Toyota Highlander test drive since 2008 SUV
Toyota Highlander test
I was asked so many puzzled and strange questions about Toyota Highlander that this test will have to start with clarification of basic moments: how is Highlander different from Prado and why Toyota corporations are two all -wheel drives in one niche?
The meaning of the existence of a new Japanese crossover in our market is unknown to many. Over the years of sales of Toyota SUVs in Russia, everyone is accustomed to that there is a large men's Land Cruiser SUV and a small female SUV4. Somewhere between them, a unisex Prado was clogged, which surpasses both rivals in passage. Hearing about Highlander, many cannot decide where to determine the novelty either between Land Cruiser and Prado, or between Prado and Rav4.
On moderate off -road, he is at ease, and on the asphalt as in his house
So let's immediately separate the flies from the cutlets: although by the length of Highlander and Prado they are almost the same, they belong to different classes. The hero of my today's story has a supporting body, an independent suspension and there is no lowering transmission. Prado has a frame, a two -stage demultiplier, an uncertain bridge from the back and 300 kilograms are superfluous compared to the highlander of the mass. In addition to dimensions and origin, these two cars are only related to a permanent all -wheel drive.
So we write to the competitors of Highlander Nissan Murano, Honda Pilot, WV Touareg (in configuration without a reduced series of gears in the handout) and Koreans Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe and even in a sense of Hyundai IX55.
The geometric parameters of its crossover does not disclose representation. Apparently, in order not to provoke buyers to off -road feats. In general, the geometry is standard for the SUV, but by no means heroic
Getting inside Toyota Highlander, you first notice how good the decoration of the cabin is. Just do not immediately touch it with your hands, knock on the visor of the dashboard with knuckles and twist your face. Yes, the plastic is hard. But, in the end, do you need to crush the panels or go? So, in the interior of Highlander a common style is pleasing. Other models of the Japanese brand with taste are not all right, but in this complete harmony. Against the background of Highlander, the internal space of the Lexus GX460 and LX570 gives the impression of a dressing uninvited clown. But in the interior of the highlander there are details over which it is not a sin to tear his tummy. The humor is that even a cursory glance at the front panel is enough to immediately determine the target audience of the Americans. In the most daring fantasies, I cannot assume for whom still designers could come up with the buttons of air recirculation, the automatic climate control mode and blowing of the windshield the size of a spare wheel. You just imagine, they are three times more than the torsion of other functions presented on the panel. The Americans are the only nation on the ground for which the air conditioner is much more important than the car, so the digitizing speedometer is very lost against the background of the numbers showing the temperature in the cabin. Do you know which buttons are the smallest? Heated seats. I'm afraid here with Yankee and I have great disagreements. It turns out badly. Anyway, to supply BMW X6 to the American market with AMR numbers. But, perhaps, this is the only serious claim to the Japanese SUV. I will not take the courage to blame him for something else.
Constant all -wheel drive is a wonderful help for the crossover. Still to make the suspension more tolerant of bumps ...
Games will not ruin you
Judge for yourself. Three and a half liter High motor allows you to easily furnish a four -liter Prado on the road. The internal volume is more than sufficient. Comains three almost full -fledged series of seats. The suspension copes with any reasonable obstacles and does not allow to be very fucked in turns. She does everything that Mcpherson is capable of (and we know that this type of suspension has its own restrictions in particular, according to energy intensity). There are almost no vibrations from the road. The steering wheel is adequate. The brakes are predictable. The highlander represents the ideal union of the motor and gearboxes, and in sports mode, these units reach simultaneous orgasm. Moreover: their love games are by no means ruined for the owner. According to my observations, fuel consumption in sport mode is within 15 liters. This is one of the few harmonious cars that conquer the integrity of their image. Among crossovers, a similar impression makes, perhaps, only the Lexus RX370.
The interior decoration is no worse than in Lexus, and in some places even better in style
The devices are original, but not read in the best way
Information display is located at the top of the panel
Mcpherson restrictions
The petition of the highlander is sufficient. It does not suffer from childhood diseases, related systems of automatically connected all -wheel drive. He, as already mentioned, has a constant full drive. The Torsen -type differential, located in the handout, works around the clock without interruptions for lunch and sanitary days. The Japanese road clearance is more than 200 mm, that is, at the level of good SUV. The wheelbase, unfortunately, is stretched out that you have to consider on fractures. Well, again, Mcpherson does not allow to quickly drive along the crossed terrain too painful blows to the body. However, these are Highlander no restrictions for the crossover here. He has neither locks, nor the function of disconnecting electronic assistants. He rides in the simplest way that ultimately can play a cruel joke in places with unsteady soil.
Yes, this is a full -fledged seven -seater car, and sitting here is quite convenient, given, of course, the natural restrictions of the third row
It is wonderful that the Japanese finally brought this model to our market. True, this is still a marketing failure, because it was necessary to start sales much earlier. While they were waiting, many potential consumers in Russia bought Kia Sorento in large quantities (which are much cheaper), Hyundai IX55 (which are much more expensive) and the like. And now you have to not only catch up with competitors in terms of sales, but also explain to customers how the novelty differs from Prado and where to put it closer to LC200 or RAV4.
Does the Japanese care? Really not. Their tactics are well illustrated by the joke, about two bulls of old, experienced, and young, fussy. The young suggests immediately rushing down into the valley, to recapture the most beautiful chick from the collective farm herd and offer her a hand, heart and something else in addition. And the old one says: do not rush, night will come, we will slowly go down from the mountain and take up the whole herd.
Author: Dmitry Leontyev, photo of Alexander Ortnova-Baranov
Commented by Ivan Evdokimov, expert editor
If you look at Highlander from a technical point of view, then this is a car. The car is built on the platform of the popular Toyota Camry in Russia. The carrier body, independent suspensions, and quite a passenger structure, and the most powerful engine of the family, in order to confidently move the body of an increased size, and therefore masses.
In the correspondence with the Toyota representative office, we managed to find out that the version supplied to us to Russia has no locks. Including the center differential is quite free, conical, without any couplings. But the American suspension settings (and the car was primarily intended for the American market) caused my colleague that the insufficient energy intensity of the minus is precisely the design, although in fact it is just a matter of selecting springs and shock absorbers.
It is safe to say with confidence that the suspensions during operation on our roads will cause subsequent appeals of the owners to the service with the replacement of suspension parts and possibly with a body repair. Because the supports of the racks will be accelerated from such blows.
I repeat, from a technical point of view, Highlander is just a large all -wheel drive passenger car. Although having a clearance of 200 millimeters, and equipped with all modern electronic systems to increase safety and control of management.
And when asked where to take him closer to Prado or Rav4, I would answer: not to take anywhere. Lock me with your feet, but this car, in my opinion, should not leave the asphalt at all. Well, or in any case, roads with coating. An extreme case in good weather on a solid primer get to the nearest lawn.
Source: Magazine 4x4 [March 2011]
