After 11 years and two 2nd generation Highlanders, let me explain my story. We first bought one in late 2013, right when the new body style was rolling out in the market. This one was a Plus with the 2.7L 1AR-FE 4-cylinder. It was a no-gimmick car with only a few optional extras and features, the main one being Bluetooth and a windshield de-icer and somewhat better cloth seating. While this trim did come with some anti-theft protection, it was not as much as I would hope for the year. It had a key transmitter but no alarm system. That Highlander was definitely a no-thrills Toyota, but it got the job done and it did it well. From my experience with two of them, I would have to say avoid the 4-cylinder Highlanders from 2008-2019. They are sluggish and likely to give problems in the future due to the heavy load on the engine. The torque converter blew out on that one because it couldn't handle the weight of the vehicle. The fuel economy is only slightly better in the real world. It provided good comfort and felt like I was driving a sedan. It is based on the Camry platform, so suspension components are shared between the two, resulting in a nice ride quality. The steering is responsive but can sometimes feel stale and static. Acceleration is decent on V6 models, to the point where if you don't master the throttle, you can make your passengers feel like they are on a roller coaster. On 4-cylinder models, there is a 20-50% linearity on the throttle for decent acceleration. Sequential shift mode will almost be needed every time you need to accelerate quickly on a 4-cylinder model. Even on the V6 models, the transmission can be a little delayed or sluggish, to the point where you will need to manually shift it. Although this should only be a problem if you are used to driving an Altima. If you drive pretty chill and not aggressively, the transmission and engine make a great pair on both the V6 and 4-cylinder models. In terms of cargo space and space in general, it has a pretty decent load space with the 3rd row down, but with it up, it is nonexistent. The same goes for legroom; in general, if you're tall or fat, there's nowhere for your legs to go. In the 3rd row, legroom is nonexistent. Don't buy this car for the third row if you plan to have it longer than 4 years, especially if you have small children. The middle seat is a joke and is only 1 foot long, so any person who sits there and is not 4 feet tall would be into the other two seats. The Stow and Go seating is neat, allowing you to switch the 2nd-row seat from a bench seat to a pass-through, to extra cupholders and a storage compartment. Speaking of cupholders, you will not run out in this car. Even the headlights can be cupholders. There are 12 cupholders on the inside of the car.

In terms of software, it is showing its age in every department. Along with that, the radio software is really mixed. If you have the standard radio without Entune, the software is a little less buggy and intuitive. But if you have the Entune radio, you will be fighting it most frequently. And with the software sunsetted, it makes no sense to continue to have it. The Entune software is overlayed and clunky and blocks everything from working well. Moving onto if this is a good car nowadays, I would say if you want to get one, get the Limited trim as you get the most features. This car is good for people who want the modest without the hard-to-use tech and bothering systems. It's simple, laid out, clear, and good-looking. It is reliable with the proper powertrain to suit, and I have not had any major mechanical problems besides that torque converter on the 4-cylinder. Would I buy again? Probably not because I've already had two, but if I bought another one, then it should show just how good it was to begin with.

Posted on Edmunds by Arkman 28