Now that Toyota is shooting past the Big Three automakers in sales volume, the company may have adopted the mantra that was always associated with domestic brands: Longer, Lower, Wider and More Powerful. Every offering from the iconic Scion xB to the Lexus LS has grown in size and power, and the new Highlander is no exception.
Toyota created the original Highlander crossover on the Camry sedan platform to deliver passenger car handling, good packaging efficiency and reasonable economy. The new Highlander is constructed on Toyota's Avalon underpinnings, a chassis that sports a wheelbase that's three inches longer than the previous version. That three-inch expansion between the wheels grows the overall length four inches and the width a bit over three. The result is a much larger interior space to swallow all the passengers and belongings that are commonly stuffed into SUVs.
All this new size and longer feature list, like seven standard airbags for increased passive safety, add to the Highlander's curb weight. So the four-cylinder engine is no longer offered and V-6 has been pumped up to a stirring 270-horsepower. And what's impressive is that the fuel economy hasn't changed from the far less powerful V-6 predecessor.
Of course some buyers on a frugal budget will want four-cylinder fuel economy without paying the premium for the Highlander Hybrid, an offering that will continue to blend a V-6 with electric power. For those drivers, the RAV-4 may do, since it has also grown a bit bigger. And there are plenty of mid-size crossover competitors competing for a piece of Highlander's hide.
Although it has performed nicely in the marketplace, the first Highlander's style had never been the subject of adoration. It was competent and straightforward, not unlike a good major appliance. In contrast, the new Highlander has added the folds and creases to its bodywork to suggest power and accent its wider stance. New headlights surround a prominent grille while restyled taillights are perched above prominent dual exhaust pipes. It's hardly enough to create yearning, but quite pleasant to look at.
EPA fuel economy: City: 18, Highway: 24
Price range: $27,000 to $34,000
