Used Toyota Highlanders

[JWC86]

Looking to pick up a used Toyota Highlander, primarily used by my wife to go to work and haul around our two kids. Will also be used for road trips.

Looking for a late 3rd gen or early 4th gen.

I think a early 4th gen might be best as it seems like they do have some nice upgrades over the 3 gens.

Does anyone have any experience they can share that might be helpful while shopping for a used highlander or share?

Do you know when they got stop and go cruise? or as Toyata calls it "Full speed range dynamic radar cruise control" ? The internet is clear on this.

Thanks!

 

[paulri]

Ours is actually 1st gen, but I love it. Incredibly reliable.
Since you mentioned it for road trips, I would advise you if you want a human to ride in that back third row, to actually have them ride in it when you try one for a test drive. It is really only room enough for one person, and this was my smallest daughter. On the other hand, if all the people can fit into the two front rows, then the third folds down and gives a ton of cargo space in the back. Now toyota might have increased the space in that back row in the years between making mine and the ones you are looking for, but given that one of the selling points of their new Grand Highlander is that the third row is bigger, that tells me that in a normal highlander, the third row really is just still big enough for one.

Its not a beef, just an observation. I'd buy this one again in a heartbeat if the situation arose.

 

[JWC86]

Ours is actually 1st gen, but I love it. Incredibly reliable.
Since you mentioned it for road trips, I would advise you if you want a human to ride in that back third row, to actually have them ride in it when you try one for a test drive. It is really only room enough for one person, and this was my smallest daughter. On the other hand, if all the people can fit into the two front rows, then the third folds down and gives a ton of cargo space in the back. Now toyota might have increased the space in that back row in the years between making mine and the ones you are looking for, but given that one of the selling points of their new Grand Highlander is that the third row is bigger, that tells me that in a normal highlander, the third row really is just still big enough for one.

Its not a beef, just an observation. I'd buy this one again in a heartbeat if the situation arose.

Thanks for the reply.

Ya I think the third row is still pretty small. On road trips we would have the third row folded and use it for cargo space. Under "normal" use around town we could have extra seating for the kids friends is what were thinking.

 

[paulri]

Sounds good. it is easy enough to put up or down.

 

[SC Maintenance]

If you don't need the third row -- when I did my research back in 2019, the latest gen of Rav4 - 2019+, has pretty much the same interior dimensions as a third gen Highlander. With 5 passenger seating up, passenger volume is almost the same, highlander has I think 42 cubic feet of cargo vs 38 with the Rav4. We ended up with a Rav4, works for our family of 4. The latest iteration is much larger than the earlier models.

If you need the third row you can obviously disregard this.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

If you actually need the third row, get a Sienna. They offered a 4-cylinder engine in 2011 and 2012

And of course, the Sienna is 4-cylinder hybrid only from 2021. Ford has the Transit Connect I4.

If you don't need the third seat, consider a Prius V or Ford C-Max.

In Canada, you also have the Chevy Orlando, which was never sold in the US, and the Kia Rondo and Mazda 5, which were sold in Canada longer than they were sold in the US. These are small minivans that should have enough space for your needs.

If you still want the Highlander, avoid the V6 because the ones you'll encounter likely have enough miles to require new spark plugs, which are impossible on a transverse V6, especially on a Toyota.

Another option is the Dodge Journey

 

[JavierH19]

Just 2 kids? anything will work as the third row takes up about all the space back there for luggage which is why anything less than a suburban in length is useless to me. Have 5 kids and 4 are girls so you can already imagine how much luggage needs to fit back there when going on a vacation. But that could be a little vw taos or something and it would be fine. Unless you really want the roominess of the width i'd likely get a rav 4 or even a corolla cross hybrid if you can get it reasonably priced. You won't find one used.

 

[JWC86]

Thanks for all the suggestions on vehicles of different sizes but we have settled on the highlander size. We've had everything from Ford escapes to Chev Suburbans and my wife likes the "goldielox" size of the highlander. She is the one that drives it most of the time so I don't try to talk her into something else.

 

[CKN]

I just bought a 2022 Toyota Highlander XLE with 8,000 miles on it. It would be great for your needs. They are out there-you have to be patient. If your not adverse to a ex-rental, the rental companies sell them. You can find them with some factory warranty left.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Thanks for all the suggestions on vehicles of different sizes but we have settled on the highlander size. We've had everything from Ford escapes to Chev Suburbans and my wife likes the "goldielox" size of the highlander. She is the one that drives it most of the time so I don't try to talk her into something else.

then get the best least-rusty 4-cylinder Highlander you can afford

 

[benjamming]

We really enjoy our 2016 model XLE AWD (slip n grip not the "real" deal). 2017 is when they got the revised V6 with the direct fuel injection & changed from 6-speed to 8-speed transmission. 105k miles now with no issues. Front brake pads are right on the cusp of needing to be changed. Spark plugs was pretty easy for DIY. 2GR-FKS may be different but the 2GR-FE was not a problem; just remove the intake plenum (cowl not needed to be removed at all). Transmission fluid not too bad either once you get the hang of the temperature check without Techstream. Front diff fill plug is a little tricky as it requires a thin wall socket.

Happy hunting!

 

[Colvin]

Wife love’s her 17 SE , we’re in the snow belt and AWD is her friend . Funny thing when we first got it she thought the adaptive cruise and lane warning was great now she has those turned off. The direct and port injection non turbo 6 , lots of room for long trips (I’m 6-3 ) ample luggage space with the 3rd seat folded down is a few big reason I wanted it. We bought it with 30 some thousand on it and now has mid 60’s with zero problems in this time.

 

[meep]

We’ve got 2 later model highlanders in the family. One may be a 2016? It’s near minivan utility while not looking like a minivan. 3rd row gets use with adults when we meet with them on trips. Flawless execution. They enjoy it so much they kept it and bought a second, his and hers. Highly recommended. My wife would like to upgrade to one from her crv. We gotta wait a while….

 

[jstert]

my sister inherited our late mom’s 2006 toyota highlander base 4cyl fwd, which came from carmax in 2008 with some factory warranty left. this highlander is the exact opposite of a “drama queen” car. i drove once on a long trip down and up i95. my mom and sister mostly use it around town. it’s obviously long in the tooth now and has no resale value but still trucks along.

 

[super20dan]

our 2004 is still rock solid relibility wise at 230k

 

[UG_Passat]

Looking to pick up a used Toyota Highlander, primarily used by my wife to go to work and haul around our two kids. Will also be used for road trips.

Looking for a late 3rd gen or early 4th gen.

I think a early 4th gen might be best as it seems like they do have some nice upgrades over the 3 gens.

Does anyone have any experience they can share that might be helpful while shopping for a used highlander or share?

Do you know when they got stop and go cruise? or as Toyata calls it "Full speed range dynamic radar cruise control" ? The internet is clear on this.

Thanks!

My 21 Cruise control isn't full automatic stop & go cruise. You have to press the accelerator or cruise resume button to get going again. But, I just do it manually since I can get more MPG doing it myself out of my hybrid.

The early automatic cruise control automatically disables when you get to around 25 mph.