2014 Toyota Highlander

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Three different powertrains are offered including a 2.7L 4-cylinder, a 3.5L V6 and a hybrid. 2. Our 2014 Highlander Limited AWD tester is powered by a 270 hp. V6 engine and uses a 6-speed automatic transmission. 3. Base price is just about $30,000 for an entry-level Highlander, including destination and delivery charges. 4. V6 AWD Highlanders are rated at 18 MPG city and 24 mpg highway.

PREVIEW

Family-focused crossovers aren’t the most electrifying vehicles on the road. They’re typically ponderous, overweight and thirstier than they should be. Is this a description of a car or your eccentric uncle?

Injecting some much appreciated visual flair intoToyota showrooms across the country is the completely redesigned 2014 Highlander. One of the first things you’ll probably notice about this all-new three-row people hauler is its expressive new body. This crossover makes quite a statement, with its gaping, almost Lexus-like grille.

And it ought to look nice; the first design company stylists came up with was scrapped because it just wasn’t good enough. The result of that mulligan is dramatically more interesting than today’s model, though from the rear it does look like it’s got a load in its diaper.

Of course the new Highlander is more than just a pretty face. This vehicle offers a lot of family-friendly features in a spacious but not-too-large package.

INTERIOR

The vehicle’s entire cabin has been redesigned. It’s more attractive, more useful and a lot more refined. The look borrows cues from the new Avalon sedan, which isn’t a bad thing.

Squishy plastics abound on the dashboard and door panels. There’s even an integrated storage cubby that runs across the dash. It’s nicely padded and is a perfect place to stash your smartphone for a quick recharge while driving.

When it comes to storage front-seat riders are treated to a massive center console between the seats. It’ll hold 24.5-liters of junk, which is equivalent to at least 58 children’s juice boxes. In adult terms that’s approximately a week’s supply of single-malt Scotch whiskey, though I don’t recommend you test that out, ESPECIALLY while underway…There’s also plenty of technology. The new Highlander is available with the latest driver assistance systems, things like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alter. Additionally a backup camera is standard, which is a handy addition. Bluetooth connectivity and heated side-view mirrors are also included at no extra charge.

UNDER THE HOOD

As for powertrains two are available in non-hybrid models. The base engine is a 2.7-liter four-banger providing 185 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. It’s only expected to account for between 5 and 10 percent of sales; really it’s the value leader and probably only exists so Toyota can claim the Highlander starts at less than 30 grand.

The overwhelming majority of these vehicles will be powered by a familiar 3.5-liter V6, the efficient and ubiquitous 2GR-FE. It delivers a smooth 270 ponies with 248 lb-ft of twist. Unlike today’s model a six-speed automatic transmission is standard with both engines.

Disappointingly the four-cylinder model is barely more efficient than that. They’re expected to stretch a gallon of gasoline 20 miles in urban driving and up to 25 on the interstate; combined they ought to hit 22 MPG.Naturally fuel economy is a subject on everyone’s mind, from consumers and dealers to engineers and designers. Reduced consumption was a key goal with the 2014 Highlander and the vehicle’s scores are up compared to the previous generation. Front-wheel-drive V6 models sticker at 19 miles per gallon city and 25 highway, which results in a combined score of 21 MPG.

When properly equipped the 2014 Highlander can tow up to 5,000 pounds, which is theoretically enough to drag the Loch Ness Monster from her murky lair.Naturally, all-wheel drive is also on the menu, though it’s only available on six-cylinder models. About 60 percent of buyers are expected to opt for this traction-boosting technology, though it cuts into efficiency by 1 MPG in each category.

Highlanders with the four-banger are only rated to tow 1,500 pounds; mid-range and hybrid versions fall somewhere in between. Bringing a merciful dash of common sense to the automotive industry these figures are SAE certified (J2807). This is a hot topic in the pickup segment.

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2014 Toyota Tacoma

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Engine: 4.0-liter V6 with 236 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. 2. Transmission: Five-speed automatic or six-speed manual. 3. Fuel Economy: 16 mpg city/21 mpg highway. 4. Pricing: Starts at $18,735, though our Double Cab 4x4 model costs $28,645.

PREVIEW

Once the Tacoma was loaded with the necessaries, set out for the road and the great white north on a roughly 500 mile round trip.  Of course a trailer was needed to retrieve the sled, so we hooked up an 18-foot car carrier to the back of the truck that weighs about 3,000 lbs. by itself. While this much trailer was wholly unnecessary for a snowmobile, it offered a good test of the Tacoma’s hauling capability. 

Hitching the trailer up in the morning went smoothly. The Tacoma offers generous hook ups for safety chains and a standard two-inch hitch receiver, both of which work well. The trailer light connections on the other hand sit underneath the bumper. That makes the connector hard to reach and susceptible to damage when the truck leaves the pavement.

INTERIOR

The rest of the innards offer a no frills experience. Dominated by black plastic, the Tacoma has a simple user experience, though the infotainment system’s small buttons and convoluted controls can be frustrating.

After reading everything above, you may think that the Tacoma isn't all that popular, but you’d be wrong. In fact, it’s the most popular truck in the segment, though that is more due to the fact that it has no true competition. That, however, will soon change with the both the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon set to go on sale this year.The Tacoma looks big from the outside, but the interior doesn't feel as spacious as you might assume. Front seat room is adequate, but packing just 32.6-inches of rear legroom, it falls short of the Nissan Frontier’s 42.4 inches of back seat legroom. But the Tacoma does elicit one strong trait outside of its capable hauling ability, and that is off-roading.

UNDER THE HOOD

Our tester was a 4x4 Tacoma double cab outfitted with a V6 engine that makes 236 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. This is the largest engine option for the Tacoma, and its power is adequate. When fully loaded, the trailer/snowmobile combo we had hitched up to the rear of the small Toyota weighed about 3,600 lbs, sitting about 2,800 lbs shy of the truck’s 6,400-lb maximum tow rating and the truck handled it with ease. Accelerating to highway speed wasn’t the least bit taxing on the engine, which feels torquey down low.

Once up to speed though, the five-speed automatic transmission hesitates a little if you ask for more power. Accelerating to pass is also slow.  Running around empty, the power from the V6 feels great, with solid throttle response. On the other hand, the brake pedal feels squishy and doesn’t grab with the confidence that a truck should have.

Fuel economy is rated at an average 18 mpg for the automatic 4x4 V6 Tacoma, but our time with the truck returned 15 mpg, mostly due to the fact that weight was on the back of the truck the entire time. Regardless, considering the leaps that have been made with half-ton fuel economy, this little truck simply doesn’t offer the sort of numbers it should.

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2014 Toyota 4Runner Limited

SPECIFICATIONS

1.The 2014 4Runner starts at $33,680 and our Limited-trim tester costs about $44,260. 2. A 4.0-liter V6 offers 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque. 3. 4x4 models are rated for 17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway. 4. The 4Runner is one of the few SUVs to retain body-on-frame construction.

PREVIEW

Many storied names in off-roading have changed course in recent years, and now serve better as family haulers because, frankly, that is where the money is.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Pathfinder, and even the Range Rover now use unibody construction, a move that Toyota refuses to make with the 4Runner, for better and worse.

Not to say that unibody vehicles can’t hack it when the pavement ends, but the simple truth is unibody vehicles will never offer the reliability and dependability of a body-on-frame off-roader. That’s something Toyota is banking on.

INTERIOR

So, the driving dynamics aren't exactly soccer mom-friendly, but how does the interior do at kid hauling? First off, Toyota will sell you a 4Runner with seven seats, though our test unit didn't have them. Everything else about this interior is good. Materials are nice, and the dashboard has a clear, concise layout. Even the plastic that is used doesn't come off as gaudy and the small bits of wood trim in our Limited model add a premium. Based on its own merits, the innards of this off-roader are comfortable and pleasing, but it doesn't feel quite as premium as some of its contemporaries, namely the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Nissan Pathfinder. However, the 4Runner does have an aura of ruggedness surrounding it, and the overall feeling of the interior follows suit.

The 4Runner is equipped with Toyota's latest Entune infotainment system, which works well…. for most things. Oddly, the navigation is the only system that doesn't run seamlessly. It can be slow and the wording on the buttons can be misleading. For example, almost all systems have a “cancel navigation button,” but in the 4Runner, it is marked “delete destination.” On top of that, the touch-screen buttons are small and can be hard to read.

UNDER THE HOOD

So what are the differences? Well the most obvious trait of a body-on-frame vehicle, and the one sure to be noticed first by families cross-shopping these vehicles with their unibody competitors, is body roll, and the 4Runner is no exception. On SR5 and Trail models – the two lower trims – the 4Runner tips like its riding on marshmallows, not offering a smooth ride.

However our tester was outfitted in Limited trim, and Toyota knows that to keep its top-tier buyers happy, the ride has to be smooth, which is why the 4Runner Limited gets special treatment. This model forgoes the proper two-speed transfer case in favor of a center limited slip differential and most importantly, it gets a system Toyota calls X-REAS that automatically adjusts damping force and uses a central control absorber that cross-links the shocks to keep the ride as smooth as possible. It does a fairly good job of keeping the 4Runner Limited flat in the corners, but the body-on-frame dynamics still seep through.

Powering the 4Runner exclusively is a 4.0-liter V6 that makes 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque, which feels like just enough for this vehicle. Helping when the going gets tough, the motor has a low and flat torque curve, which keeps the grunt under your right foot in all situations. Engine noise can be a little intrusive at high rpms, and the note isn't all that pleasing.

Fuel economy for the four-wheel drive 4Runner is pegged at 17 mpg and 22 mpg on the highway, though our week with the vehicle returned an average of 16 mpg.

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