My first 3rd gen... Is it a "Highlander"?

[foskco87]

Hey everyone, so I am new to the 3rd gen, I just purchased my first one last week, a 2000. So far I am in love! I have been driving a 2nd gen for 7 years and it is a pleasant change, while still feeling like a 4runner. The beige/black interior is kind of driving me nuts as it shows every bit of dirt.... but overall I am really happy to be driving a 3rd gen and thrilled to have found a 5 speed, which I was beginning to accept as an impossibility... particularly around where I live where every young guy and their moms (literally) want to drive a Toyota.

Anyway, my actual point to this thread is I just read up about the highlander/sport version in the 'master directory of informational threads' section and I am trying to figure out if thats what mine is. It seems to neither fit into the SR5 nor the Limited category so I think it may be a highlander?? I bought it in Victoria, BC, but it is from the US (if that makes any difference).

It has: limited fender flares, limited wheels, hood scoop, sun roof, fog lights, 5 speed, and roof racks.

It does NOT have: an e-locker, cloth seats, running boards, door trim, plastic visors/screens.

I thought it was an SR5 with extra options, but then I read that SR5's dont come with stock fog lights. But then it has leather seats, and the write up says highlanders come with cloth seats.

I'll attach some pictures, I would appreciate any opinions!

 

[Brilliant]

Is it a "Highlander"?

No .

 

[PhdNPrerunners]

No yours is not a highlander. Your's is just an sr5 with a lot of extras. I really like the limited look with the 5 speed

 

[T4R2014]

Those are not Limited flares. They are factory installed SR5 flares. The leather seats are definitely added by another owner because there is no way you could get a 5-speed with electric seats. You can tell the seats are added because whoever did the job forgot to get the matching center console lid. Could this be a Highlander/Sport? Yes. If the hood and grill are original then this began life as an all black Highlander/Sport and an owner decided the change out the color matched bumpers to a beige/silver color.

The best way to tell if this is a Highlander/Sport is to open the hood and look for the VIN tag. If the VIN tag matches the VIN of the vehicle then the hood is original which means it is a Highlander/Sport.

 

[MyHigh]

What about the door trim. Is it leather to match the seats or cloth?
The grab handle looks to be leather.
Highlander would be cloth from what I've read

 

[AZ4Running]

Its an sr5 with added options like the 2 tone flares and sport hood. It even has sr5 on the back in the correct factory location.

 

[foskco87]

Ok so from what everyone is saying I'm pretty sure it must be an SR5. I knew it had the SR5 badge but I couldn't find any pictures of the rear end of a highlander to see if they had SR5 on them. The interior is definitely all leather. The back seats and door panels are leather.

Im almost relieved it isn't a highlander because I live in the District of the highlands just outside Victoria and that would have been kind of trippy... I would have had to go and buy a bunch of lottery tickets

I appreciate the input!

 

[alanflies]

Regardless, That is one Beautiful truck...sooo jealous....

 

[A.Wilson013]

I'd be interested in knowing if there are matching VIN stickers on the hood and front bumper... Is the insert on the hood scoop a different color...?

 

[wc11]

Looks like and SR5 with Sport hood, LTD seats & flares and bumper.

BTW, Highlander is unibody with primary front wheel drive, 4 Runner body on frame, primary rear wheel drive.

 

[T4RBoarder]

Looks like and SR5 with Sport hood, LTD seats & flares and bumper.

BTW, Highlander is unibody with primary front wheel drive, 4 Runner body on frame, primary rear wheel drive.

I'm anxious to see about the VIN stickers on the hood as well.

wc11, in 99 (maybe 2000 as well) the sport package 4Runners had a kinda informal name of "highlander" and weren't related to the Highlander crossover that debuted in '01.

I noticed in one of the pictures as well, the rear hatch trim has been painted black as well (instead of gray)

 

[AZ4Running]

No man he is not talking about the Toyota Highlander. He is wanting to know if his 4runner is a Highlander edition. Toyota made a 4runner Highlander edition they are almost as hard to find as a trd supercharged 4runner.

 

[Millerad1651]

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[r34sklnnsn]

First Highlander was used on 4runner, before they basically became their on thing.

 

[mxer]

Looks like and SR5 with Sport hood, LTD seats & flares and bumper.

BTW, Highlander is unibody with primary front wheel drive, 4 Runner body on frame, primary rear wheel drive.

If he couldn't tell that isn't a Toyota Highlander, he probably should be driving with vision like that.

 

[MStudt]

If he couldn't tell that isn't a Toyota Highlander, he probably should be driving with vision like that.

Stop trying to rack up your post count and re-read some of the above. He's not asking if it's a 4runner or Highlander. He's asking if it's a 4runner Highlander Edition!:wtf:

Vehicles with "Limited" and "Highlander" (later called "Sport Edition") trim received color-keyed running boards, front and rear bumpers, mud flaps and flares. Interior leather was an added option.

 

[T4R2014]

Ok so from what everyone is saying I'm pretty sure it must be an SR5. I knew it had the SR5 badge but I couldn't find any pictures of the rear end of a highlander to see if they had SR5 on them. The interior is definitely all leather. The back seats and door panels are leather.

Im almost relieved it isn't a highlander because I live in the District of the highlands just outside Victoria and that would have been kind of trippy... I would have had to go and buy a bunch of lottery tickets

I appreciate the input!

Highlander/Sport's ARE SR5's. They are simply appearance packages on top of a regular SR5. The interior(at least judging from the front seats and mismatched glovebox lid) is 100% not original. Unless the hood VIN matches then we can only keep guessing the Highlander part.

 

[foskco87]

Okay so I checked the hood VIN and it matches the vehicle VIN, I tried to find the VIN on the bumper and front grill but I couldnt find it. Does anyone know where either would be? Also it has a matching insert in the hoodscoop to the bumper.

(I know I'm missing the wiper thingy)

I realize half of the number is cut off.... but it says 99' 4runner on the underside of the drivers seat. So I guess that gives more reason to think that the seats were changed.

 

[T4R2014]

It looks like you do indeed have a 2000 Highlander model, a heavily altered one at that. The alterations look pretty good, though.

 

[justwoody1]

Looks like you got yourself a 2000 Highlander edition. Congratulations on the find.