The tough, sporty Japanese vehicle with a Scottish name is an SUV that handles like a car, rides like a truck, and can drive city streets and go off-road with equal aplomb. Introduced in 2001, the Toyota Highlander was created as a smaller, family-friendly sibling of the larger, more rugged 4Runner. My test vehicle, the 2007 Highlander Ltd. 4-door Ltd. 4x4 is Camry-based, spacious and offers great sightlines; and while it is a home-oriented sports-ute, it sports its own quiet ruggedness.
One difference from the 2006 model is added safety in the form of two-row curtain air bags and side-impact air bags; and the protection only begins there. Safety features include vehicle stability control with traction control, anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake distribution, driver and front passenger advanced front air bags, mounted side front and second row air bags, front and second row roll-sensing side curtain air bags, tire pressure monitoring system, front seatbelt pretension and force limiters, side impact door beams and fuel-cut system in a collision.
During my test drives I found that security and poise are very good with Highlander. For a 68-inch-high vehicle with flat sides, the Toyota Highlander has a confidence-building low center of gravity and a fine-handling resistance to wind gusts. It isn’t quite carlike, despite its relationship to Camry, but it is better than many SUVs of similar dimensions.
The 4035-lb. sports-ute is 184 inches long, 72 inches wide and 68 inches high, putting it in the mid-size SUV family. With a towing capacity of 3500 lbs., and the real ability to go off road, the Highlander is not a pretender; it is a genuine utility vehicle.
Powered by a relatively efficient 3.3-liter V-6 engine, the plant puts out 230hp and 222 lbs.-ft. of torque. The set-up is EPA rated at 18mpg on the highway and 24mpg in the city on 87-octane gasoline, and my seven-day examination that took me from Maryland to Pennsylvania, across valleys in Mid-Penn and through quaint towns and boroughs, I got an average of 22.1mpg. There isn’t a stampede of power in Highlander, as I tested it from zero to 60mph in 9 seconds flat. My quarter-mile time was a lumbering 17.3 seconds, but when needed, the power called upon is delivered in passing gear, and is enough to extricate your from off-road difficulties when asked.
My Bluestone metallic test vehicle easy maneuvered through cones and an auto-cross maze, and despite some upward wobble and some oversteer, produced a solid ride. The cabin was quieter than many SUVs in the niche, and seating and the overall driving experience were comfortable and enjoyable. Brake tests produced stopping power well within expectations and the Highlander adeptly makes the move from highway to off-road with composure. While I wouldn’t take the Highlander on a double-black diamond course, I found it able, nimble and capable in most situations, and certainly would do nicely on an average camping, boating or nature-sightseeing situation.
Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering acts when called upon, and there is good stability and road grip from sixteen-inch front wheels and 17-inch rears covered with Goodyear Integrity all-season steel-belted tires: P255/70R 16s up front and P225/65 R17s behind.
The cabin ride is enjoyable and roomy enough with interior dimensions that include 38.6 inches of front headroom, with 39.8 in row two; front legroom of 40.7 inches with 36.4 behind and front hip room of 55.1 inches in row one and 54.9 behind. Third row seating is an option, and my test ride had the third row, which is handy to have, but not the easiest to get to after all rows are up and available.
Exterior niceties include attractive, athletic lines and stance and a sporty rear spoiler. Color-keyed bumpers and body side molding, front variable intermittent wipers, heated power outside mirrors rear privacy glass fog lamps and roof rack.
The rugged, comfortable Highlander can be purchased for a base price of $32,210, while my test-ute, with several nice upgrades, came in at $34,623.
The options included heated front seats for $440. The tow-prep package for 3500-lb towing capacity costs $160 and includes power steering engine oil coolers, heavy duty radiator, 130-amp alternator and 160-watt fan coupling. Value Package 7 is a $2500 item and includes power tilt/slide moonroof with sunshade, JBL Premium AM/FM/Cassette/6-disck in-dash CD changer with eight speakers in six locations and a leather trim package. Carpet and cargo mat set adds $199 and rear cargo net is $49. Delivery charges of $605 are offset by a $1540 extra value discount to make the final tag $34,623.
There are lots of mid-size sports-utility vehicles out there – probably too many to choose from given the fuel and economic climates in today’s market. There is also a cornucopia of crossovers and sportswagons from which to choose. But if that niche fit into your buying plans, the Toyota Highlander, at the price, is certainly a vehicle to test and consider.
Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.
Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
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