Toyota Highlander, Mr. seven-seater
Can you believe it? The Toyota Highlander has been around for 20 years and with this fourth generation, they are also bringing it to Europe. 7 seats, the most powerful hybrid in the Toyota-stable and a new platform.
Size Matters
Almost 5 meters in length and 2 meters in width! Yes, the Toyota Highlander ain’t a small thing. But, how would you put away 7 people in smaller dimensions? Impossible. The new GA-K-platform is the ideal base for the space wonder. With the 7 seats in place, you can enjoy a booth space of 332 liters. That grows to 865 liters if you put 5 people in the car and this can jump to an unbelievable 1.900 liters as a 2-seater.
The comfort and space in the 3rd row depend on whether the person in front of you is in a good mood. The second row is slidable in unequal parts and brings a decent amount of comfort and space. Decent in the meaning of “a lot”. In the front row -the place where you will be most of the time-, you can enjoy great seats with heaps of adjustability and options like “ass-heating”. A more classically shaped infotainment system with a 12.3-inch screen and also a 10.1-inch head-up display. Nothing really special to fight its opponents with. The build quality of the general interior ain’t bad but also isn’t a high flyer. Something noticeable -and strange for our reviews- are the 8 giant storage compartments (of some kind).
Somewhat American, but mainly European
The size is of a pure American standard, but the design is produced to make the hearts of Europeans beat faster. The 2 tons weighing SUV has sharp lines and on the front, new headlights and a very big but impressive front grille make sure you stand out. Moving to the side and you can -for the first time- behold the true dimensions of the Toyota Highlander. If the car didn’t have the ground clearance it does, you could argue it is an MPV. But, that ain’t “cool” enough. Thanks to the Premium Plus-version, the Highlander can enjoy 20-inch rims. Those 20’s don’t affect the driving comfort at all!
The back of the car gives some Lexus-like feeling. Nothing bad, giving the car some more premium feel at the back. Further, the back is designed rather quietly and mature just like its little brother the RAV4.
CVT
Yes, we know. But try to read on. The CVT transmission is one of our least favorite out there, but the development of this gearbox hasn’t stood still over the years. The combination of the engine with the gearbox works quite well. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid with 1 kWh Ni-Mh accu -really I ain’t kidding 1 kWH- produces 248 hp and 221 Nm of torque and doesn’t need a fast-shifting, neck-breaking automatic gearbox. The CVT makes it possible to have a smooth and linear acceleration all the way up to 180 km/h. After 8,3 seconds, 100 km/h will appear. With those numbers and gearbox on that weight, you will never struggle for grip even in the badest weather conditions. to let you in on a little secret: the constant AWD helps with that as well.
Conclusion
It has been a hard one to explain, this Toyota Highlander. If you compare it with a class of children, it’s the quiet and calm kid in the group but you will forget him after a while. He wasn’t the funny one or the one good a sports or the “badass”. No, looking back at the pictures of your class and thinking: “Ow yeah, that boy. But what was his name?” That’s the feeling the Toyota Highlander gives us. And that’s a little bit sad if you pay 66.690 euros (Belgium) for a car. Is it a space wonder? Yes. Is it comfortable? Yes. Is it easy to drive? Yes, most of the time. Can you live with it on a daily basis? Yes. Is it a grey goose? Sorry Toyota, but yes.
