V6 with only 1 option: the center console. We paid $26,100.00 out the door, which was $1,000 below the sticker.

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Much nicer ride than the V8 '96 Explorer it replaces. 3 mpg better mileage overall with the Toyota V6 with about the same or better power. The Explorer had better controls and standard sound system.

V6 220HP engine, great ride, typical Toyota quality, fit and finish. Will have great re-sale value as did my Sienna.

None.

Very, very pleased!!! Rides like a dream!! Plenty of room both front and back.

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Santa Fe....cheap ride and feel. A low end SUV not up to Japanese standards. Very noisy ride.

so smooth,great looks ,toyota reputation speaks for itself

floor carpet a lil rough,and a bit to expensive ,otherwise ,,,the bomb

great lil truck,,has style,flavor and substance ,perky v6 picks up nicely,runs supe smooth,classy truck

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mercury mountaineer ,,,acura mdx..ok....so i really wanted a mdx,,,but.....waiting list is 6 months and they are asking 2to 3 thousand over msrp,wich puts the base model in the 40,000 range

Smooth ride, steering.
Good gas mileage, averaging 21 mpg commuting to work in Austin traffic. Comfortable seats.
Plenty of cargo space.
Good visibility.
Nice big moonroof.
Toyota quality, made in Japan.
Very Satisfied so far.

Not much so far:
The cup holders are weird, like every one says!
You can knock the shifter out of gear if your not careful and bump it with your hand.
I can't believe the nitpicky crap some of the reviewers put in here. No vehicle is perfect, jeez.

When we started looking for a new vehicle, I had originally planned on getting a Toyota Tacoma Prerunner. But when we got to the dealer to test drive, my wife saw the Highlanders and we had to take one for a spin. That's all it took. We were knocked out by the smooth, car-like ride and the well designed interior. We still test-drove the Tacoma, but after the Highlander, the bumpy "truck-ride" of the pickup was rather distracting. We ended up buying a Highlander, with Limited package (except for leather)in blue-stone metallic with charcoal interior, and it's truly a beautiful vehicle. I think we got a pretty good deal for 29K. Expensive vehicle, but you get what you pay for. It rides like a dream.

Upgraded stereo with JBLs is good, not great, but I'm satisfied with it.

V6 Auto has plenty of get up and go. Steering mounted controls are just like our Camry, so I felt right at home.

I actually like the lack of a center console, feels more 'open'. Just put your junk in the side door pockets.

The Web and these review sites are a great resource, just be sure to take it all with a grain of salt. Everybody's tastes & opinions are different. Do your research and then test drive the Highlander, you'll be glad you did. We are.

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We test drove the Isuzu Rodeo and Trooper. Almost bought a Rodeo, till I saw the crash test results, Isuzu SUVs are worst in their class. Go to Crashtest.com and check the ratings.
Nissan Xterra, not bad, funky design, goofy bulge in the back. Rough riding gas hog.
Didn't even consider any American made SUVs. Sorry guys. I know people who have them, and they are always breaking down and having to throw money into them. I had a Chevy truck once, and it was a gas-sucking money pit. Sold it and bought a Toyota. I'm not anti-American made, I'm just anti-crap.

I don't think you can compare the Highlander to any of the above vehicles, it's not really a "true SUV", it's more like a Camry wagon on steroids. It's perfect for me, like 90% of SUV owners I don't go offroading anyway. I don't have any kids, but need something to haul the dogs around in, and my musical equipment, camping gear, etc.
Toyotas are great vehicles. I had a little Toyota pickup for 8 years, sold it with 150K on it, and I imagine its still out there on the road somewhere. It never left me walking, (well, once and that was a dead battery, not a mechanical problem). We've had a Camry LE for 5 years and we love it, no problems at all. They make great cars. We are a Toyota family all the way.

HANDLES AWESOME, VERY FAST, GREAT INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR EXTREMELY ROOMY AND COMFORTABLE. GREAT FAMILY VEHICLE.

CUP HOLDERS VERY LOW. OTHER THAN THIS, THE HIGHLANDER IS THEONE OF THE BEST SUV FOR THE MONEY. I CAN TRULY FORGET THIS FAULT COMPARED TO ALL THE GOOD THINGS THIS SUV HAS.

LESS THAN A WEEK AGO I PURCHASED THE 4CYL HIGHLANDER. I COULD HAVE NOT MADE A BETTER CHOICE. THIS SUV IS GREAT!

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I HAD A FORD EXPEDITION (EDDIE BAUER). TRULY THE HIGHLANDER HAS AS MANY COMFORT THE EXPEDITION HAD. TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT EXPEDITION COST 38000 COMPARED TO 24000. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO EVERYONE. I JUST LOVE IT!!!

Engine, transmission, handling,comfort and quality

None

I drove almost 6 SUV'S and the H.L was by far the best. I drove the Acura MDX and it felt like a wide pig. It was hard to park and it had a lot of wind noise over 65 mph. It's also is so over priced. The dealers wanted $3-$4k over MSRP,what a joke. The Lexus RX300was just like the H.L but $8k cheaper. The Highlander on the highway is a dream to drive.It corner's like no other SUV I've driven. Great gas mpg. and there is plenty of room in the back seats.

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Pathfinder, MDX, Grand Cherokee, Explorer

Car Like Handling, Great looks, V6 engines strength, quiet besides wind noise, reclining back seat, high tech visors, MOONROOF, cargo size, secret compartments, great heating and cooling, electronic seats, and luxurious.

Wind noise (Open Windows), Cup holders not adjustable, and thats it.

I love this car so much I regret not getting the limited package. Could someone please tell me the good and bads of limited cause i want the features now. It' s great bud the Sequioa has more bells and whistles. It is an awesome car with great looks. Reclining back seats are really cool. Can anyone tell me the features and explanation of the limited package ( Leather, Climate Control, Heated seats). Thanks.

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Toyota Sequioa- If you have the extra money you should probably get it. More comfy and third row.

car-like handling, smooth V6 with 220 HP, side airbag, roomy interior, 3in1-6 disc JBL systems

-Steering wheel block driver from seeing some buttons and indicators(left side)
-Flimsy plastic interior touches.
-Thin leather
-Bridgestone tire( is that scary?)
-Cup holder's location are too low

After 8 months of researching by reading other reviews, took drive test at 3 different dealers, I finally purchased one yesterday with fair price, as other viewer mentioned, price negotiation is now feasible. I am totally satisfied with my HighLander in term of price, ride, and quality

Actually my first choice was the MDX, but the 2K mark up(40K out of the door) and long waiting (8 months since I placed an order)time made me switch back to HighLander to which I have more variety in model, color, option selection. This is my first SUV, however I owned several Toyotas before, therefore its weaknesses are acceptable to me. Toyota quality makes me believe that this SUV will last for more than 13 years as my truck did(still run perfectly)

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MDX: -too good to have, but kind of expensive
-too big for my wife, feeling like a van when you sit in
-ridiculous for 8 months of waiting for a vehicle + dealer's arrogance

Quality

Sound system, price,

Seems to be an excellent vehicle. Unbearable noise with back window down.

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Previously owned Jeep and many Ford Explorers Needed a change. Did not need off-road capabilities. Highlander has a much better ride.

Flawless build quality - solid as a rock - great paint (gold) - firm, but comfortable ride - powerful, smooth, quiet engine (V6) - great handling and steering feel - quiet cabin except when windows are open - great seats, front and back, although rear seats are too low for good adult thigh support - great seating position and visibility - good stereo (JBL), needs a sub-woofer - good heating and cooling and controls - big glove box - we love having access from front seats to back seats (because of the lack of a console), spare fits inside car, easy to fold down rear seats, plenty of storage room, nice storage nooks and crannies in trunk area - I HAVEN'T FOUND ONE FLAW YET!

I'm going to nit pick here:

Engine lags slightly when A/C is on - I didn't expect this with a 220 hp engine
Generic styling - looks minivanish - needs a bit more muscle
Leather on seats seems thin - I can't get the baby seat impressions out of it!
Wind noise is excessive when windows and/or sunroof is open
Dash styling is inconsistent - the left side of the dash is cool and quirky where the center section is geneeric. Speedo, tach lights, etc. illuminate white - A/C and radio lights illuminate green
Trip computer needs to be refined (my 95 BMW 325 had a great one)
Driver convenience storage space is limited - no coin or phone holder Door storage compartments are tough to reach into
The gear shift lever can be wiggled when in the drive position. Due to its location (protruding from under the center of the dash), I accidentally kicked it out of gear once.
Cruise control controls are confusing when compared to a BMW
Non-power front passenger seat
Even the Chevy had a compass!

For the past 16 years, I've driven German sport coupes. With the arrival of a second child and the resultant need for a more practical family car, we started shopping for an on-the-road SUV (no minivans here!). There's quite a selection available - import and domestic - covering about every price range.

We wanted something mid-priced (no BMW's, Benzes or Range Rovers) and imported (quality and resale), although we did test-drive the new Chevy Trail Blazer. We wanted to spend about $30K. This left us with the usual Japanese suspects - Nissan, Toyota, Honda and their luxury brethern, as well as Mitsubishi, Isuzu and the like.

Our search (test drives, Edumnds, mag reviews, Consumers, etc.) narrowed our search to the Nissan Pathfinder, Acura MDX and Toyota Highlander. See my comments above on each of these cars/trucks. In the end, the Highlander was a no-brainer.

I have never been more satisfied with a vehicle. It's not flawless, but is does satisfy each one of my basic needs. It's powerful, roomy, handles well, is family friendly, was relatively affordable and I loved the Toyota sales and financial team. I wish it was cooler looking, I wish it has a few more luxury features, but it is great for my family, and that is the bottom line. To me, it's like a big German sports wagon - I don't miss my BMW at all!

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Nissan Pathfinder (nice, but archaic and vanilla, too trucky, plus, Nissan dealers came off like used car salesmen to me. Also, Nissans don't hold their value as well as Toyotas.), Chevy Trail Blazer (nice, but had rough edges typically associated with American build quality, low resale value), Acura MDX (I'm not going to get screwed on price, no matter how nice, plus, it looks kind of weird to me), Lexus RX300 (no way this car is $5000 better than the Highlander, plus it looks kind of feminine to me) and BMW X5 (oh, if I had $10000 more!).