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2008 Toyota Highlander Rear View

2008 Sport/Utility of the Year Contenders

2008 Toyota Highlander: Most likely to succeed is no miss congeniality

  • We like: Standard rearview camera, plus removable cushion transforms center-row buckets to a bench.
  • We don't like: All-or-nothing one-piece third-row seat.

    2008 Toyota Highlander Front View

    It's easy to imagine the Highlander as a student who's been cramming for this exam for years, its guidance counselors (product planners and engineers) scrutinizing our SUV-of-the-Year criteria to find any opportunity for improving their protg's scores. Indeed, almost every impression it makes seems worthy of mention in the winner's feature.

    On superiority, the upgrades to an already solid vehicle are all laudable: more passenger and cargo space, myriad new features easily controlled via a user-friendly knob-centric dash, and a new standard 3.5-liter V-6 delivering 270 strong horses that can tow up to 5000 pounds. Hybrids get standard all-wheel drive and new economy-boosting features.

    In the significance category, Toyota's marketing efforts have helped make the Highlander a segment sales leader. With models ranging from front-drivers with cloth seating for five, to leather-lined Limited seven-seat Hybrids, Toyota caters to a wide slice of the SUV-buying (and tree-hugging) public, earning big points in this category.

    2008 Toyota Highlander Rear View

    In terms of value, the much improved Highlander starts at just $27,245, or $620 more than last year's entry V-6 model ($1680 up on the unlamented four-banger). Top Limited Hybrid models tiptoe over the $40K mark. It's not cheap, but Toyota's sterling reputation for quality, reliability, and resale delivers strong bang for the buck.

    And yet, like a brown-nosing teacher's pet, the Highlander failed to become bosom buddies with any of our editor-voters. Drop the hammer, and you get impressive 7.3-second acceleration to 60 mph, but instead of begging for more, the engine moans a baleful wail that sounds like it's complaining. Bend it into a curve, and the tires howl in protest while generating a decent 0.74 g. Despite the "Sport" badging on its flanks and its ability to generate decent numbers on a track, it's no jock. All the audible and tactile signals it sends discourage enthusiastic driving as if such behavior were akin to smoking in the boys' room.

  • frank markus


    2008 Toyota Highlander
    Base price range $27,245-$40,635
    Price as tested $40,953 (Sport AWD)
    Vehicle layout Front engine, AWD, 7-pass, 4-door SUV
    Engine (*SAE certified) 3.5L/270-hp/249-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6
    Transmission 6-speed automatic
    Curb weight (f/r dist) 4489 lb (55/45%)
    Wheelbase 109.8 in
    Length x width x height 188.4 x 75.2 x 69.3 in
    0-60 mph 7.3 sec
    Quarter mile 15.7 sec @ 87.7 mph
    Braking, 60-0 mph 123 ft
    Lateral acceleration 0.74 g (avg)
    MT figure eight 28.6 sec @ 0.58 g (avg)
    EPA city/hwy fuel econ 17/23 mpg
    CO2 emissions 1.01 lb/mile
    RATINGS
    Engineering *****
    Design ****
    Interior/Functionality ****
    Performance *****
    On-Raod Refinement ****
    Off-Road Ability ***
    Value *****
    BOTTOM LINE
    A spectacularly competent vehicle that needs to stop acting like a minivan and let its hair down.


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