The newest sport ute in the country carried me back to the site of my oldest recollections last weekend. For Toyota s new Highlander, it was a drive to the lowlands, for the 100th anniversary celebration of the First Christian Church of Wray in northeastern Colorado. The Highlander is built on the chassis of the Toyota Camry, with a rigid unit-body design. I ve driven. The Toyota will outride the popular Lexus RX300, and save you a couple of bucks in purchase price, too.
Acceleration is sufficient and shifting very smooth.
Toyota s aggressiveness in the SUV market has taken aim at the bigger-selling Fords, Chevys, GMCs and Jeeps. The Highlander, in size, falls right in the middle of the lineup, between the 4Runner and Sequoia. Jeep Grand Cherokee has offered power for both front seats since its introduction in 1993. The drive to Wray, by way of Sterling, and back to Denver was a steady test for the Toyota. In 500 miles, it averaged 23.2 miles per gallon.