2008 toyota Highlander for Sale
By
pusahma2008
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Friday, March 9, 2018
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2008 Toyota Highlander
The Highlander makes the grade on all matters, though it doesn't excel in any kind of one location. Given it can keep its impressive resale value as well as dependability, it should prove a clever-- if not specifically exciting-- selection for years to come.
Base, Sport and also Limited trim levels include front- or 4x4, and all can seat 5 or 7, depending on the configuration. Rates vary from approximately $27,000 to $40,000 with options.
I evaluated all three trim levels of the routine Highlander at a Toyota event in Michigan.
2008 Toyota Highlander For Sale
Edgier Styling
Toyota's The golden state style studios sculpted the exterior, which is larger in all significant dimensions than the old Highlander. To my eyes, Toyota's smaller sized RAV4 SUV looks better-proportioned, with simply adequate curves to balance out the angles. With its creased fronts lights, flashy grille and characterless bumper, the Highlander appears a bit as well slick-- like a corner store customer who won't take off his sunglasses.
The back bumper has lumpy reflectors on each side, and also the majority of trim degrees have a glass hatch that opens up independent of the liftgate. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are common; the Sporting activity and also Limited have 19-inchers that fill in the wheel wells well. The Sporting activity has a dark silver grille and also smoked-out headlights. The Limited has plainer fronts lights as well as chrome exterior moldings.
At 188.4 inches long as well as 75.2 inches large, the Highlander casts roughly the same darkness as a Honda Pilot, Subaru Tribeca or Hyundai Veracruz. The Mazda CX-9 and Saturn Expectation are both regarding a foot longer.
The In
Toyota has invested years constructing a credibility for top quality, and also absent any serious competition, the brand-new Highlander could have maintained that requirement. The competitors is absolutely nothing if not major, though, and SUVs like the CX-9 and Veracruz flaunt some impressively upscale insides. In contrast, Toyota falls a bit brief.
The Highlander shares foundations with the current Camry, and also the dashboard bears much of the car's flavor. The center controls are the all-natural centerpiece, with oversized handles for major features within easy reach. Sporting activity and also Limited models have a 3.5-inch screen atop the stereo. It shows gas mileage, outside temperature as well as even more. It likewise shows settings for the optional automatic environment control system, which can split the cabin right into as lots of as 3 temperature zones-- 2 front and also one back. The climate controls rest listed below the stereo, and they're awfully messy. I counted 13 switches in between both temperature knobs; that's a lot of ground to cover when you're referencing a readout some 10 inches away. On the other hand, the basic manual air conditioning is easy.
Cabin high quality is just ordinary. The home window switches, turn signals and also facility controls could go straight into a Lexus, and the chrome accents as well as electroluminescent gauges appearance terrific. Many areas are cut in difficult plastics, nevertheless, and the appearances do not have the allure of right stuff in numerous competitors. Most severe of all is the ceiling's headliner, which is several of the cheapest mouse hair this side of an economy vehicle.
Parents will appreciate the storage space choices. The facility console between the pole positions has 4 cupholders as well as a large storage container. Forget laptops; the glove box might fit a small home computer. (Probably not the display, however-- allow's not obtain carried away.).
Three typical rows of seats suit up to seven, though you can drop the 3rd row in order to conserve a little cash money, reducing seatsing ability to five. The front seats supply lots of area, with a method extender in the Highlander Limited that extends the cushion under the motorist's thighs. Wonderful touch.
The 2nd row is just as commodious, with reclining back-rests and also seat pillows that adjust backward and forward. The facility seat has Toyota's brand-new Facility Stow attribute. It's generally a jump seat, which passengers can swap for a plastic center console, turning the 2nd row right into 2 captain's chairs. The unused part-- either the middle seat or console-- shops in a flooring area between the front seats. After a few practice runs, I had the ability to make the adjustment in around 25 secs.
The dive seat is light enough for easy installation. Its comfort is hit and miss, even for a middle seat; the bottom padding is substantial, but I could easily really feel the joints beneath the backrest extra padding. The plastic console is lighter still, as well as both items have durable setup hooks that must make it through a lot of thrashing from overenthusiastic youngsters.
Depending upon where the 2nd row is positioned, the third row can be remarkably adult-friendly. I'm 6 feet tall and found headroom a little bit tight, yet with the 2nd row progressed a few inches-- preserving lots of legroom for a lot of adults-- the third row's legroom was such that I can endure a brief trip.
Bigger Engine, Better Gas Mileage
All Highlanders obtain the 3.5-liter V-6 from the Camry, Sienna and also a number of other Toyotas. In the Highlander it makes 270 horse power as well as 248 pounds-feet of torque. Both are substantial gains over last year's V-6, which made 215 hp and 222 pounds-feet of torque. A five-speed transmission is common. In 2014's base four-cylinder engine has actually been gone down.
Velocity is adequate off the line and stronger as the engine revs. The transmission aids points along, holding equipments and rarely moving prematurely. Hard acceleration can trigger some sudden shifts among lower gears-- better for acceleration, worse for convenience-- but the majority of the moment the changes are smooth adequate to pass undetected. The drivetrain really feels ideal on the freeway, where it downshifts with very little gear searching. 3rd gear is particularly potent for 50-to-70 miles per hour passing.
The optional four-wheel drive is transparent to the motorist. It incorporates a center differential to divide power 50/50 between the front as well as back wheels all the moment. Four-wheel-drive versions have a downhill aid feature. Press a control panel button, and also it will slow down the SUV to a crawl down steep grades. The function appears a little bit insincere: There is no low gear for offroad rock crawling, which indicates you need to most likely prevent anywhere treacherous sufficient to call for the downhill help.
All Highlanders have a hill-start help that holds the brakes for as much as three seconds from a quit to stop the SUV from rolling in reverse before you have time to strike the gas.
Using the EPA's more sensible 2008 score system-- which usually results in reduce numbers-- gas mileage is rated at 18/24 mpg (city/highway) for two-wheel-drive designs as well as 17/23 mpg for those with four-wheel drive. These rankings lead most midsize SUVs by 1 or 2 mpg. They likewise defeated the old V-6 Highlander by around 1 mpg (readjusted making use of the EPA's new calculation)-- an outstanding feat, given the brand-new Highlander has even more power and also weighs some 300 extra pounds extra. (Four-cylinder followers won't miss out on much: The old four-cylinder Highlander obtained simply 1 mpg greater than the new one makes with the V-6.).
Trip & Handling
The unibody construction affords a comfy flight, with none of the underbody shimmying that afflicted the previous Highlander (which was additionally unibody) and lots of body-on-frame SUVs. The four-wheel-independent suspension is sport-tuned in the Highlander Sporting activity, but I could not detect a difference in trip suppleness amongst the base, Sporting activity and Limited. All 3 have a bit more suspension sound over major bumps compared to I have actually come to expect in a midsize SUV.
Wind noise is very little. Given a smooth stretch of asphalt, the tires are reasonably silent. The Sport and also Limited's 19-inch wheels as well as P245/55R19 tires send out a minor hum at highway rates, which I couldn't find with the base version's 17-inchers and thicker P245/65R19 rubber.
All designs now come with electric power guiding. These systems save a little bit on gas intake-- a little low-hanging fruit to fulfill the government's fuel economy criteria, I suspect-- yet they usually cause lifeless, man-made steering feel. Expectedly, the Highlander steers with a light touch, never ever supplying much in the method of feedback or turning precision. The CX-9 prices better hereof, however couple of other rivals stand out. The same holds true for body roll: Like many SUVs, the Highlander leans away in contours, reminding motorists it's not to be caught rapidly.
Four-wheel-disc antilock brakes are basic. The pedal supplies squishy reaction, however the brakes clamp down hard when needed.
Freight & Towing
With all 3 rows mounted as well as elevated, freight room in back is a weak 10.3 cubic feet. The 3rd row folds up level right into the floor, and also the second row folds up virtually flat. Highlanders without the 3rd row instead consist of a relatively huge storage location under the rear floor.
With all seats folded, optimal cargo volume is 95.4 cubic feet, which compares a lot more positively with the crowd.
When appropriately equipped, the Highlander can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
Safety.
In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and security frontal crash examinations, the 2008 Highlander scored the greatest rating, Good. IIHS has not checked the Highlander for side impacts.
Toyota really did not skimp on safety and security features. All Highlanders come conventional with four-wheel-disc anti-skid brakes, traction control and an electronic security system. The stability system currently collaborates with the electrical power steering, which increases the power aid when the vehicle driver is steering to correct a skid. It additionally aids combat guiding pull under tough braking to assist the Highlander stop in a straight line. (Toyota claims the system could not guide the SUV on its own, as some sophisticated systems currently do, so if you guide the wrong way in a skid, don't expect any type of additional power aid.).
Seven air bags are basic, including the called for dual front airbags, a vehicle driver's knee air bag as well as side-impact airbags for the front seats. There are additionally roll-sensing side curtain airbags for all three rows, which deploy during a rollover to avoid resident ejection.
All seats have head restrictions, and also in Sport as well as Limited models, the front ones are forward-adjustable for far better whiplash defense. Active head restraints are common on the pole positions of all trims. The 2nd row includes Latch child-seat supports in the outboard seats, with easily obtainable top-tether anchors midway down the seatback.
Features & Prices
Excluding the location fee, the base Highlander with two-wheel drive begins at $27,300. A Highlander Limited with a complete collection of options runs around $42,000. 4x4 on any type of trim adds concerning $1,500. All trim levels have 3 rows of seats, though a third-row erase option on particular designs could save $740.
-For $27,300, the base Highlander comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entrance, a CD stereo with an auxiliary MP3 jack, air conditioning, cruise control, as well as power windows, mirrors and also door locks.
-For $29,950, the Sporting activity includes dark exterior aspects, 19-inch wheels, fog lights, a power vehicle driver's seat, a multifunction wheel, a backup cam and also six-CD audio.
-For $32,700, the Restricted adds a keyless startup system, automated climate control, natural leather upholstery and a power guest seat. A lot of these functions are optional on the Sport. Choices on both trim degrees include a navigation system, JBL premium sound, a backseat DVD player, a moonroof, a power tailgate and heated front seats.
Highlander on the market
Competitors from GM, Mazda and also Hyundai will provide the Highlander a run for its cash. Its biggest competitor, the Honda Pilot, schedules for a redesign in the following year or two, as well as Toyota's ace in the hole-- its track record for high quality and reliability-- has actually been slipping lately. The automaker has pledged to enhance its efforts, and its latest SUV needs to verify that.
The brand-new Highlander has lots of book sensibilities, like suitable gas mileage and tons of security attributes, however there's nothing exceptional regarding it. If it proves as bulletproof as its predecessor, however, stability will certainly become its defining quality, which is a textbook attract a lot of customers could support.