A few days ago I went down to Fort Bend Toyota/Scion and test drove the new 2008 Toyota Highlander. I met with R.J. Rideaux, who helped in getting me into their only 2008 Highlander on the lot. The Highlander has been redesigned for 2008 and has been one of the best selling SUV’s. These Highlanders sell so well, that it was difficult to find one on the lot and the one we found was a wonderful blue Limited that was more on the higher end. The vehicle had an MSRP close to $41,000 and had several added options including the JBL Navigation/Audio system. Lets take a look at the 4 dimensions of this review: exterior, interior, cargo room and the drive. There is also a video at the bottom!
Exterior
The new Highlander shows significant signs, of improvement. I am not saying that the old design was “boring” but it had gotten old after around 5-6 years of production. The new design gives the Highlander a more aggressive look and stance. When you look at the new Highlander, you can easily see either a male or female owner. The Highlander is longer than the previous Highlander and looks more expensive than it is. The new headlamps and rear lights also work well for the Highlander adding to its elegance. The rear hatch also features a nicely finished aluminum rectangle with “Highlander” inscribed in it. Overall, the exterior has seen a drastic improvement
Interior
The interior was very luxurious in this vehicle. Yes, it did have the optional leather, rear view camera and the beautiful 8″ LCD based Navigation system, but even still, the Highlander’s interior is very upgraded. The center console has plenty of storage room and the glovebox is average in size. The controls in this vehicle were well laid out and seemed that Highlander buyers of older age will not be complaining about the size of the controls. There are two cupholders in the Highlander in the front and that seems plenty to me. The Limited also featured a 3.5″ information display that displayed the time, outside temperature and the current A/C settings.
There is also a conveniently placed conversation mirror, so that you really dont have to turn around to check on your younger passengers in the back seat. The gauges are also very clear and easy to read. The seats felt very comfortable and would not be a hassle for long drives. There was enough leg and headroom for the front passengers. I did sit in the second row seating and there was still plenty of room for 3 adults however, the 3rd row seating is only for children as many have claimed previously. Toyota has created the 2nd row such that you can convert it from two separate “captain chairs” to one that seats 3 individuals. “Captain Chairs” mean that each seat will have its own armrests and this setting allows easier access to the third row.
Cargo Room
Although I have never previously reviewed cargo area, I was able to find some great pictures that show you the versatility in cargo capacity for the Highlander. The third row does take away quite a bit of the cargo room as you can see, but if the third row isn’t your concern then there is plenty of cargo room with the third row folded down. There is even more cargo room with both the rows folded down. Either way, the longer body style has accommodated the third row seat well, leaving room for cargo.
Drive
All Highlander models are equipped with a 3.5L V6 (the same as the V6 Camry and Rav4) that produces 270hp and 248lb ft. of torque. This combination delivers 18 city, 24 highway and 20 in mixed driving. The numbers are impressive and the drive certainly matches those numbers. The Highlander is very smooth from the get go. Since I was driving the Limited, it was equipped with the rear view camera and that made it very easy to watch for obstacles in your path. Put the car in reverse and the 8 inch LCD shows you what is in the rear surrounding area. Step on the gas a little and the Highlander’s V6 does not hesitate to accelerate and does so with 0-60 time of around 6-7 seconds. The drive is very comfortable and the Highlander isn’t difficult to manuver at all.
The 3.5 inch center information display that I mentioned earlier is also placed such that the driver does not need to take his/her eyes off the road. The steering wheel is equipped with bluetooth phone controls, audio controls as well as A/C controls making it very easy for the driver to change settings while not taking their eyes off the road. The braking in the Highlander is also exceptional and is equipped with ABS and traction control. Even at high speed with the radio turned off, it was almost impossible to get a sense of the road noise considering it was a very windy day. Even road noise was minimal when driving on the highway at 65mph. While driving on the highway you will notice that the Highlander does not have a blindspot which is very comforting to the driver as in some SUV’s it is quite a task to notice vehicles in nearby lanes.
Conclusion
The 2008 Highlander is the perfect blend of performance and luxury and delivers that in an appealing package. The Highlander has received top marks for safety and the drive quality was better than average. With room for 7 and a very well performing 3.5L V6, the Highlander is sure to meet the demands of every consumer. Thank you once again to R.J and Fort Bend Toyota/Scion for the opportunity!
Source: Toyota, Edmunds, Video Courtesy of TestDriveVideos
