The Toyota Highlander is a family hauler that’s smooth and comfortable with generous space for passengers and cargo. The Hybrid model delivers excellent fuel economy with minimal emissions, while a new four-cylinder engine offers decent fuel economy at a lower price point. The Toyota Highlander has been redesigned and re-engineered to enhance its strengths. The new version is bigger and roomier. It’s also been made more powerful, though not at the expense of fuel economy.
Base Highlanders start you out with 17-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass, a fold-flat third-row seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, air-conditioning, a CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack and full power accessories. Stepping up to the Sport provides 19-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, a flip-up rear hatch window, a 3.5-inch information display screen, a back-up camera, an in-dash CD changer (with MP3/WMA capability), upgraded seat fabric, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and one-touch folding capability for the second-row seats. The Highlander Limited also wears 19-inch wheels, but its suspension tuning is softer than the Sport’s. In addition, the Limited is fitted with power-folding/heated outside mirrors, an auto-dimming inside mirror, leather upholstery, a 10-way power driver seat, dual-zone automatic climate control (for the front seat), keyless start and wood-grain interior trim.
The Toyota Highlander comes with a 3.5-liter V6 rated for 270 hp and 248 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission is standard, and 87 octane fuel is all that’s required. Even under the more stringent 2008 fuel economy ratings system, the Highlander’s mpg estimates are better than average: Front-wheel-drive models carry an 18 mpg city/24 mpg highway rating, while AWD models rate 17/23. Notably, these numbers are higher than the ‘08 ratings on GM’s crossover SUVs, as well as the CX-9 and the Pilot. Towing capacity is a respectable 5,000 pounds when properly equipped.
All major safety equipment is standard on the Toyota Highlander, including antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, and hill-start assist (which keeps the vehicle from rolling back when starting on uphill grades). All-wheel-drive models also come with a downhill assist feature to enable slow, controlled descents down snow-covered driveways. Airbag coverage includes front-seat side airbags, three-row curtain airbags and a driver’s knee airbag. In frontal-offset crash testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the ‘08 Highlander earned the top rating of “Good.”
Awards:
2008 Highlander Hybrid Lowest Fuel Costs Award
2008 Highlander Hybrid Kiplingers’s Personal Finance: Best New Crossover Award.
2008 Five-star Rating in Driver Fronal and Side-impact Crash Test
2008 Highest Frontal Crash-test Rating
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