In its 15th model year, the Toyota Highlander has steadily grown into one of the top-rated midsize crossovers with three rows of seats.
It was the newest sport ute in the country in April 2001 when the ’01 Highlander carried Jan and me, Dave and Norma Wagner into northeastern Colorado for the 100th anniversary celebration of the First Christian Church of Wray.
The first one was noted for a smooth, carlike ride; today’s Highlander has retained that asset while increasing wheelbase by 2 ½ inches, overall length by 7 inches, width by 4 inches and has gained 600 pounds. It has shed a very boxy rear end for a sleeker look.
The Highlander, since its introduction, has offered a quiet cabin and well-damped, comfortable ride; it’s a good highway cruiser. Jan and I drove it in to Denver one afternoon to attend the memorial service for Bill Barrow, the former longtime head of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.
More miles were added to the Toyota early the next morning when I drove it to Tabernash (near Winter Park) and the Devil’s Thumb Ranch for test-driving several 2016 cars and trucks.
Toyota’s 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, in moving the 4,400-pound Highlander, isn’t overly powerful, but it gets passing marks for climbing the hills and in getting around slower-moving traffic, and doing it fairly economically. For the week I was with the Highlander, it posted an overall average of 21.8 miles per gallon; its EPA estimate is 18/24.
Its improved all-wheel-drive system, from normal front-drive mode at any hint of slip varies torque distribution up to 50/50 front-to-rear. With push of a button, the continuously varying distribution can be locked into an even divide between front and rear wheels.
Much of the Highlander’s popularity is based on the fact it offers the three rows of seating. Raise the lever on the seatback in the second row and the seat will slide forward, lending limited access to the far-back seats, which are fairly tight in legroom and headroom. The third row is not as roomy as that in the Chevrolet Traverse, and it leaves little cargo space, only 13.8 cubic feet behind the third row.
A swooping design across much of the dashboard creates a tray for holding small items such as phones or key fobs or billfolds or Starbucks cards. Visibility has been improved with slightly larger glass openings and repositioned pillars.
Highlighting a long list of optional items, which boosted sticker price of the Highlander to $47,812, are automatic high-beam headlights, running boards, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, radar cruise control, lane-departure alert and remote engine start.
Here are the specifications for the ’15 Toyota Highlander SUV crossover:
- Capacity 8-passenger crossover
- Wheelbase 109.8 inches
- Length 191.1 inches
- Width 75.8 inches
- Height 68.1 inches
- Curb Weight 4,464 pounds
- Track 64.4 inches front, 64.2 rear
- Ground Clearance 8 inches
- Turn Circle 38.7 feet
- Drivetrain All-wheel-drive
- Engine 3.5-liter V-6
- Horsepower/Torque 270/248
- Transmission 6-speed automatic
- Steering electric power
- Suspension front strut, rear double wishbone
- Fuel mileage estimate 18/24
- Fuel mileage average 21.8
- Fuel Tank 19.2 gallons, regular
- Wheels 19-inch
- Tires Bridgestone Dueler 245/55R19
- Cargo Volume 13.8 cubic feet
- Warranty 3 years/36,000 miles basic, 5/60,000 powertrain
Competitors Buick Enclave, Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Nissan Pathfinder
Assembly Plant Princeton, Ind.
Parts Content N.A.
Base Price of Lowest Model $32,530; Base Price of Review Model $41,300; Destination Charge $885; Sticker Price $47,812.