Used 2003 Toyota Highlander Consumer Reviews
Used Highlander for sale
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Mechanically reliable, no frills vehicle.
j_ash, 12/17/2010
2003 Toyota Highlander Fwd 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful
I bought my '03 about two years ago with about 70k miles. I had to replace the HVAC blower motor (approx $250) because of an annoying rattle. Aside from that issue I've had no other machanical problems at 115k. I will say that the front seat is uncomfortable and is ill suited to long drives. The cabin materials in general are cheaper than other cars I've owned in the past. The carpet is super thin and the leather is of substandard quality in my opinion. A good car if you dont care about the ugly, cheap interior.nion. Not a bad car if you don't care about the interior.
Buyer beware
bk, 07/21/2010
2003 Toyota Highlander Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
45 of 50 people found this review helpful
We purchased this car new and kept it dealer maintained for 7 years. I found it to be quite a reliable vehicle until recently. At 118,000 miles it developed a coolant leak. It was ultimately found to be due to stripped out threads in the engine block (i.e. the car needed a new engine ~ $7500.00). After discovering that I was not the only one to experience this problem (check online Toyota forums), I notified Toyota. The Rep stated, "Your engine may be defective, but we cannot help you because you are out of warranty." Beware of the 4 cylinder engine in the 03 Highlander! A dealer maintained vehicle is worthless, and Toyota has lost a customer. And so it goes.
Almost Perfect
John Adams, 05/09/2010
2003 Toyota Highlander Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L 4cyl 4A)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
I am a small business owner and was using an Odyssey for hauling and an Accord for personal running. Been looking for something doing both. Finally decided to buy a 4 cylinder Highlander with 118,000 miles. And I have never been so happy in my life on making a car buying choice like this one. Great gas mileage, can do the loading as good as in my Odyssey. Great Car like smooth ride, and great gas mileage. Yes, being a 4 cylinder it does not have that V6 feel but who cares, it has good enough power to hold its own. Recommended 200% to all those who need good gas mileage, need bigger space, wanna drive SUV like looks and don't care if the vehicle does not make 0-60 miles in 6 seconds.
Thumbs Up!!
Tony, 04/11/2007
2003 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I just purchased the 03 Highlander about a month ago and it is by far the best vehicle I have ever owned (owning brand new 00' Grand Am and 03' Silverado prior). It had about 44,000 miles on the odometer and it still drives like new. We test drove an 02 Rendezvous with only 20,000 miles and still drove off with this vehicle. It is very quiet even on the windiest days. The gas mileage is consistently reading around 18 to 20 mpg, which for a midsize is pretty impressive. We bought this because we needed a familly vehicle with my wife delivering our first born a week later, and am totaly secure driving my family around in the Highlander.
Highlander
jlb3, 07/23/2004
2003 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 4A)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
We traded in our Honda CRV for a Highlander in June 2003. This car has just been wonderful. The ride is smooth, unlike that of the other SUVs we tried. It's very quiet, so quiet it's hard to know if the car is on at times. A great choice if you take long trips. Best of all our auto insurance was surprisingly low, because of all the safety features. I would definitely recommend this car to anyone considering it. I'm a commuter and everyone that rides with me comments on what a nice car it is and always asks what type is it!
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