Stylin’ bazooka a trusty antidote to family minivan
Coming off a big refresh for its 2015 model year, the Toyota Highlander has been named Best New CUV/SUV $35k-$60k by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.
This was an interestingly diverse category at Test Fest, as the Highlander was up against the full-size Chevy Tahoe, along with a couple of sharp compact newcomers: the Lincoln MKC and Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 4Matic.
All worthy foes and, yet, when running through the group, I remember thinking the Highlander was going to take it.
Because it excited me? Because it’s a stylin’ urban bazooka?
Uh, no. Because it’s a Toyota. You know, the world’s largest automaker with nearly 10 million sales in 2013. The company whose genius lies in the fact it builds really good, wellpriced vehicles that do exactly what they are supposed to.
But don’t other manufacturers do that, too? Yes, but here’s the kicker: Toyotas are engineered to be unassailably inoffensive. They are generally quiet, compliant, efficient and as easy to use as a potato peeler. You might forget you’re driving one, but that’s the whole point.
And so it was with my week in this mid-level $40,195 Highlander XLE AWD. I ran errands. We took the dog to a provincial park. I spent time in gridlock, but never was the Highlander anything less than a faithful servant.
The leather seats are comfortable, the view out is expansive, and the new high-quality interior is a paragon of clarity and user friendliness. Refreshingly, the seat warmer controls are a couple of analogue dials that mete out the heat in just-so increments. None of this poking away at touch-screen icons.
The Highlander’s new muscular sheet metal is pretty sharp, especially in this Ooh La La Rouge Mica paint. Hop inside and you’ll see some clever design ideas, such as the open shelf that runs along the lower dash. It’s great for sunglasses and cellphones, and there’s a hole for routing a cord from the charging points below. Between the front seats is a big cubbie that will hide a purse or an iPad.
The 2015 Toyota Highlander starts at $31,975 for the front-drive LE model. This XLE AWD at $40,195 gets a fair bit of kit — 19-inch alloys, navigation with eight-inch touchscreen, leather, proximity key with push-button start, a powered lift gate with flip-up glass window, sunroof and three-zone climate control. Step up to the $45,395 Limited and you’re getting ventilated front seats, heated steering wheel, heated second-row captain’s seats, upgraded audio, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, wood trim and panoramic moon roof.
The Highlander Hybrids range from $44,015 to $52,990.
All gasoline Highlanders are powered by a 270 horsepower, 248 lb.-ft. 3.5L V6 hooked to a six-speed auto. It is a smooth engine/tranny combo that gets the job done with little fuss. Acceleration is stronger than the numbers suggest and, on the highway, it is quiet and secure.
Handling is predictable with no hidden surprises and the steering is accurate, if a little numb. The AWD Highlander runs mainly as a frontdrive vehicle until slip is detected, when up to 50 per cent of the power can be routed aft. Official fuel econo- my figures are 13 L/100 km city and 9.8 L/100 km highway. My week ended up at 11.8 L/100 km.
The main reason for buying this mid-size SUV (that feels pretty fullsize to me) is for its people- and cargo-hauling abilities. Oh, yes, and its all-wheel-drive capability.
The second-row bench seat slides for and aft and the seatbacks recline a bit. There’s plenty of room, although the bottom cushions seem a bit thin. The third-row bench, which Toyota claims can accommodate three people, is what you’d expect — usable for smaller adults and kids, and probably not for long periods.
For comparison, the Nissan Pathfinder’s third row is more habitable, and easier to get into because of the clever second row that accordions forward. The Pathfinder and topselling Ford Explorer that’s getting a mid-cycle refresh are the Highlander’s biggest worries. There’s an allnew Honda Pilot on the way, too.
An interesting feature in this Highlander is Toyota’s Easy Speak system that allows front-row passengers (i.e. Mom and Dad) to speak to third-row occupants (pesky progeny) through the audio system via a microphone in the overhead console. Methinks “Angry Speak” may have been a more appropriate handle.
As an antidote to the minivanblues, the seven- or eight-seat 2015 Toyota Highlander delivers admirably. It’s a quality piece that neither excites nor annoys, yet, like a really good butler, ensures everything is just peachy just about all of the time. Peter Bleakney frequently reviews vehicles for Toronto Star Wheels. For this story, the vehicle was provided by the manufacturer. To reach Wheels Editor Norris McDonald, email him at: nmcdonald@thestar.ca.