2016 Toyota Highlander

The 2016 Toyota Highlander is offered in a variety of trims. First is the base LE trim which only comes in front-wheel drive configuration and starts for $30,490. Above that is the LE V6 trim that offers a 3.5L V6 engine with an asking price of $32,015 and an optional four-wheel drive configuration at a premium of $1,460. The LE Plus starts at $34,395, while the XLE starts at $37,315. At the top of the range sit the Limited and the Limited Platinum trims, which start at $40,915 and $43,530, respectively.

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The XLE trim offers upscale features like an eight-inch touch screen upgraded infotainment system, leather upholstery on front and second-row seats, heated front seats, and also a sunroof, at a starting price of under forty grand with the all-wheel-drive configuration. We feel this is the best bet for those looking to buy the Toyota Highlander.

The base trim of the Toyota Highlander comes with a 2.7L naturally aspirated inline-4 engine that puts out 185 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, which to be honest, feels underpowered for such a hefty vehicle. However, the higher trims get a 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 that puts out 270 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which works perfectly with the V6 engine. The engine is extremely reliable and provides a strong pull throughout the rev range.

The acceleration figures are acceptable as the Highlander with the 3.5L V6 takes 7.1 seconds to go from 0-60 mph and 15.2 seconds to cover a quarter-mile. Although all the rivals come with a V6 engine, the Dodge Durango puts out the highest power and torque figures. Despite not having the best power and torque figures, none can beat the Highlander in either 0-60 mph or the quarter-mile runs. 

According to the EPA, the V6 powered Highlander returns gas mileage of 19 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined, which is impressive, however, with all-wheel-drive, the mileage drops by 1 mpg to 18/24/20 in the city/highway/combined, respectively. The inline-4 base engine is rated at 20 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined. The 19.2-gallon fuel tank is standard across all the trims of the Highlander.

As for the rival SUVs, the Jeep Grand Cherokee manages to beat the EPA estimates of the Toyota Highlander by 1 mpg in both the highway and combined gas mileage. The Chevrolet Traverse is the least efficient among all with gas mileage of 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. Among all, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Dodge Durango come with the biggest fuel tank capacity of 24.6-gallons.

The cabin is large and spacious along with great isolation from road noises as well. The materials used inside the cabin feel premium and well laid out as well. With a seating capacity of up to eight passengers, the Highlander is a great choice for large families. Although the seats are comfortable, the third row lacks a sufficient amount of headroom and legroom, making it cramped for adults, especially in longer journeys. The cargo capacity of the Highlander isn't the best in class at 13.8 cubic feet. With the third row folded, the cargo capacity increases to 42.3 cubic feet, and with both the second and third row folded, it increases to 83.7 cubic feet, which is a lot to haul stuff.

If we compare the cabin space on offer in all the above SUVs, the Toyota Highlander is, without doubt, the most spacious in the first two rows, while the Chevrolet Traverse offers a much more spacious and adult-friendly third-row seat. Among the rivals, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the only exception that offers two-row seating. As for cargo space, the Chevrolet Traverse with 24.4 cubic feet of space behind the third row manages to beat all. The Highlander offers the least 13.8 cubic feet of cargo space. Key interior features include:

• Fabric-trimmed seats
• 60/40-split folding third-row seats
• Tilt and telescoping steering wheel
• Available three-zone automatic climate control
• Available SofTex synthetic leather-trimmed seats
• Available power-adjustable and heated front seats

How intuitive is the Toyota Highlander’s infotainment system?

The Toyota Highlander comes loaded with Toyota's Entune infotainment system that runs on a 6.1-inch touchscreen. Higher trims come with a much larger 8-inch touchscreen in place of the smaller unit. Overall the interface is easy to understand and navigate, although the touch response has scope for improvement. Along with the infotainment, few other features that tag along comprise a CD player, a six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, etc. Key infotainment features include:

• 6.1-inch or 8-inch touchscreen
• Entune infotainment system
• iPod/USB ports
• Auxiliary audio jack
• Available satellite and HD radio
• Available 12-speaker JBL sound system

To best define the look of the Highlander, one can say that it's in between a traditional SUV and a Crossover. From the sides, it looks like a crossover, while the front fascia resembles a traditional SUV. Overall the look is quite aggressive for a vehicle that is meant for large families. The aggressive design language is complemented by the shorter length and higher ground clearance than the competition, and because of that, the Highlander provides a commanding stance on the road.

Although dimension-wise, the Toyota Highlander is dwarfed by the longest and widest Chevrolet Traverse and the tallest Dodge Durango. When it comes to ground clearance, the Jeep Grand Cherokee offers 0.6-inches more than what the Highlander comes with. As far as the wheelbase is concerned, the Dodge Durango comes with a 10-inches longer wheelbase compared to the Highlander. Key exterior features include:

• 18-inch or 19-inch alloy wheels
• Rear spoiler
• Heated side mirrors
• Available sunroof
• Available automatic high-beam headlights
• Available LED daytime running lights

The 2016 Toyota Highlander is among the safest SUVs you can get in the segment. It got the ‘Top Safety Pick+’ award from IIHS and a rating of ‘Good’ in almost all its parameters. The NHTSA gave the Highlander a perfect score of five stars in the overall crash ratings, while front and rollover ratings stood at four out of five stars and the side crash test got five out of five stars. That said, most of the advanced driver-assist features are limited to the top trims, while the lower trims only come with a few standard active and passive safety features. Key safety features include:

• Toyota Safety Sense
• Eight airbags
• Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Anti-lock Brake System
• Electronic Brake-force Distribution
• Brake Assist

The 2016 Toyota Highlander has been a staple in the segment of three-row crossover SUVs since its launch, however, the stiff competition in the segment has made life for the Highlander quite hard as the rivals offer more features, better cabin space, and better fuel efficiency at an attractive price. To counter this, the Toyota Highlander offers great reliability and practicality, especially for a large family. Also, the variety of trims Toyota offers for the Highlander helps buyers find exactly what they are looking for, which most of the competitors except for the Jeep Grand Cherokee are lacking.