Toyota Highlander Hybrid is substantial to the max

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews also can be seen in Cruisin’ News magazine published monthly out of Folsom, California.

Sacramento, California -- The current generation of the Toyota Highlander, the midsize crossover sport-utility vehicle that has been around for more than 20 years now, is the most substantial version in the SUV's history, in my view.

And with a strong hybrid system thrown in, it's even more substantial.

That was my conclusion after an enjoyable week in the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum, with all-wheel drive.

The Highlander has long been nicely situated between the compact Toyota RAV4 and the much larger Toyota SUV offerings. In today's overused language, it's a "just right" Goldilocks vehicle.

Maybe it's just me, but my tester just looked bigger and bolder than I remembered, with big shoulders, an imposing grille and a generous cargo area in the back. Again, substantial comes to mind.

The tester was powered by a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine and front/rear electric systems, the overall package combining to put out a max 243 horsepower.

On the fly, the tester performed at a level that felt way above that horsepower number.  The Highlander was peppy off the line and surprisingly forceful, when asked, in dicey freeway traffic.  It did not drive "big," however.  Steering was perfectly firm and balanced, and I was able to easily put the Highlander right where I wanted it, thanks to its sedan-like characteristics.

Bottom line: Mechanical functions were spot-on perfect.  For discriminating Highlander shoppers, please note that it can be had with front-wheel drive as well.

The hybrid payoff on the tester was 35 miles per gallon in the city and 34 mpg on the highway, good numbers given the performance level.

Another bonus: a max five-star overall vehicle score in federal government crash tests.

Inside, the tester was darn near Lexus-like.  There's plenty of room for driver and passengers, and on my ride, I had numerous comfort/convenience menu choices to sample.

The lineup of included standard perks included leather-trimmed seating for seven, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, heated/ventilated front row seats, heated captain's seats in the second row, a head-up display and a premium audio system with 11 JBL speakers.

For those not accustomed to current price trends among sizable, loaded crossover SUVs in the current marketplace, the tester's sticker price of $52,493 might prompt a hard swallow.

But given Toyota's reliability and the typical California trend of purchasing a new vehicle as a 10-year investment, this Highlander is worth the price.  And given its hybrid standing, the sticker price on this Highlander is entirely within reason.