Used 2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Consumer Reviews
Great SUV
The build quality on this vehicle is great. Got the LE trim model and has all the options I need. Fuel economy has been great. Consistently around 37mpg. Checked display against miles driven and gallons used. Virtually every time the mpg was the same between the two. Plenty of acceleration for my driving needs. Engine might be considered noisy but you really have to step on it to make noise. Otherwise a very quiet car. Had to change my acceleration habits to get the fuel economy. But when I looked at others accelerating around me, I was keeping up or going faster. So for me it was great. 3rd seat has no room for adults as others have stated. We never use it and have it laying flat for more cargo space. Got the cargo cover and net across back of cargo area. These are really needed for security and so items will not drop out on your foot. Should come with the vehicle. No lumbar adjustment on driver's seat which is not good. Maybe higher trim models have that option. For a family ok vehicle. For just 2 people with some adults sitting in back at times, a perfect vehicle.
Very Impressive Vehicle
We love our Toyota Highlander Platinum Hybrid and the Platinum comes with all the options, bells and whistles you could possibly want or need. The Hybrid has all the power we need and great fuel mileage. Love the safety features and the birds eye view camera. The 12.3" screen is fantastic. We're still learning how great this vehicle is but really love it.
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- XLE 4dr SUVMSRP: $25,90011 mi away
- XLE 4dr SUVMSRP: $32,64449 mi away
- Limited 4dr SUVMSRP: $33,590In-stock online
Total Disappointment
The driver side seat kept coming apart and the passenger side seat did also once, so I traded it for a 4Runner Limited and it was a wise choice.
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Not bad
I went back and forth between the Highlander Hybrid and the Kia Sorento Hybrid. I actually really loved the styling, 3rd row seating, and slightly better milage of the Sorento more but the cabin felt a bit noisier and less plush. I figure I'll give the Sorento a few years to work out kinks before going back around for the Plug-In. I've put 4500 miles on my 2021 Highlander Hybrid Limited (with the 12" screen added) and overall, I'm happy with it. Pros: -If I'm in adaptive cruise control mode and ECO, doing around 68 mph for a long drive I can touch 35/36 mpg. Who can complain about that for a pseudo-3-row vehicle? -In cruise control I set the lane guidance and the vehicles nearly drives itself. Gradual turns, one can feel the wheel turn just enough to keep you centered in the lane and when traffic appears, the car slows. Technology I hope all cars have soon. -The cameras that surround the Highlander Limited make parking really easy with view options that make it simple to see how close you are to your surroundings. Helpful living in a city. -Comfortable captains chairs in the first two rows and a fairly quiet cabin make for a nice drive. Cons: -When hitting the gas to get on the highway, the engine sounds pretty loud inside. I have been on phone calls through Bluetooth and had the caller ask if I was on a racetrack it was so loud. -3rd row seat is pretty ridiculous. I'm 6'2" and there is no chance I could sit there unless I sit sideways. Then getting in and out from back there requires some serious yoga maneuvering. That said, my kids (both under 9) can fit and don't seem to mind yet. -Perhaps less about the car and more about Toyota, the smartphone app doesn't allow you to adjust temperature remotely. Maybe not a big deal in winter or summer when the thermostat is either on heat or AC, but I've found myself wishing for this function again and again. Somehow my 2016 Hyundai Sonata Limited has this feature but not the 2021 Highlander Limited? Overall, I'm happy with the purchase so far. It's a car that will do a bit of everything very well if not perfectly. And in the days of wild fuel prices, this is a winner.
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Overall pretty disappointed
I'll start with the good. I have a 2021 Highlander Hybrid Limited with the upgraded infotainment system. The interior is excellent, very spacious and comfortable. Plenty of cargo volume, two car seats, dog, all that - space isn't an issue. I think when it comes to 3-row family haulers it is among the most attractive/least embarrassing. It is also very smooth given then eCVT transmission. Now for the bad. First - I imagine the reason most people come to this thing is fuel economy. Driving in eco mode with the absolute greatest care (like accelerating to 60 over 10+ seconds), you're lucky to see combined fuel economy of 30mpg. I've got a little over 1000 miles on mine and consistent see tank averages of 26-29mpg, I never take the car out of eco mode and I am consciously trying to get remotely close to the advertised 35. I think you can hit advertised economy in city only driving, like traffic in a congested city where it can utilize a lot of EV mode, but if you actually plan to move with traffic, you're lucky to see 30. That being said - 30mpg for a vehicle this size is still very good and still better than the next best 3-row Hybrid's advertised economy. I'll take 30 over the sub-20 you'll find in most others' NA V6 engines. Next - noise. This is by far the most noisy non-sports car I've ever had. There is an extreme amount of wind noise from the windows and front driver doors, enough that I have to turn the volume up quite a bit with hands-free phone calls. I've read it has something to do with the design of the mirror, whatever it is, it's awful. The engine is also awful sounding, I actually took it back to my dealer in the first week because I thought it was broken. It is extremely "buzzy" under even the lightest load. I absolutely hate the sound of the engine and through a combination of trying to get better fuel economy and avoid hearing it, I'm especially light on the throttle. Last - hands free locking. I guess this is a Toyota thing, but this thing doesn't have a way to self-lock when you walk away from the car. When I'm leaving the car with a toddler and infant in arm, I'm not really trying to reach for a key to lock the car or touch the door handle, every other car I've had in the last few ~8 years self-locks. It's very annoying but at least the app notifies me that the car is unlocked so I can lock it when me or my wife forget which is basically every time we leave the car. Overall I'm very middle of road on this car, thus the 3 star rating. The fuel economy is disappointing, but better than anything else out there. The interior is comfortable and spacious and it is attractive but the engine and wind noise ruin the driving experience. In conclusion, I would absolutely not lease this car again. Hopefully the new Kia Sorento PHEV is better or whatever we see come along in 3 years. I don't hate it but I definitely don't love it. To be 2 months into a car lease and already looking forward to what's next is telling enough.
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