Used 2002 Toyota Highlander Consumer Reviews

2002 Limited V-6 AWD

Hey, i purchased a 2002 Toyota Highlander Limited V-6 AWD and i love it. the only thing i have to complain about is the standard Bridgestone tires in the snow, which stink, and the rattles the car has.

Great SUV

Excelent suv. NO problems

great little car

Moved up from 92 4 cyl Camry so felt like home. Got 4 cyl and it is fine here in Atlanta merging on the expressway etc. 16,000 miles now have one year & average 25 mpg - approx 38 miles round trip to work mostly expressway but lots of errands in stop/go traffic. Will keep forever!

My 2002 Toyota Highlander

Comfortable and smooth. Now my wife always wants to drive my car instead of hers!

Great for our needs for under $24,000

We needed more room for yearly trips to Florida. We knew we had to look into an SUV for more room. The compact SUVs were cheap, but just too small. The midsize SUVs were out of our price range, until we found the Highlander. After driving it we knew it was the vehicle for us. We purchased a base model 4 cyl with a few minor upgrades. Let me tell you, this is great vehicle. It has everything you need. The 4 cly 2 WD FWD is great on snow covered roads and the engine has plenty of power for normal driving with the benefit of 22- 27 mpg. If you don't go off road and your looking for a vehicle for more room and a low price this one can't be beat.

HLNDR

So far, I have no complaints. The auto is relatively expensive when compared to similar vehicles. It does take some time getting acustomed to dropping 30K on a truck. I expect it to pay off 8-10 years down the road.

A Great SUV

Has never broken down. Gets about 30 mpg on the highway. Can tow a trailer. Very comfortable. Over all a very good buy. Would get it again

The Perfect Car!

In 2001 I discovered the Toyota Sequoia, and I watched as it increased 10K in price in 14 mos. Then I found the Highlander. It is the perfect combination of truck, performance, reliability, safety, cargo, quality, and comfort available for the price. Expensive? Perhaps, but compared to EVERYTHING else its a steal. If you have 50K for a car, get a Sequoia, but if you have 50K, why not just get the Lexus! For the rest of us - Highlander!!

Colorado Highlander

A great little 4 cylinder SUV. Nice ride, good visibility, good overall quality. I like the way the Highlander drives, handles in the snow, and looks when I clean it. I've had some problems with fan noise and dashboard rattles. I plan on getting 150k out of this vehicle - just like my old Ford Explorer. For the money Toyota builds a great vehicle. I wanted a Camry station wagon & I think I got one.

Take the HIGHLANDer

What else would you expect from Toyota? The Highlander has the legendary quality and performance in a package that also has the SUV look without having to pay the price in ride or economy.

Great deal for a quality product!

I have owned this for 1 year now and am pleasantly surprised what a delight it is to own. This is my 3rd Toyota and I am just in love with this company. Their cars are far superior to all others I've owned... Chrysler, GM, Ford... none of them compare to the quality of Toyota. I was happy with the 4 cylinder over the 6, because the difference in power was not very great, and I was able to use the money I saved on upgrades like leather and sunroof - aftermarket ofcourse. I get loads of looks and questions from all kinds of people about this car. They are all surprised at how little I paid for it. $27000 new with everything. Highly Recommended.

The best midsize suv

Pleasure to drive, excellent fuel economy, toyota reliability, toyota quality,inside and out.

After a year

The Highlander has been a pleasure to drive this past year. The vehicle has outstanding build quality and solidity. It is very quiet and easy to drive. Comfort for rear seat passengers is good, especially with the reclining rear seats. The size of the vehicle is a good balance that provides adequate hauling capacity while keeping down vehicle weight. I was able to carry a rolled 9' x 12' carpet inside. Controls are sensibly placed and easy to operate. It took a little while to get used to the brakes. At first they felt a little bit soft, but the vehicle has good stopping distance and control. Turning radius is significantly better than the Lexus RX300.

Excellent vehicle

I have just completed the 1000 mile breakin and this is one fine vehicle. I have no compliants at all. The vehicle is designed perfectly, handles like a car, has excellent power, excellent room. I love my Highlander and would easilyt replace it with another.

2001 mid year build Highlander

Did about 2 months of research on the HL B-4 buying,,this our 3ed Toyota and am sold,,the AWD system is great here in Minnesota,,except for a few small things build quality is a 10.

4 Cyl. 2WD great economy SUV.

The Highlander is very easy to drive (not as easy as compact SUVs such as CRVs) considering its size. It is a lot easier to drive than a 4Runner or an Excursion. The steering is light enough so the car doesn't feel heavy. And there is not an overall sense of "bulkiness" when changing lanes, backing up, etc... The 4 Cyl. 2WD only feels slightly less powerful than the SR5 V6 4Runner. But, you should test drive both, back to back, before you decide if the 4 cyl. Highlander is powerful enough. I would not recommend getting the 4WD option with the 4 cyl. Highlander. It would weigh down the vehicle dramatically causing it to feel a tad sluggish.

Fun Purchase

Choosing a 4 cylinder gives me extrordinary pleasure: my purchase price was lower and now that gas prices are higher, I continue to save because I use less. I find very little loss of power when passing. The design was of prime importance and the reliability needed to equal its reputation. As a widow these were my top priorities and all have been met.

Six Month Experience

Comfortable ride and driving experience. Really a car with SUV capabilites for bad weather and road conditions. Like the high ride with car feel. Would not reccommend for real off-road activites. has very nice cargo capacity for a SUV of its size. I really like the tight feel of the car and Toyota dependability.

Bruce Lee's Opinion

Great Vehicle

Best SUV I've owned

I have owned Explorers (2), 4-Runner, Jeep, and GMC. The Highlander is by far the best one, based on the comfort and driveability. Toyota is right on by designing an SUV that drives like a car. When I get in my daughter's Explorer, it feels like I'm riding in a rough old buggy.

Wind noise

Great vehicle, but on windy days (15mph+) gross, howling wind noise when driving 70 mph into the wind. Too loud to hear radio. Toyota cannot come up with the cause.

GreatNewSUV

I spent months looking for a new car & drove every SUV out there! Borrom line- it's hard to beat the Toyota reliability & the 'amount' of vehicle I could purchase for the price! Broguht my Highlander home & it seemed like I owned it forever. Controls are so functional --its just layed out logically. The ride is incredibly smooth , handling is great, and front seats are very comfortable. I drive the AWD 4 cyl- and the motor is not undersized as I thought it might be. It's got plenty of oommph when I need it. Great attention to detail! Vast amounts of cargo space in this one! Three adults fit great in the back seat too.

Buy a Highlander!!

This car in the most comfortable and fun to drive automobile I have ever owned. All features are within easy reach.

owning the Highlander

I am now at 6 months ownership with the highlander. I find it one of the most enjoyable vehicles I have owned including luxury sedans. Power could be improved somewhat and milage is low. Otherwise a real gem. Performance in snow and ice is super. I will definitely get another in a year or so.

It's the Best

Great SUV, worth every penny!

Drive the 4 cyl first

I love this SUV. I don't go off road and don't use 4WD. Most people who buy this type of vehicle will get 4WD and never use it. Don't bother. Also, test drive the 4 cyl first. You will be surprised at the power it has. The V6 is better but if you don't haul stuff and plan to get a 2WD, this will work. This is a car in an SUV's body.

Excellent vehicle.

Runs excellent. Had for 15 years, Kept all maintenance up to date. Never had trouble with it.

02 shines in mountains

Heated seats, leather, pwr sunroof,newer Cooper tires.

Earliest Toyota Highlander Hybrid

This vehicle was reliable transportation for me and my family for nearly 10 years. It "survived" an unavoidable traffic accident successfully. The design of the vehicle caused the heat to work ineffectively in cold weather. I sold the vehicle rather than risk paying for a hybrid battery replacement after the odometer read 100,000 miles.

Highlander

My Highlander has served my needs very well. I am now getting a newer car to take advantage of new safety features.

Best SUV

Best SUV we ever owned. Rides like a luxury car, handles cargo like a Surburban. Excellent performance and perfect reliability.

Toyota Highlander

Smooth, powerful pickup. Good response to demand but attention to road necessary. Dials on dashboard need to have running lights on to be visible. Wind noise loud with rear windows part open. Really did not want moon roof or roof rack. Otherwise the vehicle feels like a fine watch and I have owned many of both!

BEST SUV

Besides the expensive $35K+ SUVs, this has to be the best buy for your money! This car is so reliable, and hasn't broken down yet, even at 65,000 miles! All we have done is changed the oil twice, and changed the tires at 30K miles. Oh, the goodyears that originally came on the Highlander were "interesting." We replaced them with michelins. very satisfied with this purchase, way better than any van or the honda pilot! Very comfortable car, can tow up to 3K pounds (tried it before, works great with the V6, even up the steep hills in the Grapevine in N. LA county), good acceleration, nice looking, average gas mileage is about 20 MPG, mostly street driving. Not bad eh? Great car overall!

Ride on the Edge of America