I liked how Jill completely ignored all my points except for one, while spending the rest of the reply agreeing with the only person who agreed with her.

And you can confirm this how? The Smartstream engine made it into the Ward's Top Ten Engines list for this year. Meanwhile, Toyota has yet to figure out how to efficiently turbo charge their entire lineup even with these brand new engines (which aren't really new at all), nor even considered applying a 48V system to them.

Maybe if Lexus wanted to be more competitive in Europe, they ought to spend less time exporting hybrid models with lower performance than the rest of their rivals.

The only place Honda has "distanced" itself from Hyundai is reliability rankings across the board- and not in the direction that you would like them to be at.


On the subject of the Highlander infotainment, it's laughable that Toyota couldn't integrate either Android Auto or Apple Carplay until the most recent model year. A slow sloth crawl typical of the brand.

 

I didn’t respond to you, because a lot of the points you made have already been debated and covered over and over again. Most evident is the 48V engine discussion we already went over. As for Hyundai talk in a HL thread, I just figured it would get shut down.

If you go back and dig in my posts. I had said Toyota could absolutely retrofit their older models just like Mazda is doing. I actually got some flak suggesting it’s as some say the previous Toyota software is unable to do the upgrade. BUT, this thread is about the 2020 Highlander, so the proviso Toyota models not having CarPlay or AA, the new 2020 has these features.

 

With that said, Whats the point of 3rd row seating if a normal size person can't fit back there? Kinda like a RXL......But this is a Highlander, so you'd think Toyota could of gotten it right for this class.....

 

I’m a normal sized adult and can fit in the third row. It is nothing like the RX L.

 

But the larger screen is not available in any trim but the Limited, while competitors have a somewhat smaller widescreen setup available in many more trims. The large widescreen in the Highlander also can't display one image across the whole screen like the 12" screens used to be in Lexus models before 2016. Essentially its not one wide screen, its two screens, a rectangular screen and a small square screen. Makes no sense to me why they did this when they rightly abandoned that setup in 2016 for Lexus.

As a CarPlay user I totally disagree about the split screen. Nice to have as an option, but I will not buy any vehicle with a widescreen that wont let me view the CarPlay map across the whole screen. Mercedes has an issue with this in their latest UI setup also where it wont display fullscreen and they have rightly taken flack over that. It would keep me from buying an MB so equipped and a Highlander.

Just a failure in implementation on Toyotas part IMO.

Correct, Highlander's third row is much better than the RX-L

Bottom line is the Palisade/Telluride has some 7 inches more combined legroom than the Highlander while only being 1.5 inches longer. Thats just a better use of space in design.

 

For sure. There are definitely vehicles out there with more leg room in the third row than the Highlander.

 

Thats combined legroom, so first row plus second row plus third row. Cargo capacity with all 3 rows up is also much better in the Palisade and Telluride, 18 cu/ft vs 16 cu ft.

So, 7 Inches less combined legroom, 2 cu ft less storage while only being 1.5 inches shorter, you can see where Toyota really phoned it in on the space packaging, the Highlander just wastes space where the Palisade/Telluride uses space to its advantage. This wasn't "Our demographic prefers a smaller vehicle at the expense of space" lol, this is the vehicle just not being as well designed as it could have been, or as well as the Palisade/Telluride.

 

Yeah, we've discussed this many times in this thread. The Highlander has the smaller interior. No argument.

 

Argument #511: Teluride/Palisade has more space than Highlander

 

To be fair, every argument has been argued many times all over this forum. If it weren't for old arguments may as well close the forum down...

 

I think it is important to note that many HL owners seem to like the size of the HL. Saw one yesterday parked in my complex and it is a nice size. That, and the fact that the HL is sold in world markets where the third row seating is not as a big thing like some make it out to be stateside. The Sienna minivan also needs love from Toyota customers, I fully see the rationale for the sizing of the HL 3rd row. I think it is the proper move

 

You continue to miss the point. The Palisade is the same size outside, yet is much bigger inside. There is no reason to design a car that is the same size outside yet smaller inside. The reality there is a ton of space is wasted in the Highlander, its poorly executed. If the vehicle we were talking about were not a Toyota you wouldn't have as hard a time accepting this.

The Sienna is a different segment. You have many, many consumers who don't want a minivan, thats why the Highlander even exists. The Sienna existing is not an excuse for the poor interior packaging of the Highlander compared to rivals. The Sienna itself has been left to rot by Toyota and minivan consumers have been forced to leave the brand for other brands if they want a vehicle that is modern in design.

You act as if we owe Toyota something. "Customers should just buy a Sienna if they want more space than the Highlander", no, we should just give our money to manufacturers who design better vehicles and work harder to meet our needs.

Your argument would make sense if the Highlander was smaller outside, but its not...only inside. I say with total confidence nobody would be upset if the Highlander was as spacious inside as the Palisade without growing substantially outside. It would be a win win. Roomier inside is never a negative. Larger outside certainly can be.

 

The assumption you are making is that Toyota needs to Turbocharge their entire line up just because everyone else is doing it. They are using turbo charging but doing it selectively which IMO is the right approach. Not saying that Hyundai / Kia cannot build good engines am just saying Toyota seems to be focusing on Hybrids. If the success of the new Rav4 hybrid is any indicator they seem to be headed in the right direction and are able to differentiate themselves very effectively

 

Those wheels look exactly the same as the wheels from a RAV4 Limited. That's lame.

 

Some people are just Toyota people (or whatever brand people). No matter what the competition, they will always pick their brand, and dismiss the other brand. That is evident in this and many threads. You aren't going to convince a brand loyalist that their brand isn't better. Period. (kind of a metaphor for...other things)