Overview & Reviews

For 2011, the Toyota Highlander receives a refresh that includes restyled front and rear ends and a few more standard features. Among the latter are a 50/50-split-folding third-row seat and rear climate controls for base and SE trims. Lastly, the Sport trim level has been dropped.

• User-friendly cabin with innovative second-row seat design
• Powerful yet fuel-efficient V6
• Easy to maneuver.

• Less overall passenger and cargo space than some competitors
• Carlike refinement though not SUV utility.

User Reviews:

Showing 41 through 50 of 51.00

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  Refined & reliable - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By John Doskoch - September 2 - 2:00 am

  We splurged on the 4WD Limited and glad we did! This made in USA SUV is a pleasure to drive; a quiet, comfortable ride with ample power on demand. Toyota makes a great V6 engine. Really like the new front end design. Limited features at the top of my list include Smart Key keyless entry, push button start, JBL stereo w/XM, heated seats, back up camera. Find the MPG display gauge useful too. MPG has been about 20 on first 2 tanks - good but could be better. Snow is here and I can hardly tell! Drives very securely through snow and slush. Havent had to engage the "snow" mode yet. This is a great family vehicle. Kids ask all the time to drive in it.

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  Just Impressive SUV - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By md4runnerman - August 26 - 4:23 pm

  I bought this vehicle in mid March. Honestly, I cannot find one thing wrong with this vehicle of any substance. From its beefy outside looks for 2011 to the luxurious interior this vehicle rocks! The engine is buttery smooth and quiet. Coupled with the transmission the driving experience is wonderful. Great pickup, horsepower, and acceleration. I got the navigation package which includes the JBL sound system. It all is working seamlessly. There is a lot of interior space, seats are comfortable, third row seating can be folded individually, auto climate system is great, dashboard controls and layout is first class. My gas mileage has steadily increased from 16.2 to 18.4 mpg.

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  Great SUV - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By jjm_jr - June 3 - 7:18 pm

  I bought my Highlander about 1 month ago, and its a dream to drive. I am running about 19 mpg, taking it easy on the throttle. On trips she is a dream. I previously drove a 08 FJ Cruiser and loved it, but had enough with the noise in the cabin. The Higjlander is a Fantastic SUV, as it feels more like a luxury car no more road noise either.

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  Comfy family hauler absent of any sporting ambitions - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By jan57 - May 18 - 1:23 am

  My wife insisted on buying this car as a family vehicle. The car is very comfortable, quiet and has good acceleration. Its spacious, loads lots of stuff and has been reliable. Fuel economy is good for the class, but nothing to bragg about (it is after all a hulking SUV). We average about 22 miles/gallon. On the negative side, the car has prominet torque steer if you make use of only half the power, the steering is as numb as could be and the car floats more than it drives. Excitement factor is zero. Its totally incapable in snow despite its appearance. Rear visibility is very poor and the backup camera a must. Blue tooth is very basic and doesnt switch between different phones.

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  Build Quality, Reliability & Buttery Ride - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By halls1030 - November 26 - 7:05 am

  I purchased a 2011 Highlander Limited 4WD at the beginning of December 2010, in one month I have managed to put just over 3000 miles on the car (yes, I drive a ton). Its hard to find anything this SUV doesnt do well. Granted, its not BMW-quick and doesnt sip gas like a Prius, but overall the SUV is easy on the eyes, drives like a dream and bottom line I am 99.9% satisfied...I really wish I could get Prius-like gas mileage out of my Highlander (wouldnt we all!) but otherwise the SUV is fantastic! I traded my 2008 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited (black & loaded just like in the commercials) for my Highlander and while I miss my truck. Again, the Highlander just keeps growing on me!

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  Very Nice Vehicle - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By indianadad - October 16 - 10:31 pm

  We bought this car 9 days ago and have managed to put about 500 miles on it with a long Spring Break weekend included. So far we are averaging about 23 MPG city and 27 MPG highway, so it is beating my gas mileage expectations for choosing the 4 cylinder. This is a pretty powerful 4 cylinder, so it performs very well - even with it packed with family and luggage. If you test drive one, you will be pleased. There is a little bit of noise at low gears, but the 6 speed makes it pretty quiet afterwards. This base model has everything I actually use on a car, so we are happy. The interior is very pleasant and the looks outside are very sharp, especially with all of the chrome. Good buy!

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  Overrated - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By Bradley Bean - September 2 - 10:30 am

  After years of owning domestic vehicles, I antied up and paid the big bucks for a Toyota. What a disappointment. The vehicle seemed great at first, but we didnt notice that it rode like a truck until our first road trip. The 3rd row seats are a joke - none of our kids will sit back there so long trips became a nightmare with 3 kids. The navigation feature was klunky and we battled leaks around the moonroof. We also noted that it lacked features like convenient charging ports for devices. MPG was less than reported, but that is typical. The vehicle starts / stops and ran reliably, but for $40K, you expect a lot more. We were so happy to trade out of it!

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  2011 Toy Highlander V6 4WD - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By jonjon111 - June 7 - 6:18 am

  Excellent vehicle overall. Excellent alternative to a van. Previously owned vans for the past 10 years (Sienna & Odyssey). It was time for a change. We shopped around for the best mid size replacement as an alternative to a van at our price point. Our biggest concern was loosing the versatility of a van, which will always be there. We drove the Ford Edge, GMC Terrain, and Toyota Venza. Of the three we ruled out the Edge & Terrain. The Venza was the best of the three. We then realized a must for us was a 3rd seat to accomodate additional passengers as needed. We realized we had to increase our price point & test drove the Highlander. We immediately realized this to be a perfect fit.

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  Stay away from the Pricy Nav System - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By hondaowner56 - June 6 - 4:11 pm

  Good overall, but it doesnt mean competition is bad. If youre interested in the Nav, the only advantage youll get for $2000 extra is the bigger backup camera screen. Nav is terrible for $2000. TOYOTA MUST GIVE AWAY this nav rather than sell it. Its very old tech. Many owners also get lost because they cant park the car just to make corrections. Voice command is very ancient and limited (only 3 entries shown at a time). Save the $2000, buy the high-end portable nav, and keep the difference. Youll get better and safer guidance. I drive with the screen always off because of the frustrating User interface.

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  Take the High road with a Highlander! - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By frannie - June 1 - 4:17 am

  Highlanders are such a dependable and safe vehicle. I have had mine for almost five years and it has been 100% trouble free - 100% Friends and neighbors are constantly taking both Swedish and American models into the shop. Not with a Toyota - you can depend on a Toyota, day after day, week after week, year after year. First Toyota I have owned. I will always own a Toyota!