2002 Toyota Highlander Overview, Reviews, Ratings & Specs

2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
18 City / 22 HWY
Source FuelEconomy.gov
Horsepower
220
Seats
5
Front angle view.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Rachel W
Very spacious and comfortable.
I love how spacious it is. It is an easy vehicle to drive. I can load up the kids and still have plenty of space for the stroller and groceries. I really haven't had many problems with it. Other than regular oil and tire changes. I think the only thing we had to replace is the alternator. It's a great SUV!
accountCircle Kim D
Long lasting and still like a charm
Dependable and durable. It is 16 years old and still rides like a new one and the maintenance has been problem free. The resale value is still good so others now the value of this vehicle.
accountCircle Kanu S
It has lots of space for passengers as well as cargo.
Toyota Highlander is very reliable vehicle. I am driving it for more than 16 years and drove for 100,000 miles and I do not have any mechanical problems other than regular maintenance.
accountCircle Jorge L
Highlander is the SUV to by any year I didn't go wrong on this buy.
I like driving my 2002 highlander everywhere everyday it really a great SUV my family love it reliable I will buy another one if I had the money I had the SUV for a few years now and I haven't really spend a lot of money on maintenant. I think if your wanting to buy a SUV buy a highlander it is a great SUV.
accountCircle Dana L
Has 4 wheel drive. Love the fact that I can go almost anywhere with it.
I love my car I wish it was bigger cause I hail my goats to fair back and forth places so wishing it was bigger.
accountCircle Ashlyn D
Perfect for any sized family!
I love my Toyota highlander! It is always reliable, I can always count on it to get me to where I need to go! It is good on gas and it fills for an affordable price. I use my car a lot for nannying and babysitting kids. I love this car because it is spacious and fits car seats as well as other children comfortably. It is easy to clean, I vacuum it myself and it never takes more than 30 minutes. You are drawn to the Toyota highlander for its functional, family-friendly nature, frugal gas mileage, consistently good reliability, high resale value, and standard advanced safety features. The Toyota highlander is a great midsize SUV. The highlander provides a comfortable and quiet ride. It sports a handsome interior and a long list of standard safety features. Its available v6 engine scoots the eight-seat SUV around confidently. For its mixture of quality and value, we named the highlander a finalist for our 2018 best 3-row SUV for the money award. It is not perfect, though. The highlander's four-cylinder base engine is a little light on power, and though passenger space is sufficient – the third row is cramped for adults. The current highlander generation has been on sale since 2014. You can save money by shopping for a used model, but if you are interested in the highlander’s advanced safety features, the 2017-and-newer models are your best bet. A 2017 refresh added the Toyota safety sense package to the highlander’s standard features. I bought mine used for 4,000 and do not regret it!
accountCircle Amanda M
It has the best quality and best price.
I love that my highlander is big enough for my family and it gets very good gas mileage. It is also very easy to work on.
accountCircle judy r
The feeling of being very secure while driving around or on a trip
I like its turning radius./ gas mileage. / and its comfort for long drives

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Mackenzie F
Black Toyota highlander from 2002.
My car is black exterior with tan leather interior. The car has heated seats in the front. There are also heated mirrors on the vehicle. The car has 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive and esc snow. The truck has a spare tire in the back and cloth interior. There has been once accident which left a dent in the front, right side of the car, just over the front wheel. The car is very bad at acceleration and there are constant noises coming from my car.
accountCircle Amber B
There's really nothing interesting about my car. It's just like any other car.
Seems like if one thing goes wrong with it then something else goes wrong with it. But it has a lot of room in it. Another downfall is that it has no cup holders in the front. It has a big trunk. The back seats are comfortable and you have a lot of room in the back.
accountCircle Jessica P
Longevity at it's finest!
Mileage is currently at 226k. Other than a few windows not working, and needing coolant every few months, as long as the oil is changed when it's supposed to, the car runs great. Drives very smooth. We did have to have the AC unit sent out to get rebuilt, but that was just last year (2018) and the car is a 2002.
accountCircle Blanca N
Middle row can lean back all the way, which is great when I'm travelling.
Paint is a greenish color I've had this car for about 2 yrs, the paint is somehow peeling off. Other than that is a good car. Hasn't given me any issues. It alerts me when I get a low tire pressure right away. The only bad thing about it is that it has a tiny trunk after you use the third row, not much trunk space.

Toyota Highlander Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Base
220 HP 20-20 MPG 5 Seats
car
Limited
220 HP 20-20 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2002 Toyota Highlander Owner Reviews

4.48
61 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 61%
4 stars 33%
3 stars 3%
2 stars 0%
1 star 3%
accountCircle Jay L on March 6, 2021
The vehicle as a very spacious interior and a large storage space in the trunk.
The vehicle is very reliable considering it's age. Sometimes the steering will lock up if I shift feeds too quickly and it's very easy to hydroplane in rain but I think that's mostly my tires. Overall I'm very impressed with the vehicle's performance as it still runs well depicted being over 15 years old.
accountCircle Kathleen K on February 27, 2021
My car is dependable and easy to drive. I get good gas mileage and I feel safe.
I like my Toyota because it handles very well and I get good gas mileage. It's roomy and has adequate passenger space. I like the size of my vehicle rather than a sedan.
View All Reviews (61) chevronRightAlternative

Ranks #2 Midsize SUV by Owners

The 2002 Toyota Highlander has an average owner rating of 4.48 out of 5 which ranks it #2 of 14 other Midsize SUVs.

1
car
2002 Jeep Wrangler
4.68
2
car
2002 Toyota Highlander
4.48
3
car
2002 Toyota 4Runner
4.38

Ranks #3 Midsize SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2002 Toyota Highlander has a combined MPG of 22 which ranks it #3 of 14 other Midsize SUVs.

1
car
2002 Hyundai Santa Fe
27 MPG
2
car
2002 Buick Rendezvous
24 MPG
3
car
2002 Toyota Highlander
22 MPG

Is The 2002 Toyota Highlander A Good Car?

A smooth quiet car and easy to maintain. Great freeway mileage. City mileage not to good. Easy to drive and dependable.
Elizabeth M.
Yes, I love my vehicle. It is AWD, so it’s great when I have to drive in inclement weather. It’s the perfect size for me as well.
Amanda B.
Yes, I love it! I feel very safe driving it and I always get compliments on how roomy the backseat is. I've driven this car since high school and it still functions perfectly.
Kelli C.
Yes. It’s been very reliable and rides smoothly like a car. It has over 200,000 miles. This vehicle was purchased new and was selected due to the good customer and expert reviews.
Tia H.

How Reliable Is The 2002 Toyota Highlander?

Yes dependable great for traveling. Car does not have any problems at all that's a great mid size car
Sarah T.
I have had no problems with my vehicle. It has been very reliable since the day I purchased it. For it being an older car, it is great.
Virginia R.
Yes, very reliable. I've had some minor issues over the years, but I've had this car for 13 years! The A/C needed work several years ago, but it was a pretty easy fix, and the fuel pump needed... Read More
Peggy V.
Yes it’s reliable. Haven't had any major problems other than the normal wear and tear issues. Year 2002 was a good year to purchase this type of SUV. These SUVs are in good demand by dealers for... Read More
Jamie B.

Is The 2002 Toyota Highlander A Good Value?

$4,500 This is the value of the car for being 17 years old it holds its ground for being at the best value
Kelsey C.
I purchased my vehicle for approximately $7000. Many things on the vehicle were brand new when I purchased it, so I think that was a great deal.
Val S.
It was $13,000 as a pre-owned vehicle in 2006. Yes, I believe it was a good value for what I got. There was only 10,000+ miles on it at the time and looked brand new on the inside and outside.
Kelly B.
In the 30,000 dollar range when it was purchased and approximately the same price today. It is a good value based on years of ownership experience
Andrea O.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2002 Toyota Highlander transmission fluid capacity?

Answer: The 2002 Toyota Highlander has a transmission fluid capacity of 3.7 quarts. Toyota recommends that You use M-V synthetic automatic transmission fluid whenever You change it. Transmission fluid is a very...

What are the costs to replace the engine in a 2002 Highlander?

Answer: The cost to replace a 2002 Toyota Highlander's engine can vary depending on which part of the country You're from; You're typically not going to find a new engine, but rather find a "donor" engine from...

2002 Toyota Highlander: What is the tire size and pressure, and wheel size?

Answer: The 2002 Toyota Highlander left the factory with P225/70R16 tires which were mounted on rims that are 6.5 inches wide and 16 inches in diameter. The tire pressures should be maintained at 30 psi for best fuel...
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Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Not Rated

Roof Strength

Not Rated

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety