The Toyota Highlander has been around as a model for twenty years. Toyota is bringing the new-generation Highlander to Europe. The fourth generation is on a new platform, comes as a seven-seater and has the brand’s most powerful petrol hybrid under the hood to pull two tons.
Ask Toyota Motor Europe why they are now bringing the Highlander to Europe and the answer is clear: because the demand for seven-seaters is steadily increasing. After all, since the demise of the MPV, parents of large families no longer have much choice. They often settle for a smaller crossover which leads to a lack of space, or they reluctantly opt for a van that is adapted for passenger transport. In both cases it is a deterioration, while trailer enthusiasts are left completely out in the cold. The fourth generation Highlander wants to solve both problems in one fell swoop, by combining a lot of space with the necessary pulling power and an adventurous appearance.
SIZE MATTERS
Anyone who thinks that the Highlander is a disguised RAV4 with two extra boot seats, is only partly right. Yes, the new GA-K platform is related to that of the middle class and the power source is also identical, but stylistically they are different creatures. Where the RAV4 in its current form is clearly sharply lined to please Europeans, the Highlander is above all everyone’s friend. Inside, too, where the funky touches of the RAV4 give way to classic controls, complemented by a 12.3-inch infotainment display, clearly American style. Ditto for the 10.1-inch head-up display, which, along with eight types of storage compartments, craves highways and oversized milkshakes. The Highlander is actually a purebred American, but one that has been adapted for European use. In fact, behind the wheel with clear clocks you would not at all think that you are on the road with an SUV of 4.96 meters, even though the center console is clearly wider than in the RAV4. A handbag fits in the central storage compartment, while a smartphone can charge wirelessly above it.
MAIN SPACE
There is no shortage of space in the Highlander, which swallows 1,900 liters of stuff with all seats flat. In its normal configuration there is 865 liters of stowage volume, with seven occupants that is 332 liters. How comfortable all those people are, depends on how comfortable the second row is. It can be moved in unequal parts to give even the smallest ones more legroom in the back. The headroom in the third row is limited and is suitable for children up to the age of 12, although entry is even for adults.
For the hybrid technology, we have to take a look under the curved body. There lies the powertrain of the most powerful RAV4, which combines a 2.5 liter four-cylinder with two electric motors: a small one in the front that can also function as a generator to power the compact battery pack, and a larger one on the rear axle that uses the Highlander four-wheel drive. gives. So no mechanical AWD, but a shape that electrically engages the rear wheels to accelerate smoothly or to provide more stability on soft surfaces. For the latter scenario, there is also a Trail function, which simulates the operation of a limited slip differential to prevent spinning wheels. On the Business version of € 59,995 that are 18-inch wheels, on the Premium Plus version shown, we find 20-inchers that hardly affect comfort in a negative way.
As usual, ‘switched’ is done with a CVT machine, which has undergone a real metamorphosis in recent years. Gone is the slow reaction that drove smaller engines into the limiter. We sense a brisk response that gets the best out of the powerful 2.5 petrol engine. Thanks to 248 horses, it picks up surprisingly well and, thanks to the electrical support, does not have to constantly run at high revs, which benefits both comfort and consumption. On a varied route around Brussels, we recorded a consumption of approximately 7 liters of petrol per 100 kilometers, and given the weight of 2.2 tonnes, that is certainly not wrong. Even the sprint to 100 km / h in 8.3 seconds is quite impressive for a full-size SUV, even though the four-cylinder is a bit more emphatic during that exercise.
NO PLUG
Even more impressive is the ease with which the Highlander can be driven. The all-round visibility is good and the steering response even better, making it a breeze to keep the seven-seater between the lines. If your concentration does stray for a moment, the lane assist reminds you that you are on the road with a large car. Roll and dive inclinations are also under control, as is cushioning which is rigid enough to provide control but also compliant enough to ensure comfort. You would almost wonder why all premium brands should fit adaptive dampers so necessary. Well, simple: because the structure is not always stiff enough to counter the movement of the suspension. This is the case with the GA-K platform, allowing Toyota to fit softer dampers without compromising driving dynamics.
Of course, the heavier Highlander is not as agile as the RAV4, but that is also not a must for adventurers who are mainly looking for space. In addition, this model has a capacity of 2 tons, whereas for the RAV4 AWD-i it is a maximum of 1,650 kg (and for the front-wheel drive RAV4 even only 800 kg). The times when the terms ‘hybrid’ and ‘towing power’ did not fit in the same sentence are thus clearly over. The only thing you can’t do with the Highlander is drive an electric car. The combustion engine switches itself off during rolling and descending, but you can barely get a kilometer purely on electric power – and moreover only at very low speeds. The Ni-Mh battery pack therefore only has one thick kWh, intended to allow the combustion engine to perform as economically as possible, always and everywhere, without the need for a plug.
SUCCESSFUL IMPORT
There are plenty of examples of cars that are imported from other continents and then fail completely in critical Europe. Fortunately, the Toyota Highlander does not fall into that trap. He succeeds wonderfully in camouflaging his large dimensions both in the bend and at the pump and to offer large families an alternative to the regretted MPV. Admittedly, the interior’s flexibility is no longer what it once was. Yet the Highlander is perfectly suited for longer journeys with seven in the Highlander, and the range on one tank of petrol is an entirely acceptable 600 km. Just don’t forget to mount a ski box on the roof and possibly buy a trailer, because the available luggage space is inversely proportional to the number of passengers.