2008 Toyota Highlander

http://www.toyota.com/highlander/index.html


I've spent a full day with Big Blue. I like it! It's not as roomy inside as my van, and the storage behind the third row seat is virtually non-existent. The third row is not a split seat, so it's either up or down. The middle row of seats do not tumble, they just fold forward, making it necessary to walk on the back of the seat to reach the third row bench. Which is located conveniently on the floor, so that unless you are a 7-year-old child your knees are up your nose.
The middle row of seats cannot hold all three car seats, either. Even the back seat of Drew's Mazda can handle the big full-size seat in the middle with a booster on either side. This arrangement is impossible in the middle row of the Highlander.
The biggest negative for me is the storage. My van is cavernous behind the third row!

Now for the positive aspects, and there are many. The engine, for one. It's bigger than the 3.3 L V-6 in my van. It's a 3.5 liter and I can tell. It goes like stink, considering it's a huge heavy vehicle. (It's not really a truck, by the way, and even calling it an SUV is a stretch. It's frankly a minivan for people who refuse to drive minivans.) The breaks work great, and all the controls have a solid feel. (The turn signals click very quietly--if you see a "periwinkle blue" highlander driving around Roseville with the blinker on, it's me.)

It also feels more planted to the ground, thanks to it being all-wheel-drive. The AWD aspect helps eliminate torque-steer. There is none. My van will rip the wheel out of your hands if you romp on the gas. The Highlander simply rockets forward. The seats are comfortable, being longer on the bottom, offering more support for your legs. The visibility is really great, and the height of the vehicle is perfect. There's also that reassuring expanse of hood between you and the car in front of you.

I like the vehicle! It doesn't suit my every day needs as well as the van, but it's a nice solid vehicle that I could drive every day quite happily. Until I had to go to Costco with 6 people in my vehicle. Which I do.

Honestly, though, it's a girl car. If you're a single guy and drive this, you probably also have cats and Michael Buble's latest album.