The
Toyota Highlander has been a handy fallback for the Japanese carmaker. When
real SUVs like its own 4Runner were falling out of favor, the plus-sized
crossover took up the slack. In two generations, the Highlander took over a lot
of jobs, from affordable family wagon to statement-making hybrid.
This year, the 2014
Highlander renews its lease on that space with what Toyota promises is more
refinement and strength--and what we sense is some subtle repositioning. For
one, Toyota calls the car-based Highlander an SUV, and for two, from the
outside, it's made it look more like one than ever.
The Highlander's
been reimagined before, from its spartan wagon roots into the current, girthy,
second edition. For its third take, the big utility vehicle adopts a new look
that owes some of its cues to a slew of competitive vehicles that occupy the
grey area between crossovers and SUVs. We see some Durango and X5 in the side
view--and oddly enough, lots of Mitsubishi in the maw of its deep new grille
and in the exaggerations around its wheel wells and at the sills. It's a shift
toward a 4Runner-ish, SUV-ish style that runs exactly opposite to the trend in
most other big crossovers--Santa Fe, Flex, Traverse. That switchup works better
than it did on the Honda Pilot, but it also makes us wonder exactly what the
4Runner delivers that the Highlander does not.
The cabin skips
that ambiguity--it's all car, and it's directly inspired by the cockpit in the
current RAV4. There's some Teutonic-themed dash action, and a pleasing jumble
of lines and textures. The lines may sweep away from driver to passenger, but
the focus is clearly on the left side passenger--big gauges and big
climate-control knobs are a welcome sight. We'll have to examine it more
closely before we call it fit for fashion: on the RAV4, the soft-touch mashup comes
across a little less coherently in person than in pictures.
Four, or more cylinders
As was the case
with the RAV4, the Highlander's powertrains are carried over from the previous
generation. One's an overlap: the 2.7-liter four-cylinder in base models is the
only engine found in the smaller RAV4. Coupled to a six-speed automatic and offered
only with front-wheel drive, the engine turned in 187 horsepower in the last
Highlander--power outputs haven't been disclosed yet for the new model.
Two V-6 models
return, both based on the same 3.5-liter design. The standard version--which
produced 270 hp last year--teams up with a six-speed automatic and a choice of
front- or all-wheel drive. The Hybrid (280 hp net last year) pairs with an
electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT) and
through-the-road all-wheel drive, which means the gas power goes to the front
wheels, while electric power passes only to the rear wheels.
The Highlander's
driving dynamics were long overdue for attention, and Toyota says the
front-strut and independent-rear suspension have been reworked for better
handling. With luck, some of the Highlander's substantial body lean has been
tuned out. The body structure's said to be stiffer, which should help.
Electric power steering is now standard, and the all-wheel-drive system can
ship around torque from front to rear when the vehicle's yaw sensors detect a
more engaged driver. Eighteen-inch and 19-inch wheels will be on the order
sheet, for those more adventurous types.
The Highlander also
can be rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds, so long as the V-6 engine is installed.
Seven, or eight passengers
At 191.1 inches
long, on a 109.8-inch wheelbase, the Highlander's stretched by three inches
over the prior version, but none of it comes between the wheels. There's a
half-inch more width, in what was already a fairly large vehicle--though one
that's still noticeably smaller than competitors like the new Nissan
Pathfinder.
The Highlander can
seat up to eight passengers. Behind the front buckets, separated by a
tambour-covered console, the Highlander totes five or six. The second row's
either a three-person split-bench seat with a recline feature, or a pair of
captain's chairs. There's no mention of the "Center Stow" seat Toyota
has offered in the past--the one with a seat section that tucked away into the
console. The second-row bench seat does now slide to expand access to the
reclining third-row seat, which has 4.3 inches more width for better comfort.
Toyota's also carved out more space behind the third-row bench for cargo.
Toyota also says
the Highlander's cabin is much quieter and calmer than before. Thicker acoustic
glass damps powertrain noise, and insulation in the floor blots out vibrations,
suspension chatter, and tire squawk.
The 2014 Toyota Highlander goes on sale early next year. Pricing
has not been announced, but given the competitive nature of this class, don't
expect it to stray far north of its current base price of $28,870. Check back
for a full review of the new Highlander, including specs, driving impressions
and buying advice as it becomes available.
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