Highlander an oldie but still a goodie
Toyota’s 2019 edition likely the last before an update but there is plenty to admire in hybrid
Next year marks the 20th anniversary for the Toyota Highlander, the mid-size SUV that was one of the first sports-utes to be based on a car-like platform. That is, unibody construction and with an independent rear suspension, making it very unlike its turn-of-the-century competitors, the likes of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chevrolet Trailblazer, when it came to road comfort. Clearly, a trailblazer all its own.
A half-decade later the Highlander continued its forward-thinking evolution with the debut of a hybrid version, the first seven-seater hybrid in fact, and one that utilized Toyota’s extensive electric motor and battery knowledge culled from its Prius division. Fast-forward to the present, and the hybrid has been a mainstay in the Highlander stable since its debut in 2006.
Now six years — a lifetime really — into its third-generation iteration, the 2019 Highlander lineup has but one update over its 2018 counterpart — LED fog lamps. Fortunately, the major redesign in 2013 saw the second-gen’s boxy exterior rounded out in a fashion that still looks contemporary. Likewise, a 2016 facelift updated the front and rear fascia with restyled headlights and tail lights, so that helps to hide the current models age too. However, the interior is looking a little tired in relation to the tough competition in the three-row hybrid segment (notably the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid).
Testimony to the Highlander’s appeal is the fact that despite being over a half-decade into its current generation, sales have continued to rise. Spy photos making the rounds hint at an all-new 2020 model, and while the exterior doesn’t look to have any radical changes — after all there’s only so much you can do with a mid-size SUV — the cabin will no doubt get a most welcome redesign.
But that’s for the future; onto the current hybrid model. Our tester was the top-of-the-line Limited edition, one of two all-wheeldrive hybrid trims available for 2019 (the base hybrid is the XLE, with a starting MSRP of $50,950 and seating for eight as opposed to the
Limited’s seven).
Just as with that first ever Highlander and its emphasis on road comfort, the 2019 Hybrid Limited is a remarkably smooth and surprisingly agile SUV. The former thanks to electric steering, front suspension with McPherson struts and a double wishbone rear suspension with trailing arms; the latter derived from a peppy 3.5-litre V6 with an output just north of 300 horsepower. Coupled with Toyota’s proven hybrid drive system utilizing a high torque electric motor/generator, power is sent to all four wheels through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission that further smooths out highway onramp and overtaking acceleration.
All of which makes this vehicle’s fuel economy numbers all the more impressive (city 8.1 L/100 km; highway 8.5). But that’s the point of a hybrid, right? The question is, does its MSRP — $5,000 and change over the similarly equipped Limited AWD gasonly model — justify itself? Guess that would depend where you live in Canada (i.e. here in Metro Vancouver you pay the highest fuel prices in the country) and how many kilometres you’ll cover each year. And, as with all hybrids, if you plan to keep the vehicle for a long time, your brakes and transmission — all things being equal — should require less maintenance over time. So, many things to consider.
What I can say after driving around the Lower Mainland for a week in the Limited Hybrid is you won’t be disappointed with the utility of this SUV, nor will your passengers be put out by their respective comfort zones. The front two rows feature well-bolstered captain’s chairs, the driver and front passenger enjoying heated and ventilated seats, the middle row occupants heated seats, and all seven passengers perched on premium perforated leather seats.
Transporting a gaggle of teenage girls to and from the local ski hill is always a good test for an SUV, and the Highlander Hybrid passed with flying colours, though the 60/40 third row seats did mean two of them sat tucked tightly together with the skis and boards stacked on one side. Thankfully the four onboard USB outlets ensured no one was without the all important smartphone charge-up before hitting the slopes. Likewise the 12-speaker JBL audio system received many mittened thumbs up, as did the Sirius radio and the massive panoramic sunroof. We even tested, albeit unwittingly, the rear door’s jam protection feature when an errant ski wasn’t pushed in far enough and the close remote button was pushed. Happy to report no harm to vehicle nor ski.
There are two trains of thought when considering the purchase of a vehicle in its final year of an outgoing generation. On the plus side, you have to figure that, in the case of the 2019 Highlander, six years of bugs/issues have been worked out and fixed in this current model; on the negative side, the coming fourth-generation will be a mostly clean-sheet design, meaning an improved interior (one would assume).
That’s for prospective buyers to muddle through, but what I can say with confidence is that the 2019 Highlander Hybrid Limited is a very capable, comfortable and efficient mid-size SUV.