2003 Toyota Highlander Review Summaries

What reviewers liked most about the Toyota Highlander:

Highlander offers all the quiet we have come to expect from Toyota sedans.

-- AutoWeek

The base [four-cylinder] engine will work for about 90 percent of all driving needs.

-- AutoWeek

The gear shift lever is in an unusual position: in a raised pod... [and is] easier to reach than most floor shifters.

-- Canadian Driver

... [rear-seat passengers will] enjoy the backrest's three-position recliner.

-- Car and Driver

...smooth suspension, precise steering, and refined powertrain...

-- Car and Driver

standard antilock brakes equipped with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and brake assist

-- Edmunds.com

It may not deliver a quick jolt to the brain's pleasure center, but it does gradually blossom there into a sense of general well-being and satisfaction. A smile even forms... 'Hey! I like this Highlander.'

-- New Car Test Drive

...it cut upward through eight inches of newly fallen snow like a snowplow on a rescue mission. 'Hey! I like this Highlander - a LOT!'

-- New Car Test Drive

...spring rates are slightly firmer [than the Lexus RX 300] for a more sporty ride. And we like it.

-- Popular Mechanics

...some of the biggest, most sensible and easy to use cabin controls we've seen.

-- The Detroit News

much more comfortable than typical mid-size truck-based SUVs, especially in the back seat.

-- Woman Motorist

What reviewers liked least about the Toyota Highlander:

...there isn't a centre armrest/storage bin [for CDs, sunglasses or cell phone].

-- Canadian Driver

Highlander does not have an optional third-row seat.

-- The Detroit News

[Brakes] felt numb... It took lots of pressure to slow... [however] Highlander never failed to halt.

-- USA Today

Toyota Highlander Comparisons:

Compared with the RX 300, the Highlander is both larger and less expensive. It doesn't have quite as many luxury features as the Lexus, but you still can load it up with leather, heated seats, a sunroof, et cetera.

-- Automobile

...impressive cargo space: 81 cubic feet (compared with 75 in the RX 300, and 72 in the Grand Cherokee).

-- Car and Driver

Everyone will cheer the obvious value: for all its shared components the Highlander is some $8,000 to $10,000 less than the [Lexus] RX 300.

-- New Car Test Drive

Best one-liner about the Toyota Highlander:

...it can swallow with ease impromptu buys at flea markets...

-- New Car Test Drive

...car-like step-in and lift-into the Highlander is even friendly to wearers of tight skirts.

-- New Car Test Drive

a great way to get into a Lexus RX 300 -- at a Toyota price.

-- The Car Connection

...an SUV for folks who want the patina without the pain.

-- USA Today