Toyota Highlander: Popular family SUV adds third-row seat
Ann M. Job, For The Associated Press
11/28/2003
For the three years the Toyota Highlander has been on the market, it has won easy acceptance from married couples.
Now, with the addition of a third-row seat in the new 2004 Highlander, Toyota's most popular SUV stands to gain a new group of buyers who regularly carry children with them.
"We expect to have more families moving more kids around," said Jim Lentz, vice president of marketing at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.
He also expects more sales, all the way to 120,000 a year. Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $24,620 for a four-cylinder model with two-wheel drive and only two rows of seats.
The new third-row seat, available on all models of Highlander, is one of several changes for 2004.
The new Highlander also features a smoother ride, a new, more powerful V6, a slightly stronger four-cylinder and standard stability control.
Styling is updated front and rear, too, but the changes are so mild, most consumers aren't likely to notice.
For example, the grille up front is a bit bolder, and taillamps in back contain a clear section.
But the overall look remains plain.
Inside, Toyota officials sought to give the Highlander a richer look than before. There's a new, satin metallic finish across the dashboard and new colors.
Highlander's appeal revolves around its car-like ride, maneuverable size, elevated ride height and easy entry — not to mention Toyota's reputation for quality and durable vehicles.
Based on the pricier Lexus RX330 and using a Toyota Camry car platform, the Highlander already had a pretty jostle-free ride that set it apart from SUVs that use truck-based platforms.
Now, refinements to the Highlander's suspension, such as revised bushings, stiffer anti-roll bars and new asymmetrical coil springs, make the vehicle even smoother riding.
In the tester, for example, the ride was so free from bothers and jolts, I scarcely noticed when we passed over manhole covers on the streets. Even recently patched areas of pavement brought only mild vibrations inside.
The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering has a mainstream feel, and the view out of the Highlander is quite good.
The new V6, which is expected to be in 80 percent of Highlanders sold, has 3.3 liters of displacement, instead of last year's 3 liters. It's also used in Toyota's 2004 Sienna minivan and 2004 Solara coupe.
Mated to a new, five-speed automatic transmission, this engine delivers power easily, not in some crazy, uncontrolled way but in a steady, confident fashion that helps a driver move into traffic easily.
Horsepower is 230 in the new engine and compares with 220 horses in the former Highlander V6. Torque is up to 242 foot-pounds at 3,600 rpm vs. 222 at 4,400 rpm last year.
The engine improvements were needed, since major competitors, such as the Honda Pilot and Nissan Murano have more power.
Specifically, the Murano's V6 provides 245 horses and 246 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm while the Pilot's V6 generates 240 horsepower and 242 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 rpm.
Starting MSRP, including destination charge, for a 2004 Pilot is $27,590, while a 2004 Murano starts at $28,850. Note the Pilot comes only with four-wheel drive.
Still, even with the improved power, the Highlander with V6 gets a bit better fuel mileage than last year.
And unlike the Murano and Pilot, the Highlander offers a four-cylinder engine, too, for buyers who want to minimize their gasoline bills.
For 2004, the Highlander's 2.4-liter, four-cylinder model gets a bit more power, going from 155 horses to 160 and from 163 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm to 165 foot-pounds at 4,000 rpm. The fuel economy rating, though, is identical to last year's.
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with traction control is standard for the first time on all Highlanders.
Designed to electronically reduce engine power and, if necessary, also brake an appropriate wheel when the system detects a potential skid, VSC adds to the safety of the Highlander.
Also new for 2004: The optional side airbags for front-seat passengers include curtain airbags that provide head protection for first- and second-row passengers. It does not, however, extend to passengers in the new third-row seat.
The Highlander's quiet interior remains, and Toyota didn't change, lengthen or restyle the Highlander to fit in the third-row seat.
There were only some changes in the floorpan and suspension, and the spare tire had to be moved from inside the Highlander to outside under the cargo area.
Small adults and children are best suited for the Highlander's two-person third row. My knees were close to the second-row seatback as I sat there — legroom is 30.2 inches — and headroom of 36.3 inches can feel confining.
The larger Pilot has 38.9 inches of headroom but the same 30.2 inches of third-row legroom. Its back seat is set up to accommodate three people. The Murano doesn't offer third-row seating.
The Highlander has held the top ranking in its segment the last two years in J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study.
It's also a recommended buy of Consumer Reports, which lists the predicted reliability of the 2004 Highlander as much better than average.
Toyota officials said about 65 percent of Highlander buyers are women. Buyers also are college-educated, with professional careers.
The highest concentration of Highlander buyers are in their 40s, Toyota officials said. About 35 percent of buyers so far have had children in their household, with median household income around $70,000.
For the three years the Toyota Highlander has been on the market, it has won easy acceptance from married couples.