LOOKS

Starting out front, the Highlander features a bold, attractive front grille with well-designed headlamps that will draw some positive attention. It also features sharp wheel designs.

My Highlander test vehicle featured 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with adaptive front lighting, LED fog lamps, rain-sensing windshield wipers, hands-free power liftgate, plus a panoramic view moonroof with sunshade.

One option was running boards that were helpful for entering and exiting the vehicle.

Moving inside the Highlander, you’ll find a comfortable, roomy and versatile interior. Only the third row lacks room, so save it for the kids. Depending on the setup on the middle row, you can sit 7 or 8 people in the Highlander.

There’s a slick dashboard up front with cutting-edge tech. It’s among the best looking in the segment, and all controls are easy to use. Seating and interior materials are high-class compared to many rival midsize SUVs.

Center console controls allow you to adjust drive modes, and there are touch controls for climate. One unique feature is a hidden storage shelf in the dashboard for the front passenger. There’s also a large center console storage bin for small item storage.

Cargo space is adequate for a family’s needs, with 84 cubic feet available with both rear rows down. There are 48 cubic feet behind the center row, and 16 cubic feet behind the back row. (Note: The larger Toyota Grand Highlander offers 98 cubic feet of space if you need even more room)

Lifting and putting down the third row is done easily with levers and a pull rope. It’s also easy to move second-row seats forward to get into the back row.

Other interior highlights include:
— Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob
— Leather upholstery
— Heated steering wheel
— Heated and ventilated power front seats
— Driver seat with memory settings
— Option for heated second-row captain’s seats
— Three-zone heating and cooling

HOW’S THE RIDE?

The Toyota Highlander is powered by a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder turbo engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Together they deliver 265 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque. 

For what is primarily going to be a family vehicle, this level of power is plenty adequate and delivers a comfy, smooth ride, but don't expect extreme power. 

You can also choose a hybrid version of the Highlander that pairs a gas engine with an electric motor, delivering 243 horsepower.

My vehicle was an all-wheel drive offering, but the Highlander also comes in front-wheel drive.

The Highlander’s 0-to-60 time is respectable, in the mid 7-second range. It handles corners well for a larger ride, and a ton of drive modes are offered, including: Eco, Normal, Sport, Mud and Sand, Rock and Dirt, and Snow, which will be welcomed by Highlander owners in states that often face inclement weather.

One side effect of the move to the four-cylinder engine: There’s a slight whiny sound when you’re pushing the engine at highway speeds. Nothing too extreme, but it’s noticeable.

On the plus side, the Highlander does a great job keeping the ride smooth even when road features may be a bit unsmooth, and it handles itself well on twisty roads.


TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

The Highlander features an easy-to-use infotainment system centered around a 12.3-inch touchscreen with clearly labeled controls, well-designed climate controls below the touchscreen controlled by physical buttons and dials. The system is so simple, even your grandma can figure it out.

The touchscreen features separate menus for navigation, radio and phone connections, and voice commands are among the most responsive I've seen on today's new vehicles. You almost never have to repeat yourself.

A wireless phone charger is nicely hidden in the dashboard, and there’s an impressive JBL 11-speaker stereo system that sounds bold, loud and clear.

The system is compatible with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility, and includes three free months of satellite radio, and multiple USB ports for charging throughout the vehicle.

The Highlander’s safety systems are solid, led by the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ package that features:

— Pre-collision system with pedestrian detection (brakes to prevent collisions)
— Full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control (maintains distance to vehicle ahead)
— Lane departure alert with steering assist
— Lane tracing assist
— Automatic high beams
— Road sign assist

Adaptive headlights are a bonus safety feature, and they swivel as the driver turns the wheel for better visibility in curves.

The lane departure alert can be a bit sensitive, but I’d prefer that to it being too lax.

There’s also a 10-inch head-up display that is quite helpful and keeps the driver’s eyes on the road.

Other safety features include a blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, panoramic view monitor, and a LATCH system for child seats.

With all that in place, it’s no surprise that government safety ratings are also at the highest levels.

MPG

The official fuel mileage numbers on the all-wheel-drive Toyota Highlander I tested were 21 city/28 highway/24 combined. Those numbers go up to 22/29/25 on the front-wheel-drive Highlander.

You can also opt for a hybrid version of the Highlander that will get you 35 miles per gallon, a significant improvement that will lessen your trips to the gas pump.

In my real-world testing, I averaged 21 mpg driving the Highlander, but I wasn’t driving to maximize fuel mileage, so it’s possible to achieve better numbers.

Even with the non-hybrid, you’re getting better fuel mileage than many of the key midsize SUV rivals battling the Highlander. So fuel efficiency is another area where the Highlander delivers.
 

PRICE

The Toyota Highlander I tested was priced just over $54,000, and was the top Platinum trim level. Price range on the vehicle starts around $40,000, so there is a variety of trim levels to choose from in that range, depending on your budgets and features that matter most to you.

They start off with the base LE trim, and go up through the XLE, XSE, Limited and Platinum trim. Hybrid versions are offered on most trim levels if you want to boost your miles per gallon.

The entry price is slightly steeper than most rival midsize SUVs, but the higher up you go in the trim levels, the more similar the pricing gets vs. rivals.

Warranties are also solid, including
— Overall bumper-to-bumper warranty: Three years or 36,000 miles
— Powertrain warranty: Five years or 60,000 miles
— For hybrid versions, hybrid-component warranty covers eight years or 100,000 miles
— Complimentary maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles (not offered by all rivals)

BOTTOM LINE

The Toyota Highlander delivers a smooth drive that will be powerful enough for most families, and is a comfortable and versatile three-row SUV. Top that off with its user-friendly tech setup, plus Toyota safety and reliability, and it competes extremely well in the midsize SUV segment.

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