Toyota Highlander 2008
By
pusahma dua
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Tuesday, June 12, 2018
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2008 Toyota Highlander
The Highlander makes the grade on all matters, though it does not excel in any one location. Provided it can keep its exceptional resale worth as well as integrity, it needs to verify a smart-- otherwise specifically exciting-- choice for years ahead.
Base, Sport as well as Limited trim degrees include front- or 4x4, and all can seat five or 7, depending on the arrangement. Rates vary from roughly $27,000 to $40,000 with choices.
I checked all three trim levels of the regular Highlander at a Toyota event in Michigan.
Toyota Highlander 2008
Edgier Designing
Toyota's California layout studios sculpted the outside, which is larger in all significant measurements compared to the old Highlander. To my eyes, Toyota's smaller sized RAV4 SUV looks better-proportioned, with simply enough contours to balance out the angles. With its creased headlights, fancy grille and also amorphous bumper, the Highlander appears a little bit as well glossy-- like a convenience store consumer who will not take off his sunglasses.
The rear bumper has dimpled reflectors on each side, as well as most trim levels have a glass hatch that opens up independent of the liftgate. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are common; the Sport and also Limited have 19-inchers that submit the wheel wells nicely. The Sport has a dark silver grille and also smoked-out fronts lights. The Limited has plainer fronts lights and chrome outside moldings.
At 188.4 inches long and also 75.2 inches large, the Highlander casts about the same darkness as a Honda Pilot, Subaru Tribeca or Hyundai Veracruz. The Mazda CX-9 as well as Saturn Outlook are both regarding a foot longer.
The Inside
Toyota has actually invested years building a track record for quality, and missing any type of serious competition, the new Highlander might have kept that criterion. The competitors is absolutely nothing if not significant, however, as well as SUVs like the CX-9 and also Veracruz boast some impressively upscale insides. In contrast, Toyota drops a bit brief.
The Highlander shares foundations with the existing Camry, and the dashboard births much of the car's flavor. The facility controls are the natural centerpiece, with extra-large knobs for significant features within simple reach. Sporting activity as well as Limited models have a 3.5-inch display atop the stereo. It displays gas mileage, outside temperature and even more. It additionally reveals setups for the optional automated climate control system, which could split the cabin right into as numerous as 3 temperature zones-- two front as well as one rear. The climate controls sit below the stereo, and they're extremely cluttered. I counted 13 buttons between both temperature knobs; that's a great deal of ground to cover when you're referencing a readout some 10 inches away. In contrast, the typical manual air conditioning is simple.
Cabin quality is just ordinary. The home window switches over, turn signals and also center controls might go straight right into a Lexus, and the chrome accents as well as electroluminescent assesses look fantastic. A lot of locations are trimmed in tough plastics, however, and the textures 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 fur this side of an economic climate auto.
Moms and dads will certainly appreciate the storage space choices. The center console in between the front seats has 4 cupholders as well as a vast storage space bin. Forget laptops; the glove box can fit a tiny home computer. (Possibly not the display, though-- let's not get carried away.).
3 typical rows of seats suit approximately seven, though you could go down the 3rd row in order to save a little cash, lowering seatsing capability to five. The pole positions use plenty of room, with a technique extender in the Highlander Limited that expands the cushion under the chauffeur's thighs. Wonderful touch.
The second row is just as wide, with reclining back-rests and also seat cushions that change backward and forward. The facility seat has Toyota's new Center Stow feature. It's primarily a jump seat, which guests could exchange for a plastic center console, turning the second row right into two captain's chairs. The unused portion-- either the center seat or console-- stores in a flooring compartment in between the front seats. After a few practice runs, I had the ability to make the modification in around 25 seconds.
The jump seat is light sufficient for easy installation. Its comfort is trial and error, also for a middle seat; the bottom padding is significant, but I can conveniently feel the joints beneath the back-rest cushioning. The plastic console is lighter still, and both pieces have tough installation hooks that ought to survive plenty of knocking from overenthusiastic children.
Depending on where the second row is positioned, the third row can be remarkably adult-friendly. I'm 6 feet tall and also found headroom a little bit limited, yet with the 2nd row moved forward a few inches-- preserving plenty of legroom for a lot of adults-- the 3rd row's legroom was such that I can endure a brief trip.
Bigger Engine, Better Mileage
All Highlanders get the 3.5-liter V-6 from the Camry, Sienna and also a number of other Toyotas. In the Highlander it makes 270 horsepower and also 248 pounds-feet of torque. Both are significant gains over in 2015's V-6, which made 215 hp and also 222 pounds-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission is standard. In 2015's base four-cylinder engine has actually been gone down.
Velocity suffices off the line and also stronger as the engine revs. The transmission assists things along, holding gears and hardly ever shifting prematurely. Hard acceleration can motivate some abrupt changes amongst reduced gears-- much better for velocity, worse for comfort-- but a lot of the moment the shifts are smooth sufficient to pass undiscovered. The drivetrain really feels ideal on the highway, where it downshifts with minimal gear searching. 3rd equipment is especially potent for 50-to-70 miles per hour passing away.
The optional four-wheel drive is clear to the vehicle driver. It incorporates a center differential to divide power 50/50 in between the front and also back wheels all the time. Four-wheel-drive designs have a downhill help function. Press a control panel switch, and it will slow the SUV to a crawl down high qualities. The function seems a little bit disingenuous: There is no low equipment for offroad rock crawling, which implies you ought to most likely avoid anywhere treacherous sufficient to call for the downhill aid.
All Highlanders have a hill-start aid that holds the brakes for as much as 3 seconds from a quit to avoid the SUV from rolling backward prior to you have time to strike the gas.
Using the EPA's more realistic 2008 ranking system-- which generally results in lower numbers-- gas mileage is rated at 18/24 mpg (city/highway) for two-wheel-drive designs and 17/23 mpg for those with 4x4. These ratings lead most midsize SUVs by 1 or 2 mpg. They additionally beat the old V-6 Highlander by about 1 mpg (readjusted making use of the EPA's new calculation)-- a remarkable feat, given the brand-new Highlander has more power and evaluates some 300 pounds extra. (Four-cylinder followers will not miss out on much: The old four-cylinder Highlander obtained just 1 mpg greater than the new one performs with the V-6.).
Trip & Handling
The unibody construction affords a comfortable trip, with none of the underbody shimmying that pestered the previous Highlander (which was likewise unibody) and numerous body-on-frame SUVs. The four-wheel-independent suspension is sport-tuned in the Highlander Sport, but I could not detect a distinction in trip suppleness among the base, Sport and also Limited. All 3 have a little bit more suspension sound over major bumps than I've pertained to expect in a midsize SUV.
Wind sound is minimal. Provided a smooth stretch of asphalt, the tires are relatively quiet. The Sport and also Limited's 19-inch wheels as well as P245/55R19 tires discharge a small hum at highway rates, which I couldn't find with the base design's 17-inchers and also thicker P245/65R19 rubber.
All designs now feature electrical power steering. These systems save a bit on gas usage-- a little bit of low-hanging fruit to meet the federal government's fuel economic situation requirements, I presume-- however they often result in drab, fabricated guiding feeling. Expectedly, the Highlander steers with a light touch, never ever providing a lot in the method of feedback or transforming precision. The CX-9 prices much better here, however couple of other competitors stand apart. The very same holds true for body roll: Like the majority of SUVs, the Highlander leans away in curves, advising motorists it's not to be caught quickly.
Four-wheel-disc anti-skid brakes are typical. The pedal offers mushy action, however the brakes clamp down hard when needed.
Freight & Towing
With all 3 rows set up and also elevated, freight space in back is a meager 10.3 cubic feet. The third row folds level into the flooring, as well as the 2nd row folds virtually flat. Highlanders without the 3rd row rather consist of a relatively large storage space area under the back floor.
With all seats folded up, maximum freight quantity is 95.4 cubic feet, which compares more favorably with the group.
When properly furnished, the Highlander could tow up to 5,000 pounds.
Safety and security.
In Insurance Institute for Freeway Safety frontal accident examinations, the 2008 Highlander racked up the highest rating, Good. IIHS has not evaluated the Highlander for side impacts.
Toyota really did not skimp on security attributes. All Highlanders come common with four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, traction control and also a digital security system. The security system now deals with the electric power guiding, which improves the power assist when the driver is steering to deal with a skid. It likewise aids battle guiding pull under hard stopping in order to help the Highlander drop in a straight line. (Toyota claims the system could not guide the SUV on its own, as some sophisticated systems currently do, so if you guide the wrong way in a skid, don't anticipate any additional power assist.).
7 airbags are common, including the required dual front airbags, a motorist's knee airbag and also side-impact airbags for the front seats. There are additionally roll-sensing side curtain airbags for all 3 rows, which deploy throughout a rollover to stop resident ejection.
All seats have head restraints, and also in Sporting activity and Limited models, the front ones are forward-adjustable for much better whiplash protection. Energetic head restraints are conventional on the pole positions of all trims. The second row consists of Latch child-seat anchors in the outboard seats, with easily obtainable top-tether anchors midway down the seatback.
Attributes & Prices
Leaving out the location charge, the base Highlander with two-wheel drive begins at $27,300. A Highlander Limited with a complete collection of alternatives runs around $42,000. Four-wheel drive on any trim includes concerning $1,500. All trim levels have three rows of seats, though a third-row delete alternative on particular versions can save $740.
-For $27,300, the base Highlander includes 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless access, a CD stereo with an auxiliary MP3 jack, air conditioning, cruise ship control, as well as power home windows, mirrors as well as door locks.
-For $29,950, the Sporting activity adds darkened outside components, 19-inch wheels, fog lights, a power motorist's seat, a multifunction steering wheel, a back-up camera and also six-CD audio.
-For $32,700, the Restricted includes a keyless start-up system, automated environment control, natural leather upholstery as well as a power guest seat. Much of these attributes are optional on the Sport. Choices on both trim levels consist of a navigating system, JBL premium sound, a backseat DVD player, a moonroof, a power tailgate and heated front seats.
Highlander in the marketplace
Rivals from GM, Mazda and also Hyundai will certainly give the Highlander a run for its cash. Its largest rival, the Honda Pilot, schedules for a redesign in the next year or more, and Toyota's trump card-- its credibility for quality as well as reliability-- has been sliding recently. The automaker has actually vowed to enhance its initiatives, and its most current SUV needs to show that.
The new Highlander has great deals of textbook perceptiveness, like respectable gas mileage and also lots of security functions, yet there's absolutely nothing exceptional concerning it. If it proves as bulletproof as its predecessor, though, dependability will become its defining quality, which is a book draw a great deal of buyers can support.