Toyota

Review: 2010 Toyota Highlander Limited V-6 All-Wheel Drive

Family Friendliness: 8.2

Recommended: Yes

Specifications apply to this test vehicle.

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By Keith Buglewicz

Drive past a mall parking lot or an elementary school in any suburban town, and you could be forgiven for thinking its a Toyota dealership thanks to the ubiquity of Toyota's Highlander crossover. As one of the default vehicles of choice for family car shoppers since its introduction a decade ago, the Highlander's popularity remains strong, despite increased competition. The thing is, the Highlander isn't the biggest crossover, doesn't have the most cargo space, isn't the roomiest or even the least expensive crossover on the market. So where does the Highlander get its mojo? We borrowed an all-wheel drive 2010 Toyota Highlander Limited to find out.

Model & Pricing

The Highlander range covers base front-wheel drive four-cylinder models to all-wheel drive hybrids, but our test car was a fully loaded 2010 Toyota Highlander Limited 4x4. The $34,520 base price included a 270-horsepower V-6 engine connected to a five-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. It also included a leather interior, third row, a removable center section in the second row, dual zone climate control, and the usual power windows, locks, keyless entry and cruise control. Our test vehicle added a $1,780 rear-seat DVD entertainment system, a $220 towing package and $275 worth of floor mats. However, the price really shot up with the Limited extra value package, a $3,400 bundle that includes a navigation system, Bluetooth, moonroof, rear climate control, heated front seats and a power hatch. Total cost: $40,995 including the $800 destination charge and the $1,500 discount for the extra value package.

Safety

The 2010 Toyota Highlander gets very good crash test scores, and even earns a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Standard safety equipment includes stability and traction control, front airbags that include a driver's side knee airbag, curtain airbags with a roll sensor, and two LATCH positions in the center row. Not available are the active cruise control and other active collision avoidance systems available on other Toyota models, such as the Sienna minivan or the Prius hybrid.

Utility & Comfort

One clue to the Highlander's success may very well be the front seat. Once you sit down, the soft leather and comfortable padding eliminate excuses to get back up, and the 10-way power adjustments and memory will help you fine tune and keep your sweet spot. The attractive and driver-friendly environment features big bright gauges, easy to use controls, and big knobs for things like volume and climate control. It's not all roses though, thanks to some plastics and materials that feel downgrade at this price. The headliner, for example, is barely appropriate for a $15,000 commuter, much less a $40,000 crossover. Hard plastics on the windowsills and dash were also disappointing, although padded armrests on the doors and center console bin compensate somewhat. What the Highlander lacks in cushy plastics it makes up for in storage. There are four cupholders on the center console, plus bottle holders in the generous door pockets. The big glove box can hold plenty, and any leftover will fit into the medium-sized center console bin. There's even a coin box on the dash next to the driver. The view out front is good, but in the rear it's quite pinched thanks to the small side and rear windows and thick pillars. Luckily, our Highlander came with a rear-view camera to make backing up easier. Front seat passengers have an equally comfortable seat with plenty of leg and head room to stretch out.

The second row boasts a number of clever features. At first, it looks like a typical 40/20/40 split fold seat, with the center section designed to fold for long objects without sacrificing middle-row seating. However, the whole "20" part comes out, allowing a passthrough to the third row, or alternatively, a cargo tray that snaps into place. Whatever center section you're not using latches into a hidden compartment in front center console. The seats themselves are plenty comfortable thanks to seatback angle and fore-aft adjustments.

The third row is a different story. Like many midsize crossovers and SUVs, the Highlander's third row is meant to be an occasional-use passenger option. Unfold it and the Highlander's 42.3 cu.-ft. of cargo space shrinks to a barely usable 10.3 cu.-ft., too small even for a stroller to fit between the seatbacks and the hatch. The seat itself isn't designed for adults, but two smaller kids can fit in back easily enough. Since there's no LATCH position in the third row an infant seat is out, but non-LATCH boosters work fine. It's also one piece; you can't fold half of it down to accommodate one extra person and some extra gear.

If you use the Highlander as a five-passenger vehicle, the cargo space is large, easy to use, and filled with smart features like a pair of quick-release handles in the cargo area that fold down the second row seats with one pull. If you've ever wrestled one of those unwieldy Home Depot dollies while opening your passenger doors and folding the second-row seats, you'll appreciate these levers immediately. They don't work in reverse -- you still have to put the seat back up from the passenger door -- but they're handy nonetheless. Then there's the retractable cargo cover, which stores under the floor in a hidden storage area. The Highlander also boasts a rear window that swings upward, allowing you to load smaller objects without opening the main hatch. The power hatch was handy, but most of the time we just manually overrode it.

Family Friendliness

If you treat the Highlander as a "five-plus-two" crossover, then its two LATCH positions and generous cargo space are just what the doctor ordered. There's plenty of space for a stroller plus a week or two of groceries, the rear climate control kept our little ones happy and cool, and the easy-to-use DVD system sounded great and had a good-sized screen. On the downside, that DVD screen hung down far enough when in use to completely obscure our view out the rear. The LATCH points were also squeezed between the upper and lower cushions, important to note if you frequently remove and install your car seats. As with most crossovers, the step-in height may be high for anyone under 5 years old.

If you're going to be using the third row frequently, there are a few other things to keep in mind. First, the drastically reduced cargo space makes hauling people or things an either-or proposition. Second, while kids can easily operate the folding mechanism, only the passenger side second row seat tilts and slides with one touch. When our youngsters entered from the driver's side, we found it easier to just fold the seatback down all the way into cargo position. Once in back, the kids will be comfortable enough as long as they're not very tall, but the rear head restraints will block your view. The cupholders in the third row come with a handy removable multipurpose rubber sleeve. Its either a quick way to make cleaning spills easier, or an impromptu hat, phone, megaphone or whatever else your kids dream up.

Conclusion

After a week with the Highlander, it's clear that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Sure, many competitors are bigger, have more LATCH points, more cargo space, or are better at hauling people and cargo at the same time. Some can also beat our test vehicle's somewhat paltry 14.5 mpg average fuel economy. But the Highlander's wealth of clever details, its comfortable and quiet driving experience and overall solidity make it an easy call. If your third-row needs are limited, and you don't mind some hard plastics here and there in the interior, the 2010 Toyota Highlander is easy to Recommend.

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