2001 Toyota Highlander Limited from North America - Comments

See that's what I don't get. WHY are you shaking your head in disgust or laughing? Why are you people so hostile to someone just because they drive a Hummer? If they are lucky enough to be able to afford to drive a Hummer, then good for them! That's America! If it's gas mileage you have a problem with, then I wouldn't be getting mad at someone in a Hummer! How about old pickups and big engine cars (not to mention all the empty buses driving around my town that they call 'public transportation')? They DEFINITELY get worse gas mileage than an H2! And as for reliability, I see no evidence that they have bad reliability.

Funny I drive a Range Rover and wish everyone well. I appreciate being here a New Year and am very healthy!

I'm laughing for a few reasons. Number one; at least with a pickup truck, you can get something done, you can haul something or accomplish some work. And an old pickup is a small fraction of the cost of a Hummer. Two; yes, the old muscle cars were bad on gas, but they don't make those engines or those cars anymore. SUV's are bad enough on gas as it is, so explain to me why some soccer mom needs a giant knockoff of a damn ARMY VEHICLE to drive to the grocery store. Probably 90% of the people that buy four wheel drive's don't need them and never even engage the four wheel drive. So why does somebody that lives in a city (which is where the majority of these things are seen) need to buy the biggest four wheel drive vehicle they can find? As a status symbol. Maybe you say that it doesn't matter if somebody NEEDS this vehicle, they should buy it just because they like it. Fine then, but if I see you wheel into grocery store in a Hummer, then I am going to laugh. Most people that buy these things would do just fine with a little four cylinder compact car for a third of the price and three times the gas mileage.

I guess I'm confused. If SUV owners, and Hummer owners in particular, are so proAmerican in their buying habits and don't care about mpg why do I always see SUVs lined up around the block to buy cheap CostCo gas when the more expensive regular brands are right next door? And why are Wal-Mart parking lots clogged with SUVs when Wal-Mart sells goods almost exclusively made in communist and nonAmerican countries?

To 07:28

All of what you're saying is technically true, everyone could squeeze into little Echo's and Geo Metro's, but you are still missing the point. Not everything is about pure practicality. I think those tiny cars are ugly, gutless, and crappy, so I don't drive one. And that's what most American's think, or else EVERYBODY would drive those things. I just don't understand why you are so mad about it! Just calm down and realize people are going to drive what they will and there's nothing you can do about it. Get over it!

I saw a TV program on millionaires and one of their favorite stores is Sears. They typically do not finance cars, but spend heavily for their childrens eduacation. My friend owns a H1 and 4 sports cars. Individuals in this position do not usually do home repairs, have old trucks etc. or have the desire to own one. They work hard, play golf, go to the gym after work and other recreation.

To the 13:33 poster.

I suggest you look at the reality of today's cars. Most small cars these days (even the Honda Fit) have more room that bigger cars and SUVS like BMW 7 series (look it up).

And please tell us all why someone needs a 6000 pound, 12 mpg commuter vehicle, because that is what SUVs are primarily used for. I think I saw five people in a nine passenger Suburban once, and that was on the weekends (daddy or mommy commutes 60 miles with it during the weekday, of course). Just look at any commuter lane during rush hour - you will NOT see many SUVs since they all have ONE occupant in them - the driver.

And I love how you avoided the question about buying American SUVs yet buying everything else from communist countries.

If you care about America and the environment you don't drive an SUV, pure and simple. But if you like exploiting this country then you drive them.

Why does someone that makes $500 an hour have to be always be practical with buying a vehicle. That answers it pretty rapidly.

What you say may be true about a Honda having more room then a 7 series BMW, but it doesn't change what I said.

Just because YOU prefer those cars doesn't mean everybody else has to. You saw 5 people in a suburban, so what? I've been in a Durango with 5 other people plus tons of luggage! But who cares? And to say that if you drive an SUV you want to exploit America is about the dumbest comment (no offense) I've heard on here. That's like saying if you use a microwave to cook your lunch that you are exploiting Sears. In fact, driving an SUV does exactly the OPPOSITE because here in the USA we have a choice to drive the vehicle we want, without you ridiculing what type of car we drive!

And as far as me 'avoiding' the other comment, I did that to keep my comment short, so as not to derail the Toyota vs. US automakers discussion, so I'll keep my response short. When I see Wal Mart I see more Subaru's and Honda's there then SUV's, it just depends on when you go I guess. I don't like Wal Mart, I think they're business practices are distasteful and they use sweatshop products, but I know LOTS of liberals who shop there so I don't think it's a political boundary issue. And when you sit there and talk about how bad people are for buying foreign products then promote cars like the Honda Fit, then you're being two-sided. But this rabbit trail really has nothing to do with the discussion which was about Toyota vs. American cars.

How about not driving imports at all? It sounds like you feel we need to be on trial. If I drive a Hummer why should I defend myself if its money I earned and it is sold legally in the U.S.A.? Why buy extravagant kitchens, televisions, etc. we can all eat off a hot plate and a picnic table. People buy what they like and can afford its the advantage of living in a free country. If I want to live in a Communistic country I may drive what others dictate.

What if you are a volunteer on a reforestation project in the U.S.A. than cannot get their 2wd vehicle to the site? I love the random edicts only because they defense is over buying a Toyota SUV that in my opinion is not as nice as a GM.

So how many soccer moms are Communists driving what their husband purchased with good intentions?

''How about not driving imports at all? It sounds like you feel we need to be on trial. If I drive a Hummer why should I defend myself if its money I earned and it is sold legally in the U.S.A.? Why buy extravagant kitchens, televisions, etc. we can all eat off a hot plate and a picnic table. People buy what they like and can afford its the advantage of living in a free country. If I want to live in a Communistic country I may drive what others dictate.""

I see, so it's okay for the GOVERNMENT to subsidize your Hummer and even give you tons of tax breaks if you use it for business yet you're against communism.

Why don't you pay a gas guzzler tax, an Iraq tax (guess where the gas comes from), and lots of other taxes that SUPPORT your habit without you paying a dime.

Some of us DON'T buy extravagant kitchens and televisions, that's the point! And the people who do are the same ones that buy Hummers and Navigators- they are the problem. The answer to this is not to say "I drive whatever I want, no matter how excessive it is, and there's nothing you can do about it." That attitude is what I am attacking here. We ALL need to exercise a little restraint and common sense, and the Hummer is a step in the wrong direction. If everyone, or even most people drove small cars, pollution goes down, gas prices go down because oil consumption goes down, etc.; get the ball rolling the right way. Yeah, I know that some of us need trucks, but most of us do not need SUV's. What the hell does suburban utility vehicle mean anyway? Americans love their cars, that probably will never change, but in just about every other country in the world that have automobiles, they are compact and efficient. They're just transportation, people, stop attaching your self-worth to how big and expensive a vehicle you can afford. Buy something efficient, help out your kids and grandkids by not burning up oil just because your ego thinks it needs a Hummer.

My wife drives a large GM SUV and is generally the only person in it. Is that wasteful? Actually NO. Her large SUV actually gets BETTER mpg than the Highlander V-6, while providing tons more horsepower, and acceleration that doesn't get you run over trying to get on freeways (see NUMEROUS complaints about Highlander's poor acceleration). Unlike the Highlander, the brakes also work. In addition, I have more peace of mind knowing that she is far safer in her larger, better built vehicle and that in the case of road flooding (which we experience here occasionally) she can very easily drive her high-riding, truck based SUV through areas cars (or crossovers like the Highlander) can't go. My compact pickup actually gets worse mileage than her SUV, so how is it being wasteful or hurting the environment for her to drive a much safer vehicle?

Wow, now we are comparing what great mileage SUVs get vs. other SUVs and trucks.

Kind of like a 300 lb person saying they are healthier than a 350 lb person.