Nearly All Shoppers Polled Paid MSRP or Less For Toyota Highlander

In the latest in our ongoing series to see what owners say they paid for their vehicle during the unprecedented shortages, we turn to the Toyota owners. Memes and posts showing incredible markups on new vehicles by those mean and nasty dealers get a lot of likes, shares, and other responses from social media members. It’s easy to demonstrate that cars are wildly priced nowadays. Or is it? What if the markups seen in these selected images are not what most people actually pay for the vehicle?

Related Story: Reports of $10k to $20K Dealer Markups Now Common Due To Vehicle Shortage - Your Options

As we have explained in other stories, there are good explanations as to why some dealers do, in fact, add crazy markups to the sticker prices seen on inventory. Perhaps to help keep the vehicle on the lot for test drives? Perhaps so the dealer can simply have one to use as a static demonstrator to customers considering ordering one (at MSRP or less)? Maybe the vehicle in inventory was from a canceled customer order and the dealer wants to have one on hand for a very high-profit sale as well as to have one for a desperate customer who must drive one home that very day?

We polled members of the Toyota Highlander Owners Club on Facebook to see what they paid for their new Highlander over the past 18 months. Of all the various types of vehicles we have done this type of poll for, the Highlander owners seem to have paid the least relative to MSRP.

As you can see, almost all of those who replied paid MSRP or less. The majority of owners report paying less than MSRP. About 10% say very steep discounts and report paying more than $2k under MSRP.

Related Story: Poll: Most Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Buyers Paid MSRP Or Less

One unusual aspect of our poll what that there were not a lot of comments from California-based owners who said, “Are you nuts?” In our polls of vehicles with a plug that seemed to be a common message.

If you are looking for a three-row, AWD SUV with up to 35 MPG, that earns an IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus rating, has legendary reliability, and you want to pay MSRP or less, the Toyota Highlander seems to be the one to check out first.

Related Story: Poll Results: Most Toyota RAV4 Prime Buyers Paid About MSRP For Their Vehicle

If you purchased a new Toyota Highlander over the past 18 months and would like to share your experience please feel free to comment below. Please tell us your state and which trim you drove home.

Image courtesy of Toyota. Poll image of Toyota Highlander owners courtesy of Facebook.

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. John's interest in EVs goes back to 1990 when he designed the thermal control system for an EV battery as part of an academic team. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, John completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers, in the semiconductor industry, and in biotech. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American news outlets and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars, on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin

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