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2023 Toyota Highlander consumer reviews

$36,620–$38,220 MSRP range
side view of 2023 Highlander Toyota
(35 reviews)
31% of drivers recommend this car
Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 3.2
  • Interior 3.2
  • Performance 2.6
  • Value 2.4
  • Exterior 3.6
  • Reliability 2.8
Explore the 2023 Toyota Highlander
Shop the 2023 Toyota Highlander

SKIP this Car

Terrible TURBO LAG !!! Toyota blew it with this car. $44,000 for WHAT ??? I can't Imagine Toyota is putting this Dog of an engine in the '24 Tacoma. Bonus, NO CD PLAYER !!!

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 3.0
  • Performance 2.0
  • Value 2.0
  • Exterior 3.0
  • Reliability 3.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Transporting family
  • Does not recommend this car
10 people out of 11 found this review helpful. Did you?
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Scary Highlander

The other reviews are absolutely scary. I am now Leary of my 2023 Toyota Highlander. It definitely does not compare to my 2017 Highlander. It is not comfortable and also jerky. I truly believe I have made a huge mistake.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 3.0
  • Interior 3.0
  • Performance 2.0
  • Value 2.0
  • Exterior 3.0
  • Reliability 3.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Having fun
  • Does not recommend this car
25 people out of 27 found this review helpful. Did you?
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Hot Garbage

Made it almost 4k miles before the turbo lag started. Toyota took a fantastic vehicle and made it awful simply by removing a phenomenal powertrain and replacing it with a terrible one. We have owned two highlanders before this one, and both were excellent. After having owned more than a dozen Toyotas, The 2023 Highlander Limited is the last new Toyota we will purchase until they bring back a solid, efficient, naturally aspirated powertrain.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 1.0
  • Interior 1.0
  • Performance 1.0
  • Value 3.0
  • Exterior 3.0
  • Reliability 3.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Transporting family
  • Does not recommend this car
21 people out of 21 found this review helpful. Did you?
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Awful

Bought 23 highlander in March . The turbo engine is awful . Jerks and hesitates in traffic like others have said . We sold a 2011 with the v6 and bought this one and have regretted it ever since so we traded it in for a 2022 with v6 . Smooth as butter . Stay away from the 23’s .

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 4.0
  • Performance 1.0
  • Value 1.0
  • Exterior 4.0
  • Reliability 1.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does not recommend this car
10 people out of 11 found this review helpful. Did you?
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2023 Highlander Platinum 4cyl Turbo

Bought this car for my wife. Test drive was fine but we babied it. Car now has 5k miles on it, and we’re having power issues like other reviewers. Very jerky and serious turbo lag issues. They should have stayed with the 6cyl, better engine and quieter driving experience. Now this is becoming a safety issue. You never know what’s going to happen when your pulling out into traffic. Looking to trade this in on another vehicle. If this engine is what Toyota is putting into their other new vehicles, buyer beware. Other than that it’s a very nice looking vehicle.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 5.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 1.0
  • Value 3.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 2.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Transporting family
  • Does not recommend this car
9 people out of 9 found this review helpful. Did you?
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It’s not worth the money

Honestly, it’s not worth all this money at all of the interior is very poor and the option of very poor as well. You can’t find the same option in Mercedes 2002.!!

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 3.0
  • Interior 2.0
  • Performance 3.0
  • Value 2.0
  • Exterior 3.0
  • Reliability 3.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Transporting family
  • Does recommend this car
7 people out of 9 found this review helpful. Did you?
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2023 Toyota Highlander DONT BUY

Lots of jerking. You have to be very careful when turning into traffic because you never know if you’re going to have enough power to actually take off. Stop and go traffic is awful to drive in with this car. It was a smooth drive from the time I test drove to about 3500 miles. Now it lags when taking off. You get to we’re you expect it to lag so you floor it to get out in traffic and it jerks you. You just never know what’s going to happen. Scary driving for sure. Took it to dealership told nothing wrong with it. Very rude service manager told me to take it back to the dealership I bought it from. I attempted to purchase the car thru my local dealership but they didn’t have any in stock. I was desperate for a car. I drove 45 minutes away to purchase it. I asked if I was going to have a problem taking to my local dealership and was told no. Apparently my local dealership doesn’t like you if you purchase from somewhere else. My friend has a Toyota Highlander I borrowed for a day and fell in love with it which is why I decided on one. One thing the salesman failed to tell me was the new motor that the 2023 had. I know I should have done research. It sucks.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 4.0
  • Performance 1.0
  • Value 1.0
  • Exterior 3.0
  • Reliability 1.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does not recommend this car
12 people out of 12 found this review helpful. Did you?
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4cyl Turbo Lacks and Lags

After 3,200 miles of owning this vehicle, I am having a lot of buyer's remorse, and it is all due to the 2.4L 4-cylinder turbo that was new for 2023. No more silky smooth v6 as in the previous generation Highlanders! Around town it is weak at startup acceleration, then jerks heavily at around 2000 RPMs from turbo lag. When the car is full of passengers, it is even worse, to the point where it feels dangerous to pull out across traffic. Worse yet, if you put 87 octane gas in it, as Toyota states as acceptable, then the engine will also intermittently misfire. Apparently, a derivative of this 2.4L 4-cylinder turbo is going in the 2024 Tacoma and Camry ... and if so ... Toyota should be prepared for a lot of unhappy customers. Other than the 2.4L turbo engine, the Highlander is a fantastic vehicle.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 1.0
  • Value 2.0
  • Exterior 4.0
  • Reliability 2.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Transporting family
  • Does not recommend this car
23 people out of 24 found this review helpful. Did you?
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Colors

Starting to like the Moon Dust color more each and every day. Love the gray interior even more. I will never get black interior again.

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 5.0
  • Value 4.0
  • Exterior 4.0
  • Reliability 4.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Having fun
  • Does recommend this car
15 people out of 19 found this review helpful. Did you?
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TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4 CYL TURBO IS SMOOTH/RESPONSIVE

Replaced my 2020 Leased TOYOTA HIGHLANDER (6cyl) with a 2023 version (4cyl Turbo). I only have it one day, but am very happy. I personally exude and appreciate both Loyalty and Quality in my business dealings and in my business relationships, and that's exactly why I just purchased my 3rd automobile from the folks that own, and run WESTBURY TOYOTA. There's a myriad of reasons why WESTBURY TOYOTA is consistently rated the #1 TOYOTA Dealership and Service Center in The Tri-State Area. They routinely provide: - Fairly priced deals that normally beat the competition. - A large inventory to choose from. - Terrific Financing options and interest rates. - Stellar, Knowledgeable, well-trained Managers; Salespeople; Finance Department Staff; Service Personnel and Support Staff. A Service Department comprised of astutely competent, thorough, well-trained Managers, Technicians/Mechanics and Service Advisors. I not only trust these guys with my life, but with the lives of my family members, and those of my clients and friends that ride with me. Drop-in to WESTBURY TOYOTA, see the Financing & Leasing Manager, Luis Bono, "The Consummate Deal-Maker". Ask Luis to introduce you to Certified Sales Consultant, Cristian Reyes. You'll be glad you did, because Cristian handles everything related to your Sale or Lease, and then some, to bring about a most pleasurable, successful conclusion!!! Last, but not least, see Alex, the expert Finance Manager....a great guy and fun to deal with. Please mention to these wonderful folks at WESTBURY TOYOTA that P. J. sent you. I sure hope that you'll enjoy your new car and your great deal at WESTBURY TOYOTA, as much as I always have!!! God bless.... I’ll get back to you, with true SUV review, after my traditional new car maiden voyage on The Taconic State Parkway to Hunter Mountain. It’s New York’s version of World famous U. S. 1, that runs along California’s Pacific Coastline (PCH)….

Rating breakdown (out of 5):
  • Comfort 4.0
  • Interior 5.0
  • Performance 5.0
  • Value 5.0
  • Exterior 5.0
  • Reliability 5.0
  • Purchased a New car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
1 person out of 22 found this review helpful. Did you?
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