Toyota Highlander 2006

Summary

A new gas-electric hybrid model has joined the Toyota Highlander line for 2006. The Highlander Hybrid uses Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive.

Full Review 2006

The Toyota Highlander is the best-selling vehicle of its type, a midsize sport-utility based on a car. Highlander's popularity is partly because it's a Toyota, which promises top-notch quality, durability and reliability. The Highlander is, after all, the easiest of motoring companions. Accommodating various combinations of people and cargo is easy. Seating for five comes standard, but the Highlander can carry up to seven passengers with the optional third-row seat. Folding the seats down reveals 80 cubic feet of cargo space.

It's available with four-cylinder or V6 power, and a choice of front-wheel drive or full-time four-wheel drive. The standard Highlander with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive performs well around town and on the open highway, delivering responsive performance when merging into highway traffic. Equipped with the larger 3.3-liter V6 and all-wheel drive, the Highlander offers strong power and secure handling in nasty weather.

The new Highlander Hybrid is surprisingly powerful, more powerful than the regular V6 models. The Hybrid combines a 3.3-liter V6 with an electric motor, or two motors in the case of all-wheel-drive models. The Highlander Hybrid will be classified by the government as a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle, or SULEV. First introduced as a 2001 model, the Highlander was substantially revised for 2004. The 2005 models added more standard equipment.

Trims and Styling 2006

The Toyota Highlander is available in base or Limited trim, each with front-wheel drive or full-time all-wheel drive. A 3.3-liter V6 that produces 230 horsepower is optional on the base Highlander and standard on the Limited. The new Hybrid combines a 3.3-liter V6 with a high-torque electric drive motor-generator, a system called Hybrid Synergy Drive. Four-cylinder models come with a four-speed automatic transmission; V6 models get a five-speed automatic. The hybrid uses an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission, or CVT.

The base four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive Highlander ($24,530) comes with air conditioning, power windows and door locks, cruise control, cloth upholstery, and seating for five. The all-wheel-drive four-cylinder Highlander ($25,930) is similarly equipped as is the base front-wheel-drive Highlander V6 ($25,590). Same deal with the all-wheel-drive V6 Highlander ($27,840) except it comes standard with the third row.

Limited 2WD ($30,460) and Limited 4WD ($31,860) models come standard with the V6 and third row. The Limited also gets automatic climate control, an eight-speaker JBL sound system, eight-way power driver's seat with adjustable lumbar support, four-way power passenger seat, 17-inch aluminum wheels, roof rack, fog lights, rear privacy glass, heated mirrors, remote keyless entry with security system and engine immobilizer, wood-grain interior trim, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and other amenities. 

The Highlander Hybrid is available with 2WD ($33,030) or 4WD ($34,430). The Hybrid is also available as a Limited 2WD ($37,890) or Limited 4WD ($39,290).

Leather-trimmed seating (Ivory or Ash Gray) is available for the Limited ($670) or base model ($2,255). Optional side-impact airbags mounted in the front seats are designed to provide torso protection, while side curtain airbags are designed to protect the heads of first- and second-row passengers in a side impact or rollover ($680). The second-row seat is equipped with the LATCH system with top tether anchors for all three seating positions and lower anchors for outboard seating positions. A new low-tire-pressure warning system is standard.

The Star Safety System, standard on all models, includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and traction control, anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist.

The Toyota Highlander looks smart and trim, falling somewhere between the edgy high style of the RAV4 and the muscular purposefulness of the 4Runner. Highlander is slightly larger inside, as measured by total EPA interior volume, than the RX 330, although the Lexus has slightly more cargo volume.

Toyota design philosophy tends toward conservative appearance changes, and the Highlander lacks a cutting-edge design such as that of the Nissan Murano. Highlander's front and rear overhangs are relatively large, tending more toward a station wagon look. Highlander's front bumper, light clusters and grille were revised for 2004.

While the Toyota 4Runner is basically a truck, the Highlander is essentially a car. Two-wheel-drive versions are front-wheel drive, not rear-wheel drive. For commuting and transporting the family, the Highlander is the better, more comfortable choice. 2006 Toyota Highlander

Styling and Interior Features

Few vehicles are easier to get in and out of than a Toyota Highlander. Highlander is even friendly to wearers of tight skirts. The Highlander will not likely ever annoy you. There are walk-in steps and a second-row sliding seat to help access the third row of seats.

Highlander comes with reclining bucket seats in front. These seats are flat and lean, but supportive and comfortable and adjust to suit various-size drivers. The front seats are designed to reduce the possibility of whiplash.

The center of the second-row seat folds down into an arm rest with cup holders, and the seats recline for additional comfort. The second row folds fairly flat but not perfectly flat. The second-row seat slides forward to make access to the third row easier, and to provide more legroom for third-row passengers.

We found our knees rode high, and there was minimal leg room, hip room and shoulder room. Third-row seats are seldom comfortable, especially in this class. The Nissan Murano has no third row. Third-row seats are packaged with rear privacy glass, a rear heater system with separate fan controls, and additional cup holders. 

Interior trim and fabrics in all Highlanders are conservative and generally tasteful. The standard climate control is a single-zone system.

This opens up the space between the front seats. Map pockets, visor mirrors, and front and rear auxiliary power outlets are provided.

First Drive 2006

The Toyota Highlander is easy to drive and operate. The Highlander is quieter than truck-based SUVs both in engine and road noise. Highlander rides smoothly on a variety of surfaces, true to the car side of its SUV heritage, though some road vibration can be felt through steering wheel on rough surfaces.

The standard front-wheel-drive, four-cylinder Highlander makes a superb wagon for the city and suburbs. Traction control and electronic stability control and other accident-avoidance measures are standard equipment. Highlander is far easier to deal with on a daily basis than a truck-based sport-utility. The four-cylinder engine offers good power. Torque is increased significantly, to 242 pound-feet. Highlander feels at home around town, amidst traffic lights and parking seekers. Rolling into suburbia, the Highlander fits right in. It cruises well on major highways, offering good stability and a smooth, quiet ride. Active safety features help the driver maintain control by reducing skidding. Toyota's electronic Vehicle Stability Control with traction control detects slipping of the front or rear wheels and reduces engine power and/or applies the brakes on individual wheels to correct the Highlander's course.

Braking is certain and smooth. ABS helps the driver maintain steering control under hard braking. Electronic Brake-force Distribution optimizes brake force at each wheel under different load conditions and as the car's weight shifts forward under braking for improved stability and reduced stopping distances. All-wheel drive works great in slippery or inconsistent conditions. All-wheel-drive Highlanders use a permanently engaged system that splits torque 50/50 front/rear, and relies on the traction control to limit slippage at any wheel.

2006 First Conclusion

Toyota Highlander is an excellent choice as a versatile, no-hassle 4WD wagon. Its ease of operation and convenience features make it eminently easy to live with. Consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com praises the Highlander for its ample interior. Highlander carries four people in comfort, seven in a pinch, and hauls a lot of stuff. It is a competent all-weather performer. Edmunds.com praises the Highlander for its multitude of base level features. Toyota's reputation for quality, durability and reliability should mean trouble-free ownership and a strong resale value. Highlander provides what most people want from a modern, on-road sport-utility. The Highlander Hybrid delivers strong performance and emits 80 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than a conventionally powered SUV.