That seems like a blip due to gas prices but thats definitely not the trend over the past few quarters. That big blip for Q3 2025 was due to expiring EV subsidies but clearly sales are declining over time.
Late Model Toyota Highlander Reviews ?
- Thread starter ChrisD46
- Start date
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Absolutely agree. But generally things like high gas prices tend to stick in people’s mind. And considering infrastructure damage in the gulf, prices won’t return to where they were in February for some time.
Very helpful - so, no 8 speed transmission in the Highlander for me . *Disappointing to learn Toyota has decided to go all - electric with the Highlander in 2027 and new 2026 Highlanders are essentially sold out … That leaves the used Highlander market as my only option . I GREATLY PREFER traditional SUV’s that sit up high for senior age ease of getting in and out of the vehicle as well as improved road vision in all directions sitting up higher. **What would be your 2nd choice to the Highlander then for a reliable , sit up higher SUV ?
The infrastructure for electric vehicles is declining plus (at least in the PNW) thieves are now stealing parts out of electric charging stations (i.e. precious metals) to sell off to scrap metal buyers - thus rendering charging stations inoperable … No thank you !
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2026
I’ve heard the hybrids are sold out for a while. All we have on the lot is gas right now. Sad they are going all electric.
Concur!
I remember the Volvo-Subaru muddy hill climb videos - Subarus with the central diff with limited slip clutches ruled, while the haldex-assisted Volvos made a mess. Clearly a locked mechanical system is more effective in off-road or pavement-extreme situations. But for general wet and snowy pavement, rear-wheel assist is still helpful.
We had a gen-1 MDX with their torque-vectoring AWD. You could “lock” the rear differential. I serviced it a couple of times. To my surprise, the factory required “lock” was up to something like 145 ft/lbs per side. The diff was basically a spool with e-magnetic clutches on each half shaft. It only needed 6amps per side, which got me to wondering just how much it could lock. That equates to a total of 290 ft/pounds max torque at the rear. If the radius of the tire was what, 15 inches? That equated to a walloping 240 lbs or so of thrust against a 4200 lb vehicle.
Driving it around in the dirt, it was not very helpful. Driving it around in the snow, the vehicle was quite good. It surprised me how little power the rear could provide, and yet how helpful it was in the fluffy stuff.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
I absolutely agree with that. It is a minimalistic approach: Does the driver really need more than that? What is the profile of those who buy these cars? There are some who will get in the pickle in deep snow, etc., but Toyota, like other companies, has to make a profit and sell vehicles.
As for Subaru, it also did not do very well. TFL had a beef with Subaru over that. Subaru claimed they did not know how to use X-Mode. But, regardless of the fact that sometimes those guys can be annoying, if people who are enthusiasts have issues using your AWD, then what do you expect from regular drivers? This test is an example of why mom&pop mountain towing companies here are making a killing because of Subaru.
Outside of the eCVT (good) and the 8-speed whine (some develop whine, some don't), the power hatch lift supports still appear to be an issue. The "Power Cylinders" start to malfunction after 3-5 years, typically when they're out-of-warranty.
Last winter, mine have started to refuse to lift/close. It's not a temperature related issue as I thought it was. It's starting to act up even now with the warmer temperature. I have to use the FOB, once the hatch starts to open, I grab the bottom of the hatch and manually help the cylinders. I have to be careful not to get my fingers pinched, as the hatch will re-close when it meets resistance. Closing will also require assistance.
It might be more cost effective to replace the lifts with cheap Amazon supports, even if these need changing more often.
Last winter, mine have started to refuse to lift/close. It's not a temperature related issue as I thought it was. It's starting to act up even now with the warmer temperature. I have to use the FOB, once the hatch starts to open, I grab the bottom of the hatch and manually help the cylinders. I have to be careful not to get my fingers pinched, as the hatch will re-close when it meets resistance. Closing will also require assistance.
It might be more cost effective to replace the lifts with cheap Amazon supports, even if these need changing more often.
