![]() ![]() When slippage occurs, varying amounts of power are doled out to the wheel(s) best able to handle it. The all-wheel-drive system is always on, sending equal amounts of power to front and rear axles. I didn’t think the Highlander felt particularly luxurious, although it did show its good breeding in its ability to fulfill assigned tasks with aplomb, and the quality of materials and assemblage. (In trying to dissect the burgeoning SUV market, analysts are forced to use such precious terms, self-contradictory as they may be). For such as they, the dealer will be happy also to provide a “gold kit,” for a supplemental charge.įor Highlander / RX 300 fall into what the industry refers to as the “low-end luxury” class. I perso nally like the look of the Highlander better – it seems less self-consciously affected, although that of course is exactly what will commend it to many folks, that plus the reputed dealer experience. That’s getting close to Lexus territory, although you can gild those lilies, too. The machine I was given to evaluate was a pretty much full-boat Limited V-6 AWD. There are still some options, if that isn’t enough, things like power moonroof, leather seating, side-impact air bags, towing package, traction control and stability control, heated front seats and upgraded stereo. And so it goes, up to the summit, a Limited with V-6 and 4WD, in addition to a raft of functional and aesthetic improvements. For about that same price, you could have a 6-cylinder 2WD standard-grade specimen. The 4WD/4-cylinder goes for a suggested $25,790. The cheapest possibility (2WD, 4-cylinder) starts at $24,390, including delivery. Once you’ve made that fundamental set of choices, you can decide whether you want the pretty-nice standard series or the self-indulgent Limited. You can also couple an all-wheel-drive mechanism to the four-banger if you’re neither hauling much nor in much of a hurry.īut if you want more than the supposed “in” look of an SUV, you’d do well to consider the 6-cylinder engine, which can be paired with either 2WD or 4WD. ![]() There’s no accounting for tastes, so Highlander is available as a two-wheel-drive, four-cylinder machine. It looks more like a tall wagon than a hulking SUV indeed, it stands only 5-foot-6, exclusive of roof rack. Highlander brings to the table the same combination of dependability and comfort that have so often made Camry the country’s best-selling sedan.īut for its profile, Highlander could qualify as a “crossover” machine, offering comfort in foul weather and carrying four adults or two plus a trio of tads with ease, while still being pleasant to drive, even for those who don’t carry Teamster cards. It’s based on the Lexus RX 300 platform, which in turn was derived from the Camry underpinnings, and that model needs no introduction. It’s roughly comparable to the Ford Explorer / Mercury Mountaineer, GMC Envoy / Chevrolet Blazer, Subaru Outback or Buick Rendezvous in size, though with the proper rigging, most of them would be better choices for going where the road isn’t.īut for a machine whose destiny lies mainly on macadam, it’s hard to beat. In many ways, the most desirable member of the family is the Highlander, rather like Mama Bear’s porridge, not too big and not too small. There are several interesting way stations on the climb through the ranks – the 4Runner (soon to appear in reinvented form), the Sequoia and the Highlander. The esteemed fabricator has five variations on the theme, running from the inexpensive RAV4 “cute ute” (starts at $17,035) all the way up to the indomitable Land Cruiser (pretty complete at $53,595). If you’re looking for an SUV and don’t want to spend a lot of time running around looking at prospects, you couldn’t do any better than to try the nearest Toyota store. ![]()
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