When Huge Is Too Big: 2012 Toyota Highlander SE
By Greg Cavanaugh
Having driven yet another crossover (bringing the total count up to 7!), I’m going to try to avoid the redundancies as best as possible.
The Highlander has been around for a while now and Toyota, in typical fashion, has been refining it and making small changes along the way. Now a bit bigger than the first-gen Highlander, the 2012 Highlander is still smaller than the other 3-row competition. This is both a positive and negative.
First, the positive. The Highlander is quite a bit easier to drive than the Explorer, Acadia, and Enclave. It’s easier to see out of; it’s easier to park; and, all around, it just doesn’t feel overly large. The Highlander’s wheelbase is almost a full ten inches shorter than the Acadia/Enclave cousins. The smaller wheelbase does not contribute to a lack of space in the first and second rows. The second row, in particular, can be a really nice place to be. The row is split 60/40 and both sides move fore and aft independently. In typical Toyota practicality, the second row can function both as captain’s chairs and a bench. Much like the Sienna, the middle seat is removable and can actually slide into a compartment under the front center console. In its place you can insert a small plastic console that houses a storage bin, flat surface for items and some cup holders. With the seats reclined, fully aft and the center console inserted, the second row is a nice place to be for road trips. Good sightlines, plenty of shoulder and legroom and separate controls for HVAC, the interior can be called “flashy Toyota functional.” Toyota couldn’t give up their mantra of uber-practicality, so as in the Tundra, the controls are cartoonishly large but so easy to use and I can’t argue with that.
The negative of that shorter wheelbase is felt in the third row and rear cargo area storage. The third row is really just for kids or dogs. With the average adult trying to clamber back there only to have their knees above their waist and shoulders up against the person next to them, the third row is mostly for show. Behind the third row, the storage is borderline non-existent. I was able to put my acoustic guitar back there – barely – but that was it. The area is narrow and not that tall because of the angle of the third row seats. If you mainly use the Highlander for 4-5 person duties, the storage with the rear seats down is wide and ample. The Highlander’s sweet spot is as a 2-row crossover with the option for a third row on special occasions. If you need consistent 3-row use and space, look elsewhere.
Mechanically, the Highlander hasn’t changed much. The Highlander still uses Toyota’s corporate 3.5 V6 VVT-I and it makes 270 hp and 248 lb. ft. of torque. It’s the same motor used in the Camry, Sienna, RAV4, etc., and because of that it’s smooth and refined. The V6 models, however, are still soldiering on with a 5-speed automatic, as well. While I never thought I’d notice much of a difference between a 6-speed and 5-speed, after driving so many vehicles with newer 6-speed automatics, the Highlander noticeably felt like it was missing a gear. This was really evident on take-off where, combined with a seriously slow throttle tip-in, the Highlander felt lethargic. Conversely, it never felt jumpy or skittish either; it was very smooth because of it. Initially I found this lag time sensation very odd, but after a couple days of driving I started to get used to having to really put my foot into the throttle to get the Highlander moving and it wasn’t such a big deal. EPA fuel mileage is mid-pack, with the 4WD model I tested rated at 17 mpg city, 22 highway. No doubt a sixth gear could probably add a tick or two to the highway figure. Dropping to the base model’s 2.7-liter 4-cylinder in FWD will only give you the same space but a 20/25 mpg figure.
While equipped with hill-descent control and a snow mode, the Highlander, like its competition, is a soft-roader when it comes to off pavement capability. Although the new Explorer offers more control over the 4WD system, I found the Highlander to be a bit more capable, mainly because of the shorter wheelbase. The Explorer and Highlander both have similar ground clearance at 7 inches or so, but the Highlander has shorter and taller overhangs allowing it a bit more ease off road. Again, if you have any need for anything more than light duty fire roads or two tracks the 3-row CUVs are not your target vehicle.
Overall the Toyota Highlander is essentially everything you’d expect from Toyota, it does everything as it should, but nothing exceptionally well. It feels built like a tank and should retain excellent value over most of its life. In my opinion the CUV market is so competitive that no one particular vehicle takes the cake, but each has particular merits. In this case the Highlander represents long-term value, excellent usability and an alternative to the longer, larger 3-row competition.
SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 5-door crossover
PRICE AS TESTED: $36,821
ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve 3.5 liter V-6 VVT-i, 270 hp, 248 lb-ft
TRANSMISSION: 5-speed automatic with manumatic shifting
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 109.8 in Length: 188.4 in
Width: 75.2 in Height: 69.3 in
Curb weight: 4815 lb
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 17/22 mpg
