Stomps the competition

I had to take my Toyota Matrix to the dealership for service, which is bad news (thank goodness for service plans, yeah?) The good news is that the loaner the dealership gave me was 2008 Toyota Highlander base model. That's some crafty planning on their part, really -- they look like geniuses in terms of customer service, and they've managed to put me in a vehicle I don't want to give back to the lot after driving it for a few days. So, that particular lot may make a sale before long (particularly if my wife has anything to say about it -- she loves the Highlander and is already checking out colors and options).

The great thing about this Highlander is that it's more refined, boasts more horsepower and touts comparable gas mileage than the competition. Some of the major problems with SUVs -- particularly American ones -- is that they ride like wagons, handle like rear-heavy pickup trucks and suck down gas like the stuff is still $1 a gallon. The Highlander, however, is completely different. This little gem is pretty agile in terms of handling and rides as smooth as silk. Furthermore, the gas mileage may not be ideal, but the V-6 under the hood manages to produce a respectable 270 horsepower and manage an estimated 24 MPG on the highway (my morning commute is 22 miles, and I can tell you that estimate is about right).

Now 24 MPG is a bit on the indulgent side in this day and age, but it whips the socks off of models with V-8s under the hood and bear in mind that you'd be hard pressed to find an engine that turns in better performance at that level of economy. That's quite a trick, indeed, when you compare the Highlander to, say, the Chevy Equinox -- you get 24 MPG out of that thing and a pitiful 185 horses.

Power is an important thing when you're talking about a vehicle that's as large as the Highlander. While it's not a huge SUV (more on that later), it still weighs in at around 4,000 pounds and having 270 horses under the hood means you get some pretty spirited acceleration. While you'll not win any races in the Highlander, the thing blows by slower traffic with ease and will quickly accelerate past 85 miles-per-hour (yes, I know that from experience) if you don't keep an eye on it. The transmission, too, shifts smoothly and feels very well matched to the engine. The automatic is fine, but you've got the option of shifting manually if the situation calls for such an action (perhaps when towing a boat or using gears to make that icy drive a bit easier).

So, you've got plenty of power and a smooth, comfortable ride with this vehicle. Of course, it's very obvious this was designed for flexible, family use, so how does the vehicle fare in that regard. First of all, bear in mind that there is absolutely nothing flashy about a Highlander. You'll get no snazzy new technologies or anything like that in there and the vehicle is very conservative, right down to the very tame color choices (even the "red" color is muted to the point that it's almost a maroon). Heck, even the stereo is "safe" in that it gets loud, but not too loud (it does, however, sound nice and full through those six speakers and reproduces music very well). However, the Highlander's designers seemed to concentrate on using proven technologies and utilizing them well. The Highlander may not be flashy, but the construction is solid and everything appears to be durable and reliable. I'm a family guy and I really don't give a damn whether what I drive impresses anyone or not, so I'll take dependable over flashy any day of the week.

Naturally, legroom is very important in family vehicles like this one, and the Highlander scores well as far as the front seats and middle row are concerned. Adults have room to stretch out even in the middle row, and that middle row can be modified -- it is essentially two seats with a console between them, but can be altered so that it's more of a bench seat that is wide enough to fit a couple of adults and a child. The back row is another matter entirely -- it's absolutely for children and doesn't offer a lot in the way of legroom.

The back row is where you start to notice that this Highlander isn't a full size SUV (but, that's OK as who wants to pay to dump gas in those things these days?) In addition to the small amount of legroom available to passengers in the back row, you've got absolutely no storage room when that row is in place. The row, when folded down, provides the "floor" for the cargo space in the back of the vehicle. You've got quite a bit of cargo space when that row is folded down, but virtually none when it's in use. There's a luggage rack on the top of the vehicle, but that's a poor substitute for a decent amount of internal storage space when all three rows of seats are in use. That's a minor complaint, however, considering how well this vehicle fares otherwise.

Now, don't go thinking this vehicle is tiny. This thing is 188 inches long, 68 inches tall and 64 inches wide. It absolutely dwarfs my little Matrix, in fact. Fortunately, the size of the vehicle and the solid construction means that road noise is kept to a minimum and you don't get a bunch of rattling.

As for handling, this vehicle is competent, but none too exciting. You get a good feel for the road and the vehicle handles confidently enough that it's pretty easy to tell just how fast you can take that curve shortly after climbing behind the wheel. The brakes are touchy, however, and I found that out right as I drove the car through the lot and almost spilled my coffee in my lap after an unexpected, sudden stop. Speaking of coffee, cup holders are everywhere in this vehicle.

One feature that's always important to me in a vehicle is the stereo. I've already mentioned that it boasts an annoyingly safe amount of power, but it sounds great other than that. The stereo does come with an auxiliary jack for an MP3 player (great feature) and will read discs with MP3 or WMA files. That's all very convenient. The CD player in the base model, however, is a single disc version that loads in a weird way -- you've got to push a button to load the disc rather than just pushing it in the player. That feels odd when you're driving down the road, holding the disc in place with the thumb on your right and reaching for the load button with your index finger. The disc feels like it's about to fall out of the player before it's loaded, so you feel compelled to hold it in place. That's an odd feature that I don't appreciate at all.

Some other features worth mentioning involve the easy-to-read instrument panel featuring a huge speedometer and tachometer. The thing is well lit at night and is shielded from sun glare during the day. Another nice feature is that there's a power port in the front and back -- that's ideal for families like mine that have two portable DVD players to keep the kids calmed down on long trips. A wonderful parent-friendly feature is a panoramic mirror that allows a great view of the back of the car. Yes, I can watch my kids at all times and can often figure out which one is about to smack the other one, which one did smack the other one and who is actually guilty of an offense when they both start howling. That's a great feature.

As for comfort, the cloth seats are sturdy enough and can easily be adjusted so it's easy to get that driver's seat in just the right position. You've got both front and rear air vents with controls for each so even passengers in the back can get comfortable. The rear hatch has a power assist that makes opening it a breeze, but you do have to slam the heck out of it when shutting it or it won't close and the blasted car will beep at you when you start it. Naturally, the power locks can be controlled with the key fob, and I appreciate the parental locks on both the doors and the windows (my seven-year-old daughter, for some reason, loves to roll down her window and yell at people as we're driving down the road -- it's great to be able to stop that).

As for fit and finish, the car is rattle free and the interior is decidedly utilitarian. The base model is comfortable enough and the interior is full of durable, attractive parts. However, all of that plastic and rubber doesn't exactly scream "luxury." That's fine with me, however, as I've got kids and they tend to rub dirty shoes on backs of seats, spill things and generally attempt to ruin my attempts to own nice stuff. The interior may not be flashy, but it is easy to clean. That's a bonus when you're talking about a family vehicle.

So, how much does all this cost? Fortunately, there's some severe downward pressure on anything that isn't a hybrid or a four-cylinder right now, so you can pick up a base model Highlander for around $24,000 in my neck of the woods (that's not bad for a solid, family vehicle that's not too hard on gas). The vehicle comes with a 36-month general warranty and a 60-month power train warranty for piece of mind. Hopefully, all Toyota dealerships are as service-oriented as Landers Toyota in Little Rock (I dropped my Matrix off for some major repairs, picked up this loaner and was on my way in 20 minutes) so that dealing with using that warranty if your car breaks will be relatively painless. Given the high reliability rankings the Highlander has received over the years and the overall quality of everything Toyota makes, trips to the service department should be few and far between.

All in all, this is a great vehicle that offers a lot for the money. My wife sure wants one, and I'd imagine we'll wind up springing for something above and beyond the base model when she talks me into agreeing to get one of these. I wish the fuel economy was a bit better (I am a cheap bastard, after all), but 24 MPG on the highway is something I can live with for now.

By the way, there is a hybrid version of the Highlander available, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra $5,000 for it. The regular old earth-hostile Highlander manages 24 MPG on the highway and 18 in town, whereas the hybrid version nets 27 on the highway and 25 in town. Better fuel economy is great, of course, but an extra $5,000 for the vehicle rather blots out the savings you'll realize, doesn't it? But, hey, that's an option that's well worth checking out, I figure.