Toyota Highlander 2008 Price

Toyota Highlander 2008 Price: If the revamped Toyota Highlander is to prosper, it has its job suited it. It has to carry and also amuse youngsters, ingest freight and conquer snow. It needs to be secure, comfy and lavish, as well as it has to do all these points without breaking the financial institution-- in cars and truck settlements or at the pump. A tall order, no doubt, but the leading midsize SUV competitors really have actually gotten that great.

The Highlander makes the grade on all counts, though it doesn't excel in any one location. Offered it can maintain its exceptional resale worth and also dependability, it must verify a clever-- otherwise particularly captivating-- selection for years ahead.

Base, Sporting activity and Limited trim degrees come with front- or four-wheel drive, and all can seat 5 or seven, depending on the setup. Prices range from about $27,000 to $40,000 with choices.

I tested all 3 trim levels of the regular Highlander at a Toyota event in Michigan.


Toyota Highlander 2008 Price


Edgier Designing

Toyota's California style studios shaped the outside, which is larger in all significant dimensions than the old Highlander. To my eyes, Toyota's smaller RAV4 SUV looks better-proportioned, with just enough contours to counter the angles. With its creased headlights, fancy grille and characterless bumper, the Highlander seems a bit also glossy-- like a corner store consumer that won't remove his sunglasses.

The rear bumper has lumpy reflectors on each side, as well as a lot of trim levels have a glass hatch that opens independent of the liftgate. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are basic; the Sport as well as Limited have 19-inchers that submit the wheel wells nicely. The Sport has a dark silver grille as well as smoked-out fronts lights. The Limited has plainer headlights and chrome exterior moldings.

At 188.4 inches long and 75.2 inches wide, the Highlander casts roughly the exact same shadow as a Honda Pilot, Subaru Tribeca or Hyundai Veracruz. The Mazda CX-9 and also Saturn Expectation are both concerning a foot longer.

The Within

Toyota has actually spent years developing a track record for quality, and also missing any type of serious competitors, the brand-new Highlander may have maintained that standard. The competition is absolutely nothing otherwise major, though, as well as SUVs like the CX-9 and Veracruz flaunt some remarkably upscale interiors. In comparison, Toyota falls a little bit short.

The Highlander shares supports with the current Camry, and also the control panel bears a lot of the sedan's flavor. The center controls are the natural focal point, with extra-large knobs for major functions within very easy reach. Sporting activity and Limited models have a 3.5-inch display atop the stereo. It shows gas mileage, outside temperature level as well as more. It additionally shows setups for the optional automatic climate control system, which could divide the cabin right into as several as three temperature level zones-- 2 front and also one back. The climate manages sit below the stereo, as well as they're terribly messy. I counted 13 switches in between the two temperature knobs; that's a great deal of ground to cover when you're referencing a readout some 10 inches away. On the other hand, the typical hand-operated cooling is straightforward.

Cabin high quality is simply typical. The home window changes, turn signals and also center controls might go straight right into a Lexus, as well as the chrome accents and also electroluminescent evaluates look excellent. Many locations are cut in difficult plastics, nonetheless, and the structures do not have the allure of the stuff in numerous rivals. Most severe of all is the ceiling's headliner, which is some of the most inexpensive mouse hair this side of an economic climate cars and truck.

Moms and dads will value the storage choices. The center console in between the front seats has four cupholders as well as a vast storage container. Fail to remember laptops; the glove box can fit a small computer. (Most likely not the screen, though-- allow's not get carried away.).

3 basic rows of seats suit as much as seven, though you could go down the third row in order to conserve a little cash, lowering sitting capability to five. The front seats offer lots of area, with a technique extender in the Highlander Limited that extends the pillow under the driver's thighs. Wonderful touch.

The 2nd row is just as wide, with reclining back-rests and also seat cushions that readjust backward and forward. The center seat has Toyota's brand-new Center Stow attribute. It's primarily a dive seat, which passengers could exchange for a plastic facility console, turning the 2nd row into two captain's chairs. The extra portion-- either the center seat or console-- stores in a floor area between the pole positions. After a few practice runs, I had the ability to make the modification in around 25 secs.

The jump seat is light enough for very easy setup. Its comfort is hit and miss, even for a middle seat; the bottom padding is substantial, yet I could quickly feel the joints below the backrest padding. The plastic console is lighter still, and also both items have strong setup hooks that ought to survive plenty of thrashing from overenthusiastic kids.

Depending upon where the 2nd row is placed, the 3rd row can be surprisingly adult-friendly. I'm 6 feet tall as well as located headroom a little bit limited, yet with the second row moved on a few inches-- preserving lots of legroom for most grownups-- the 3rd row's legroom was such that I can endure a short trip.

Larger Engine, Better Mileage

All Highlanders obtain the 3.5-liter V-6 from the Camry, Sienna and also a number of other Toyotas. In the Highlander it makes 270 horse power as well as 248 pounds-feet of torque. Both are considerable gains over in 2014's V-6, makinged 215 hp and also 222 pounds-feet of torque. A five-speed transmission is common. In 2015's base four-cylinder engine has been dropped.

Velocity suffices off the line and more powerful as the engine revs. The transmission aids points along, holding equipments and also seldom changing prematurely. Tough acceleration can prompt some abrupt shifts among lower equipments-- much better for velocity, even worse for convenience-- but the majority of the time the shifts are smooth adequate to pass unnoticed. The drivetrain really feels best on the freeway, where it downshifts with marginal gear searching. 3rd equipment is particularly powerful for 50-to-70 miles per hour death.

The optional 4x4 is transparent to the chauffeur. It integrates a center differential to divide power 50/50 between the front and also rear wheels all the moment. Four-wheel-drive designs have a downhill help feature. Press a dashboard switch, as well as it will certainly reduce the SUV to a crawl down high qualities. The feature appears a little bit disingenuous: There is no reduced gear for offroad rock crawling, which implies you must possibly prevent anywhere treacherous adequate to require the downhill help.

All Highlanders have a hill-start help that holds the brakes for as much as 3 secs from a quit to avoid the SUV from rolling backward prior to you have time to strike the gas.

Utilizing the EPA's more reasonable 2008 score system-- which typically causes reduce numbers-- gas mileage is rated at 18/24 mpg (city/highway) for two-wheel-drive versions and 17/23 mpg for those with four-wheel drive. These rankings lead most midsize SUVs by 1 or 2 mpg. They likewise defeated the old V-6 Highlander by about 1 mpg (changed utilizing the EPA's brand-new estimation)-- a remarkable accomplishment, given the brand-new Highlander has even more power and weighs some 300 pounds a lot more. (Four-cylinder fans won't miss much: The old four-cylinder Highlander got just 1 mpg more than the brand-new one performs with the V-6.).

Flight & Handling

The unibody building and construction affords a comfy flight, with none of the underbody shimmying that afflicted the previous Highlander (which was likewise unibody) and lots of body-on-frame SUVs. The four-wheel-independent suspension is sport-tuned in the Highlander Sporting activity, however I couldn't find a difference in ride firmness among the base, Sport as well as Limited. All 3 have a little bit more suspension sound over major bumps than I've concerned anticipate in a midsize SUV.

Wind noise is marginal. Provided a smooth stretch of asphalt, the tires are reasonably peaceful. The Sport and Limited's 19-inch wheels as well as P245/55R19 tires send out a mild hum at highway speeds, which I couldn't spot with the base model's 17-inchers and thicker P245/65R19 rubber.

All versions currently come with electric power guiding. These systems save a little bit on gas intake-- a little bit of low-hanging fruit to satisfy the federal government's fuel economy criteria, I think-- but they typically result in lifeless, fabricated guiding feel. Expectedly, the Highlander guides with a light touch, never providing a lot in the method of feedback or turning accuracy. The CX-9 fares better in this regard, however few other competitors stick out. The very same is true for body roll: Like many SUVs, the Highlander leans away in contours, reminding vehicle drivers it's not to be caught promptly.

Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes are typical. The pedal provides mushy reaction, however the brakes clamp down hard when needed.

Cargo & Towing

With all three rows mounted and also raised, cargo space in back is a meager 10.3 cubic feet. The 3rd row folds up flat into the floor, and also the second row folds virtually level. Highlanders without the 3rd row rather consist of a relatively huge storage space location under the rear floor.

With all seats folded, optimal cargo quantity is 95.4 cubic feet, which compares a lot more favorably with the group.

When appropriately outfitted, the Highlander can tow approximately 5,000 extra pounds.
Security.

In Insurance Coverage Institute for Freeway Security frontal crash tests, the 2008 Highlander scored the highest score, Great. IIHS has not examined the Highlander for side influences.

Toyota didn't stint security attributes. All Highlanders come basic with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, grip control and a digital stability system. The stability system currently collaborates with the electric power steering, which improves the power aid when the vehicle driver is guiding to remedy a skid. It also helps fight steering pull under difficult stopping to assist the Highlander stop in a straight line. (Toyota states the system could not steer the SUV by itself, as some innovative systems now do, so if you guide the wrong way in a skid, do not expect any type of extra power assist.).

Seven airbags are common, including the needed double front air bags, a driver's knee air bag and also side-impact airbags for the front seats. There are likewise roll-sensing side drape air bags for all three rows, which deploy during a rollover to stop occupant ejection.

All seats have head restrictions, and also in Sporting activity and Limited models, the front ones are forward-adjustable for much better whiplash defense. Energetic head restraints are common on the pole positions of all trims. The 2nd row consists of Latch child-seat supports in the outboard seats, with quickly accessible top-tether supports midway down the seatback.

Features & Prices

Omitting the location cost, the base Highlander with two-wheel drive begins at $27,300. A Highlander Limited with a full bevy of alternatives playings around $42,000. Four-wheel drive on any type of trim includes regarding $1,500. All trim degrees come with three rows of seats, though a third-row erase alternative on certain models can conserve $740.

-For $27,300, the base Highlander comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless access, a CD stereo with a supporting MP3 jack, a/c, cruise control, and also power windows, mirrors as well as door locks.
-For $29,950, the Sporting activity adds dark outside components, 19-inch wheels, fog lights, a power vehicle driver's seat, a multifunction steering wheel, a back-up video camera and six-CD audio.
-For $32,700, the Minimal adds a keyless start-up system, automated environment control, natural leather upholstery and also a power passenger seat. Much of these functions are optional on the Sporting activity. Alternatives on both trim levels consist of a navigation system, JBL costs sound, a rear seat DVD player, a moonroof, a power tailgate as well as warmed front seats.

Highlander in the marketplace

Competitors from GM, Mazda and Hyundai will provide the Highlander a run for its cash. Its largest rival, the Honda Pilot, schedules for a redesign in the following year or 2, and Toyota's trump card-- its online reputation for top quality and also integrity-- has actually been slipping recently. The car manufacturer has promised to redouble its initiatives, as well as its most current SUV has to prove that.

The brand-new Highlander has great deals of book sensibilities, like respectable gas mileage and also tons of safety and security features, but there's nothing extraordinary concerning it. If it verifies as bulletproof as its precursor, though, stability will certainly become its specifying quality, which is a book draw a great deal of customers could support.