When I hear the word “Highlander” my mind immediately goes to youthful days spent watching the swashbuckling, sci-fi film from the 80s by the same name. Starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery, Highlander personified all the best things about an adventure film of that era – it was campy, over the top, but enduring enough that it remained relevant and become a cult classic. Highlander was one of the many films I enjoyed as a kid but now that I’m an adult and I’m a dad driver, Toyota’s Highlander is the main attraction.
Like the movie, Toyota’s Highlander has amassed a loyal fan base since its introduction in 2000. It’s built a reputation as a solid and reliable mid-sized SUV in a market that has exploded with similar sized vehicles lately. For 2020, Toyota fully redesigned the Highlander, creating a much more dynamic vehicle and added a hybrid version which we tested. With a third row, extra cargo space, batteries to take you farther and a cool name like Highlander, could this be one of the ultimate Dad mobile?
What Zoë Liked about the 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
I enjoy plopping my daughter down in the vehicles I review and watch what captures her attention. She’s a toddler but she’s intuitive and usually goes for buttons or the steering wheel. Not so in the Highlander. Instead, she seemed to really enjoy the leather trimmed seats that came with the Premium trim. She’s on to something too; these seats are immensely comfortable and wide enough to support any sized driver. The seats in our Highlander came in a dope orange-beige color that contrasted nicely against the black plastic throughout the cabin. Too bad Zoë had to sit in her car seat when I was driving.
What this Dad Digs about the 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
“Highbrid” – The hybrid version of the Highlander should have be called the “Highbrid” edition, but that’s just the marketer in me talking. The Hybrid Highlander took me further on a single tank of gas than I was expecting. Two batteries work with the 2.5-Liter 4-cylinder engine to snag you up to 36 miles to the gallon and that was spot on during my review period. 36 miles per gallon isn’t too shabby considering the size of the Highlander. Toyota even made the jump to hybrid an easy choice – any trim level of the Highlander can add the Hybrid engine and accompanying transmission for just $1,400. This is one hybrid SUV that begs for a family road trip.
The Softer, Clever Side of Design – The redesign for the Highlander went into an interesting direction, considering some of the design elements that Toyota implements in other vehicles within their lineup. The 2020 Highlander is bold and daring without being flashy or over reliant on hard angles. There are familiar Toyota signatures here – like the wide-maw grill and the angular head and tail lights – but the Highlander is also softer overall than the 4Runner and the Land Cruiser. There are some nicely sculpted contours throughout the car’s body that really build on a sophisticated look. For instance, the rising line over the rear fenders is a nice touch and really adds to the long appearance of the vehicle. The roof cargo rails that came equipped on our test vehicle give the otherwise classy Highlander an adventurous edge. This is definitely a family vehicle for all kinds of family outings.
The interior design, which is admittedly more aggressive than the exterior, is also eye-catching without being offensive. The most noticeable element is the infotainment stack on the dash. It took a few drives to fully appreciate the spatula-like design of the Highlander’s dash but it grew on me. It is a unique take on infotainment design and the implementation of extra nooks and crannies along the bottom of the dash is genius. The Highlander makes wise use of space as evident by the clever placing of the wireless Qi charging plate in the center console.
Quality Drive Experience – The Highlander delivers a remarkably comfortable drive and much of that has to do with the new rigid frame the vehicle is built on. At around 4500 lbs, the Highlander is surprisingly nimble and responsive, even if it doesn’t always feel as grounded as I would like. It has a tight cornering radius and the broad windows all around the vehicle make for easy navigation. It isn’t difficult to enjoy the quiet cabin when handling the vehicle feels like such a laid back experience.
While the hybrid version of the Highlander provides an adequate amount of power, acceleration at certain points of the gear climb left something to be desired. That’s probably due to the 4 cylinder engine paired with the CVT. It mainly occurs during higher gears and I doubt most drivers will notice. Flipping the drive mode into “Sport” helps a bit but that can generate some noisy engine whines. I’m pleased with the performance of the hybrid engine overall but I’d be lying if I said I don’t wonder how much quicker the V6 engine is on the base model.
More Cargo Space then Last Year – Toyota improved the cargo space in the new 2020 Highlander and that’s why you get a vehicle like this in the first place, right? The extra space. When you’re not hauling around passengers, you can utilize the whopping 84.3 cubic feet of cargo space the Highlander offers when both the second and third rows are laid flat. Lay down just the third row seats and you get a generous 48.4 cubic feet of space. With both rows up, you’ve got 16 cubic feet of space to work with. Not an enormous amount of space, I admit, but that’s 2 more cubic feet than the 2019 model. I’ll take it!
Something Safe to Say – I’ve becoming familiar with Toyotas Safety Sense 2.0 from reviewing other vehicles in their lineup and for the money it’s one of the best safety technology packages out there. The safety package is standard on the Highlander and for a vehicle aimed at families, it’s an important part of the vehicle. From the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection to the Lane Departure Alert everything works as it should and functions at a level of quality that you’d expect. Throw in Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic alert and traversing busy streets and crowded park lots can be done with ease and safety.
The Middle of the Road
Third Row Woes – Third passenger rows in mid-sized SUVs are usually cramped – there is only so much space you can work with before it becomes a full-sized SUV – but it’s always still a bit disappointing to see it in practical use. Children and small adults should fit in this third row with relative comfort but larger adults should stick to the second row. I would rarely use the third row anyway and instead utilize that extra cargo space. Here’s a tip though: opt for the captain’s chairs for the second row seats. These captain chairs can be adjusted forward and locked into various positions to allow for more leg room for the third row. Sharing is caring, even when it comes to legroom.
There Can Only Be One Highlander
When it comes to mid-sized SUVs, there are not many options for a hybrid experience but that’s starting to change, so it’s great timing that Toyota’s has redesigned, and reinvigorated, the Highlander. Some of the Highlanders competitors, like the Kia Telluride, are enticing but when it comes to fuel economy, the Hybrid Highlander wins in terms of both ingenuity and cost. I reviewed the Limited Platinum hybrid edition of the Highlander, the highest trim Toyota offers on this vehicle, and it is certainly kick ass. But it starts at $50,200 and while you get your money’s worth of bells and whistles, it isn’t your only option. If you’re on a budget and still want the hybrid experience, the Highlander LE Hybrid is 10k less, starting at $39,800.
I’ll always have a soft spot for the ridiculous fun of the Highlander films and I can’t wait to show it to Zoë one day but I think I can also become a fan of this Highlander too.
Phillip is a filmmaker, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and craft beer aficionado. He writes about cars, car tech, and various other cool Dad things. He lives, works and plays in Dallas, Texas.
