Hi everyone, I am in the final stages of a Highlander purchase. I am considering a 4-cylinder model. I have read many posts here but I haven't seen a whole lot of stuff about the 4. Will those of you that have the 4 reply with your general experience and satisfaction with the 4-cylinder engine?
My own ideas:
I don't have any need or desire to race or go fast. I just like a comfortable and safe cruising experience. I would like to be able to do the following:
- Cruise comfortably down the freeway at 70 mph or so.
- Be able to step on the gas and have some degree of acceleration as needed to get around someone if necessary (rare occasions).
- Be able to climb over typical grades without strain, for example the CA 5 Grapevine if you are familiar with that.
I should be able to determine the first 2 pretty well with a test drive, but the third one is more difficult to gauge without actually going over the hill, which I am not near.
I also have experience with a 4-cylinder Toyota. I have a 4-cyl 2004 Camry LE. It has met my expectations in every way. It has plenty of acceleration when needed, flies over the Grapevine with no problem, and it cruises at 70-75 mph all day with no problem, all while getting 30+ mpg on the highway. So I am very satisfied, but still wonder about a Highlander since it is a bigger and heavier vehicle.
TD thanks for posting those, I did read them and it was helpful. Looks like in general 4-cyl is pretty good, especially if you are not towing a lot which I'm not.
I guess my other question would be: Really what is the mileage difference? I see a lot of hearsay that the 6 will be "almost the same" or "just 1 or 2 mpg" less. I am skeptical about such claims. I have a 4-cyl Camry and a V6 Solara. The "common word" was that the V6 would really just get a little bit less MPG. This is BS, not true. I track all MPG and have tracked it for years. It is not even close. The 4-cyl Camry routinely gets in the range of 22-25 mpg around town, and hits 31-33 on the highway. The V6 Solara routinely gets range of 16-18 mpg around town. It has hit 26 on the highway. But 16-18 is NOT "almost" 22-25, its not even close!
TD thanks for posting those, I did read them and it was helpful. Looks like in general 4-cyl is pretty good, especially if you are not towing a lot which I'm not.
Excellent!
I guess my other question would be: Really what is the mileage difference? I see a lot of hearsay that the 6 will be "almost the same" or "just 1 or 2 mpg" less. I am skeptical about such claims. I have a 4-cyl Camry and a V6 Solara. The "common word" was that the V6 would really just get a little bit less MPG. This is BS, not true. I track all MPG and have tracked it for years. It is not even close. The 4-cyl Camry routinely gets in the range of 22-25 mpg around town, and hits 31-33 on the highway. The V6 Solara routinely gets range of 16-18 mpg around town. It has hit 26 on the highway. But 16-18 is NOT "almost" 22-25, its not even close!
I'd assume that for this mid-sized SUV the city mileage wouldn't be too much better, but the highway mileage would be considerably better. Hopefully some present 4-cylinder owners will chime in and give you some MPG numbers. I'd be interested to see some current data too.
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2008 Highlander Base 4WD
2002 Avalon XL
1987 Suzuki Samurai 4X4 - Treading where no Jeep can follow....
I had a 2003 4 cyl Highlander and it felt like it had plenty of power to me.
I bought the 2008 V6 4WD and I really can't tell that much difference between the two.
The newer Highlander 4cyl are larger too so I'm sure they have more power.
Have about 3500 on my 4 cyl. The best I have seen is 28 mpg on KS turnpike at 75 mph with a slight tailwind worst around 24 on a west Texas trip. around town probaly getting 20 with wife driving most of it. On Texas trip opened it up and according to GPS ran 104 mph on flat land. Think that is engine cut off. The 6 speed will hunt for a lower gear in hilly country with cruise on and I think that effects gas milage if you are in a hilly or mountains area.
It will not run with my Maxima but it is just as nice on a trip. Just throw things in back and go.
geneva54 & rrger - thank you very much for your posts. This was very helpful information. Right now I am leaning pretty hard toward the 4. 104 all out??? Awesome. I doubt if I will ever hit that though!
I've got a 2009 HL 2.7 w/ 7 speed transmission and love it. Before switching on my Blizzak snow tires, I was getting an average of 27 mpg on my 80% HWY route. I drive around 65 mph but I have a sneaking suspicion that I might get better mileage at 70. The tach needle barely hovers at 2K RPM. I don't do any towing and I drive for mileage not speed.
I've got a 2009 HL 2.7 w/ 7 speed transmission and love it. Before switching on my Blizzak snow tires, I was getting an average of 27 mpg on my 80% HWY route. I drive around 65 mph but I have a sneaking suspicion that I might get better mileage at 70. The tach needle barely hovers at 2K RPM. I don't do any towing and I drive for mileage not speed.
Thanks C-M, that is great - getting 27 on that car is really good. I notice the 2012 models have a 6-speed, not 7. I wonder if they will be as good for that sort of cruising? I don't know much about the history of the transmissions and why yours would be 7 versus 6 offered now. Did they make a change to the transmission or did you get a special deal of some kind?
Yeah, they stopped selling the 7 speed for some reason. I bought mine used 3 mo ago for 21K'ish. It was a base model. Mine's a FWD, but so far its been fine in mild snow here in OH. Haven't had the real stuff yet.
Yeah, they stopped selling the 7 speed for some reason. I bought mine used 3 mo ago for 21K'ish. It was a base model. Mine's a FWD, but so far its been fine in mild snow here in OH. Haven't had the real stuff yet.
I've never heard of any Toyota having a 7 speed besides Lexus. You have anything to back it up?
Did they make a change to the transmission or did you get a special deal of some kind?
toyota's website lists 5 speed w/ v6 and 6 speed w/ I4. could have been a typo. I don't hink Toyota has any 7 speed transmission outside of Lexus (The LS maybe or is that an 8 speed?).
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2008 Black Highlander Limited FWD
Nav (with override), Rear DVD | 900+ Watt Sound System | Headlight & Fog HID Projector Retrofit | LED Interior/Puddle Lights | Rattletrap Sound Deadener | Dueler HL Alenzas 255/55R19's |Updated Modification List
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