Last month I had the opportunity to test out the 2017 Toyota Highlander. I’ve been looking at upgrading my vehicle, because I realized even though my kids are older – I still need that extra room I needed when they were little. (Not to mention it isn’t easy getting all the kids along with a weeks worth of groceries loaded in my small SUV either). So having the opportunity to try out a few bigger vehicles was just what I needed.
So the first thing of course I noticed, was the room. There’s reclining second row seats (which is awesome for travel) plenty of head and leg room for the driver, and of course the third row seat can be laid down for extra storage (which is pretty much how I keep my seats, unless I have to take all the kids somewhere at the same time). This definitely wouldn’t be a bad vehicle for a road trip.
What I also loved about the Highlander was the pick-up-and-go. I drive 25 miles each way to work, on the highway mostly. So of course I’m passing vehicles, or getting out of the way of those drivers you just don’t want to be driving next to – the eight-speed automatic transmission is amazing. It’s more responsive than the earlier transmission, and it shifts wayy smoother. The transmission quickly downshifts to a lower gear, making getting around (or away) safely is a lot easier (and kind of fun!)
Another one of the great ‘pluses’ of the Highlander is the excellent safety features. It has top notch impact protection and tons of ‘driving assistance’ – like the lane departure warning (which is awesome) pedestrian and other vehicle detection (I love when it warns me that there is a vehicle in the other lane that I’m about to switch to. I always look multiple times, but it’s nice to have an extra set of eyes). Also something new I noticed on this model, was the optional 360-degree camera! Not only do I see what is directly behind me when I am backing up, but also at the corners and all around the vehicle (I can think of a few times this would of came in really handy!)
I haven’t made a decision yet on which vehicle I will upgrading to, but I know the Highlander is definitely in the running!