Used 2021 Toyota Highlander Consumer Reviews
Used Highlander for sale
Noisy AC compressor
Wally, 03/24/2023
2021 Toyota Highlander XSE 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought a 2021Highlander XSE in July 2021. It has a noisy AC compressor from the day I picked it up. I complained to the service dept 3times in 9000 miles that it has a bad bearing noise and they tell me it’s normal. I have a 13 yr old vehicle with 171000 miles on it and it doesn’t make the growling noise my 2021 Highlander with 9000 miles on it makes when the AC cycles. I called Toyota Care and they don’t send out a factory representative to have a look at it but rely on the dealership Machanic to determine if it is normal or not. Toyota care is not what it use to be. Quality of Toyota has hit a new low. No longer the quality car they use to make.
Great improvements over previous version
Paula A, 01/06/2022
updated 01/08/2024
2021 Toyota Highlander XLE 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I just hit 10K and can honestly say I'm impressed with changes to driveability over my 2016 Highlander. My 2016 nosedived with medium braking and the front pads were wore out long before the rears. My 10K maintenance on my 2021 shows rear pads are wearing more than fronts. I also have noticed much better handling on curves. Another change I noticed is that the Snow mode doesn't turn off when you exceed certain speeds...it stays on until you turn the car off. Nice feature! I had a 2009 Subaru Forester which I loved for winter driving but the transmission drove me nuts, a 2012 Nissan Rogue which I loved the front seats & the braking system on but again, transmission seemed like it was going to go. While I was somewhat satisfied with my 2016 Highlander, I kept comparing certain features to the Forester and Rogue. I think this latest Highlander version has hit the sweet spot for comfort and handling. I've driven through some intermittent 10"-12" snow depths and on some really icy roads in the past week and was very impressed with it's capability.
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The poorest reliability car we have ever owned.
Evgueni Minev, 04/21/2021
updated 07/15/2025
2021 Toyota Highlander Platinum 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
50 of 69 people found this review helpful
Run away... Brand new 2021 Platinum. Complete electronic failure after 4 months and 8K miles. Brought to local dealer, who has had it for 2 weeks, and now stating cables eaten by mice. Hard to believe since car has been garaged ever since purchased, and our other car is fine. It seemed as the easiest way for Toyota to run away from any responsibility. Will NEVER own Toyota or Lexus again. What a shame. UPDATE: I can’t believe this is Toyota. Every single 2021 V6 Highlander has transmission failure. If you are lucky to get it while under warranty, great. But if you are over 60K, then 10000 dollars out of pocket cost for remanifactured transaxle from Toyota. Toyota issued TSB for the dealerships, for “whining noise” but won’t provide coverage for replacement. The electronics come and go, shorting all the time. My last Toyota ever!
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4th Generation Highlander
Laurie S, 10/21/2020
2021 Toyota Highlander XLE 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
22 of 30 people found this review helpful
I am extremely pleased with the new design of the Highlander. Sleek, modern, and functional, at a great value. New safety features and tech upgrades add to the satisfaction of my purchase.
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Functional but too many nanny controls
Icwl, 04/26/2021
2021 Toyota Highlander Platinum 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 8A)
15 of 20 people found this review helpful
Good sized SUV. Slow acceleration. Pulls 5000 lbs. very solid. Passenger cannot enter GPS destination while vehicle is in motion. Must use Waze instead. Front camera has large section blacked out while parking, so of limited use. Dashcam $600 extra purchase is non functional and is difficult to connect with cell phone (must be in vehicle for connectivity and viewing recorded video) - recommend buying aftermarket dashcam at lower cost. Remote cellular features (remote start, map assist, SOS calling) cost $30 per month.
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- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value