Toyota Highlander review | The 7 seater you need in your life! 

Just a friendly comment from an American. Not only is the Highlander viewed as a "midsize" SUV on this side of the pond, at 195" in length it's among the smallest of three row vehicles in the midsize category. Most of the so-called midsize 3 row SUVs here range from 197" to 204" long. And with only 27.7" of legroom in the third row the Highlander is among the most cramped. As a cruel joke Toyota puts 3 seatbelts in the third row to make it a seven seater (or an eight seater with a second row bench) but unless the adult occupants are the size of Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz the Highlander's third row won't be a place most American adults will want to be for long. Yes, we're spoiled with cheap fuel. Diesel engines in passenger cars were never popular here and disappeared almost completely after Diesel-gate. And with diets rich in fast food we tend to be wider, if not taller, than Europeans. Furthermore, we're a geographically large nation. Road trips of a thousand miles or more are not uncommon. And unlike Europeans we don't have the multitude of options for trips by rail over our wide open spaces. In our defense, however, we are beginning to learn some lessons about overconsumption and global climate change. The current national administration hopes to improve rail travel and add substantially to the infrastructure required to support electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles. And while our petrol remains relatively inexpensive compared to most of the rest of the world, smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles are increasingly popular. We may not be as aware as Europeans but we're learning. :) Hopefully, there's time for the rest of the world to be patient as that process continues.

You're a nice reviewer and you are pointing out advantages of the car in a real way. Respect. You might be able to buy a Lexus at that price, but not in the same size, therefore the comparison is void. Can't compare apples with oranges.

I live in the US and this is an average midsized SUV here. They get much bigger than this.

You're in the 8 seater. The captain's chairs in the middle row are pretty nice in the 7 seater version.

BAhahahahah! It's mid-sized here in Australia too... though we have the Prado and the Landcruiser above this! I ordered one a few months ago, and I cannot wait! Ordered the V6 petrol model though.

Lovin' the review Nobby! "Heated bum action"! Lol! At 70 grand it'd be no plus I wouldn't need that size. I think there are smaller buses! It'd be a nightmare in a multi-storey car park due to the size and indeed drive round due to the narrowness of such buildings.

A car for life. Would want to be for 70 grand. 😁👍

Regarding heated second row seats - 4:53 I think higher grades have them. The UK-spec has them........and i think higher grades / variants (in Europe and elsewhere) have that option afaik.

Wow, some bus, suitable for the " important executive ". American influence for sure.| When you said we should pause....I thought it was for the Angelus again :)

Highlander or Kia Sorrento Which would be your choice?

The euro pricing for this vehicle is curious. This spec in the US is $45,000 which is 37-38,000 euros. As someone who has moved on from SUVs I wish we had the options the EU has with Wagons or Estate Cars.

'Heaty bum action' BAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Not sure why it can't get the Lexus Rx 6 cylinder. Ridiculous price for this car.

The interior seems a bit dated. Deffo prefer the Kia..........not that I have the money to buy either one.

Skoda 7 seater kodiaq does the same job its cheaper and has a better automatic gearbox avoid Japanese automatics

I actually want one of these. I have been looking at Lexus as you keep referring to. The RX is massive and the hybrid system is not as advanced a generation as this. As the new RAV4 is in advance of the current NX Lexus. The only Lexus that is the same gen as the Toyota is the UX (urban crossover) is the same as the CH R.

The Sol model is €86,250 now. Bit too pricey now.

€70k for a Highlander???? They sell in Australia starting at €32,600 for the base model V6, up to €53,800 for the hybrid 2.5 top of the range. And that's drive away prices too. Why so much in Ireland? They're big sellers here and even police and paramedics use the V6 model for response vehicles. For €70k you could buy a top of the range Hyundai Palisade, Lexus SUV, Landcruiser 200 or even a Dodge Ram.

Huge car alright. Price is crazy though. They'll charge the high price as long as there are people willing to pay out for it. Wonder what VRT comes out at alone on that. Also wonder will people pay 70-80k euros to say they have Toyota on drive way. As you say, Lexus, BMW territory. Great review Nobby.

no startup sound....only me dissapointed I guess

That infotainment is awful. It’s in all Toyota’s and looks like it’s from 2015 (which is a LONG time ago in car tech). Weird car for Toyota to bring out here. Their CEO has won “person of the year” or whatever in the car world, and they are making some awful decisions (apart from the Yaris GR!)

Why don’t Euro-spec Highlanders get the 12.3 inch infotainment screen that the US-spec ones get, and instead we have to make do with only an 8 inch screen?

Struggling to want to trade in the Disco 4

This is an "American midsize" because a lot of Americans aren't midsize, they are supersized! I will never ever buy this car but if I was in the market for one of these I would definitely consider it over it's competitors because you know it will be far more reliable even if it is made in the US! This car will be as rare as hen's teeth in Ireland. Thanks for the review Mr. Nobby!

Rav 4 in a giant size.

I count 8 seats

It’s some bus alright but €70k 🤔 makes the Kia Sorento and my kodiaq seem rather cheap lol....I do agree it’s great we get more choice in these segments and it looks great too! Can’t see too many on the road though for that money? Enjoyed the review Mark

Awful thing, it looks like a tasteless Japanese car designed for the American market!

2+3+3=8 Seater not 7 Seater

Good review, rather too large

Good review, how does it compare to XC90 size wise? Is there more room in third row?