My girlfriend was in the market for a SUV for her mother and asked me for suggestions. The car was for her mother's personal transportation (no kids or cargo) in suburban New Jersey, mostly highway driving. Their first choice was a Honda CR-V (the Pilot was too big for their needs), but I strongly encouraged them to check out the Highlander for its greater comfort. I hadn't tried either vehicle, but my impression was that the Highlander, with its larger, plusher interior and more powerful engine, would be a more satisfying highway cruiser. They went to test drive both, and thought both cars were very nice; the daughter preferred the comfort and interior appointments of the Highlander, while the mother liked the size and economy of the CR-V. They weren't sure of what to look for in a car though, so I decided to go test drive them myself.

First task was to price the Highlander. In base form with 2WD and a 4 cylinder engine, the Highlander is reasonably priced (under $25k), but hardly anyone buys the car this way. 4WD is a must for most people, and in a vehicle of this size and weight a 4 cylinder won't cut it, so the most popular models are V6 4WD, either in base trim or the premium Limited edition. To keep the price reasonable I opted for a base model with a few add-ons such as privacy glass and alloy wheels. One annoyance with pricing a Highlander is that unlike Honda models that come in either mid-level LX or topped-out EX varieties, Toyota leaves most features to be ordered separately, and unless you special-order a model from the factory you're most likely going to get a random mix of features that may or may not suit you. For instance, my girlfriend and her mother wanted privacy glass and side airbags, but no sunroof; but all suitable models had a sunroof installed. Most non-Limited models at the dealer seemed to be very similarly equipped with these features, and they were priced in the $31k range.

As of late August, Toyota seems to have a large supply of this vehicle available (no doubt due to the incredibly popular Honda Pilot cleaning up the competition) - the dealer we visited had over 30 Highlanders sitting in the lot. As a result, it is selling for bargain prices - at or below dealer invoice in fact. Our salesman, who handled internet sales (the best way to get competitive pricing), priced a $31,200 MSRP model at around $26,900 after cash-back incentives, a very substantial discount on an import vehicle (particularly an SUV). A littler bargaining would have pushed this price down either further, so at the moment this is a great buy, no doubt about it.

Safety-wise, the Highlander comes standard with anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Vehicle Skid Control (often criticized for being too intrusive). Side airbags are optional but installed on most models. The crash test results for the car have been ok but not as good as the Lexus RX300 or Acura MDX/Honda Pilot.

Ok, enough with the background details... so how is the CAR? Well, I spent some time at the dealer checking it out and took it for a little spin, and here are my thoughts...

As I mentioned, interior appointments are comfy and a cut above the lower-priced SUVs like the CR-V. Fabrics and plastics seem to be of high grade and fit and finish is excellent, as is to be expected from a Toyota. My girlfriend's favorite touch was the hollowed-out center area between the front seats under the cupholders, just big enough for a woman's handbag. (This should tell you a lot about Toyota's target audience...) The seats were comfortable, though the driver's seat could use a little more lateral support. The seating position was a nice compromise between car and SUV - high and upright almost like a chair, but not too much so. Rear seat room and comfort seemed very good for a SUV. Cargo space is nothing to write home about, but it's more than adequate for most people. Ergonomically, as with most Toyotas, I wasn't crazy about the overall feel and layout... not as clean and functional as Hondas (my benchmark), and the instrument cluster could be clearer. I was never a fan of the 3-pod instrument layout, and in the Highlander I find it harder to read than the Honda CR-V or Pilot. On the plus side, the radio and HVAC controls are positioned nice and high where they're easy to see and operate.

On the road, I was rather disappointed by the pickup power of the 220hp V6. It's smooth, has a strong sound and pulls well enough in everyday driving, but throttle response is on the sluggish side and flooring the accelerator doesn't result in the kind of thrust I was expecting. True, this is an SUV, not a sports sedan, but I did not feel the engine responded as well as the much less powerful 4 cylinder in the Honda CR-V. Granted the CR-V weighs several hundred pounds less, but the power-to-weight ratio is actually better in the Highlander. Whereas the CR-V feels sprightly and eager to respond to driver inputs, the Highlander has a heavier, more reluctant feel to the throttle. Same goes for steering and braking, which work well enough for pointing and stopping the car but feel very numb, giving little feedback. I would hesitate to call the car unresponsive, because it does indeed respond with a measure of confidence to accelerating, braking, and steering commands from the driver - it's not squishy or ambiguous like so many American cars I've driven. It just doesn't inspire even moderately spirited driving. It is easy to drive the car smoothly however, and body motions in cornering were better controlled than I was expecting.

Engine, road, and wind noise are all well controlled, and the ride is very smooth and quiet. I didn't get to drive it at highway speeds for an extended period but I imagine it would be a comfortable car for a long road trip. The suspension is tuned for comfort but is firm enough to control body motions - bumps are soaked up well with minimal bouncing after the initial impact. All in all a very comfy ride.

In general, this is a comfortable, well-made, well-designed car that should give its owner many years of trouble-free service. Not to be sexist, but I think many women will take to the car for its size, comfort, style, and smoothness - my girlfriend really liked it a lot. Considering the dealer discounts (don't pay more than invoice!) and Toyota build quality it's also a great value at the moment - at under $30k for a nicely equipped model it is squarely in Honda Pilot price territory. It's also a good alternative to the Pilot if you don't need or want its extra size (the Highlander is a tad more compact). People looking for some involvement in their driving experience will need to look elsewhere however, as driving the Highlander is about as fun as being shot up with Novocaine.
Amount Paid (US$): 27,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: V6 4WD, sunroof, alloy wheels, privacy glass