| First Drive | Vail, Colorado, USA | Toyota Highlander |
Toyota's new Highlander will be offered in Base, Sport and Limited models and there's a choice between regular gas or the hybrid powertrain that has been around since 2005. Despite the bulkier flanks and more aggressive styling, the 2008 model is still easily distinguishable as a Highlander. Where the old Highlander was fairly mundane in appearance, the 2008 version seems to have a lot more purpose to its styling.
The newcomer benefits from an all-new chassis derived from the
current Camry and Avalon. Dimensionally it's nearly four inches longer and three inches wider, with an inch more ground clearance. There is also three inches of additional wheelbase compared to its predecessor.
The new design and added safety features also equate to more body weight - it tips the scales at 300lb more that the model it replaces. Good news is that this has no bearing on performance as the gas engine derivatives offer a new 3.5-liter V6 featuring Toyota's VVT-i valve timing technology - this engine is also found in RAV4 and Camry models. It all adds up to an output of 270bhp - a significant 55bhp gain over the previous generation's 3.3-liter engine, and this is achieved without sacrificing fuel efficiency.
Hybrid variants utilize a 208bhp, 3.3-liter engine plus the electric motor for a combined output total of 270bhp. The Highlander gas engine will be mated to a five-speed Super ECT (Super Intelligent Electronically Controlled) transmission, which offers fully automatic shifting as well as selectable manu-matic sequential shifting. The Highlander Hybrid will be offered in electronic on-demand four-wheel drive with intelligence on Base and Limited grades. It uses a CVT transmission.
Safety was a top priority when designing this vehicle, so the 2008 model is brimming with standard safety features. Top of the list is seven occupant airbags, including a driver's knee airbag and roll-sensing side curtain airbags for all three rows. There are also active headrests for the driver and front passenger. Toyota's STAR safety system offers added features like ABS, traction control, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and for the first time, enhanced vehicle stability control.
The Highlander Hybrid goes a step further by employing a Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system. The VDIM system is designed to enhance handling, traction and braking systems that normally react to vehicle driving conditions by anticipating tire slippage before a skid, slide or wheel spin occurs and making corrections in a smooth, progressive way.
So loads of new features and for all Sport and Limited models, a stand-alone backup camera with a 3.5-inch LCD multi-information screen (not tied to a navigation system) is standard equipment.
The seven passenger interior too gets a fairly major re-work and is offered in plain plastic trim or in the higher models with a choice of birch or mahogany wood trim. Other new features include new dual-Optitron instruments accentuated in red. The Base and Sport grades feature a center console and shift knob with silver-painted accents and front driver and passenger assist grips on the Sport grade also accented in silver-painted trim. The center console, shift knob and assist grip on the Limited grade feature satin-mahogany wood grain-style trim.
Seating is comfy and supportive and the driver has an option of an 8-way adjustable seat. Good news for second and third row passengers is that they have not been overlooked by Toyota's design team. In the second row, the seatbacks recline and a new innovative flexible seating function provides either a three person bench seat or, by removing a new Center Stow seat, a pair of captain's chairs complete with armrests, with a convenient walk-through area between the seats for easier access to the third row of seats. Those second-row seats offer 4.7 inches of fore-aft slide capability to allow additional passenger legroom.
I spent a couple of hours driving a Limited gas-engined model and the Hybrid variant in the scenic surrounds of Vail, Colorado. What immediately impressed was the refined ride on pavement. The Highlander drove and handled like a regular passenger car. Even moving off paved road onto a long stretch of gravel did little to impede the impressive ride of the vehicle. The 3.5-litre engine does the job very nicely and the Highlander is content to purr along without fuss going up or down hill. The AWD system, though not designed for hardcore off-road driving or rock crawling, did a great job of keeping the Highlander on track on loose gravel we negotiated. The eight inches of ground clearance also came in handy on rougher roads.
The Hybrid model offers good power and acceleration abilities. The extra battery weight was not noticeable either. I liked the EV mode switch which allows the drive to use battery power only up to 25mph - assuming you have sufficient battery charge to do so. Great for sneaking home after a late night out! Another cool new feature is the ECON drive mode. This activates a throttle control program that smoothes out the throttle response and so helps to improve fuel economy.
The interior on both vehicles I drove was comfy and offered a great driving position. Toyota has succeeded in its efforts to make this vehicle more upscale, which was what prospective customers said they wanted. I particularly liked the small center console display which offers valuable gas mileage info as well as Hybrid powertrain details.
Toyota used the new EPA testing standards that more accurately reflect real-life driving conditions for more accurate mileage assessments. These figures show that the Highlander AWD has a 18/24/20 (city/highway/combined) while the Hybrid's figures are 27/25/26. These numbers are pretty good considering the larger and more powerful engines deployed in these vehicles.
Pricing for the newcomer starts at $27,300 for the Base gas powered model and reaches $34,150 for the Limited AWD model. The Hybrid models will not be available until September.
2007 Toyota Highlander range overview
- Toyota Highlander: $27,300 MSRP
- Toyota Highlander Sport: $29,950 MSRP
- Toyota Highlander Limited: $32,700 MSRP
