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http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070210/BIZ/702100380/1148/AU- TO01
Toyota to pay owners for engine damages
Compensation for 3.5 million '97-'02 Lexus, Toyota vehicles may cost automaker billions.
MDX and HL is at least $10,000 difference.
It is not fate at all.
Old, old old news. I've already had two of these veehicles gotten the notices on them, driven them without any problem and sold them. It's a non issue. These engines were designed in the 80's and put in vehicles in the 90's.
Old, old, old news. But thanks for the update on news that pertains to 1990's vehicles.
BTW, I've run my last 5 vehicles, (all non-Toyotas), past 140K miles with virtually no problems including 1 Acura, 1 Mitsubishi, and 3 Chrysler/Dodge vehicles.
I'd planned on possibly an '08 Highlander to replace our '97 Grand Caravan, but I'll likely by a GMC Acadia, since the Highlander is too small.
See the new GM crossover for agreement on a new design that is positive.
Sorry..............but beauty is in eyes of the beholder. And if it wasn't we would all being driving the same vehicle. Wouldn't that be a boring world?
Maybe seeing it in person will change that impression. Sometimes pics are misleading. Who knows.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Also whenever Toyota redesigns the Corolla it will look like a mini Camry based on the 2007 redesign.
Everytime Toyota redesigns their models they are always similar to other Toyota models.
It was not really a big shocker
~alpha
As I mentioned in the hybrid forum I still look at them as clean and neat even 5 years down the road. It is a Camry afterall and the one characteristic of Camrys are the middle-of-the-road, neat, clean ( boring - til this Gen ) lines they all have.
This is the 'engine refresh' stage in its 10 year life.
And yet you are making a "review" that it has more power..............and yet it is heavier as well. How much more power will there be with 500 additional pounds? "Seemingly better quality"? How in the world did you determine that in your "review?
Just curious. It does seem that you are making a review, as well, but without driving the car either or seeing it in person............And so it goes............
The only difference I can see is that you have made a more positive review than some of the others.
I think yours ranks a solid 421 - let's move on.
tidester, host
At least the new HL bucks that trend, even if it will be hard to distinguish from the RAV4. And hey, while I would call the RAV4 unimaginative in styling, at least it's not ugly.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
If I am not mistaken, the RAV4 has more cargo space due to the wheel on the back. While the Honda CRV got rid of its spare on the back it also lost some cargo space I believe.
And the RAV-4 has a V-6 available while the CRV has none.............and so it goes
Disappointment-My '03 lease on HL is up this summer and I had high expectations for the '08 HL. Toyota did a good job of hiding the new design, I never saw any spy photos that may have taken some of the surprise at seeing a RAV4 plus revealed. All we got prior was speculation for months and I was anticipating a total new look with much better fuel economy.
I am totally bummed that the vehicle was made larger, probably for a dam 3rd row seat I don't need or want.
Of course I didn't buy my HL on looks so I'm sure once I get to see the real thing and drive it I will like it much more. I may have to wait for a 4 cylinder to see if it can pull the new beef around.(hybrid is out of my budget) I won't be buying any new vehicle with less 30 mpg in the future so the 08 HL may be off my list.
LOL! That should be the new slogan for the Highlander.
..4Runner - first time viewers HATED it over the last Gen
..Camry
..Tacoma
..Tundra...woohooo everyone hates it... until standing next to it and sitting in it and driving it!!
It's all natural.
But as a long-time 4Runner owner, I STILL hate the look of the new one, and my current last-gen Runner will be my last.
Still hate the looks of the new Tacoma vs the old one which was well-proportioned - the new one looks truly mutant with the 4-cyl engine and the smaller rims of that model.
Have walked all around the new Tundra several times now, and it doesn't look any better than the pics in person. However of the group you listed, the Tundra is the least stylistically offensive, IMO.
Camry, well almost anything would have been an improvement, eh?! ;-)
The new HL is one of the ones I think will probably look a lot better in person than in pics, but it probably won't be a very pleasing shape either way. At least, as I said before, it will be different from most everything else.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
But I do admit that there were some vehicles that I didn't particularly like that grew on me. And as I saw more and more of them on the road and got used to them. And of all things even liked them.
Also, as I have pointed out before, none of the specs released have indicated conclusively that the NON-HYBRID version of the HL has gained 500 lbs. In fact, in Toyota's own Press Release, the weight increase is stated in the context of the Hybrid, so I'm not certain it applies to the gas version, though it may. Time will tell.
Press Release: http://www.pressroom.toyota.com/Releases/View?id=TYT2007020627575
"Seemingly better quality" is questionable, and I'll strike that out of my post, but, TO MY EYES the interior sure LOOKS a hell of a lot better than the vulgarity Toyota exercised in the many disjointed plastic textures, colors, awful faux-wood and plastiluminum of the first generation edition.
I will add though, that I may have been influenced by Car and Driver's comment "Front-row occupants are greeted by a particularly Lexus-like dashboard. Interior materials look first rate and more upmarket than before."
I don't think my comments were a review of the vehicle's performance, but rather a statement of improvements that are demonstrated on paper.
Feel free to disagree
~alpha
I really think Toyota has missed the boat here- they have made their mark by concentrating on utility and mileage economy, and by going larger they are following the likes of GM and Ford. We all know where those companies are today.
I'm still also upset that they HHybrid was designed as it is, ie more of a performance vehicle. People who are interested in buying hybrids are typically not looking for performance, they are environmentally conscious people looking for better gas mileage. I realize Toyota leveraged the same hybrid platform which is in the Lexus (which has more of a performance customer base), however why didn't they pair the 4 cylinder with the hybrid for the Highlander? I see no reason that real-life 30 mpg couldn't easily be obtained via this method.
I am either going to do one of the following:
-buy a new 4 cylinder this summer before the change and forego the nav. system
-buy a hybrid this summer with the nav. system (its actually not that much more expensive than the non-hybrid 6 cylinder limited)
-save my $$ and try and buy the Lexus next year (I have not heard anything about the Lexus being enlarged)
It's been widely recognized that the RAV isn't much smaller than the CURRENT Highlander, so it seems like a logical change. I believe at current prices, the RAV will give you give you pretty much everything except real techie options like NAV and remote start.... for about $27K in AWD Limited 4 cylinder form....
~alpha
I think that the non Hybrid will land probably about 200 to 300 lbs heavier than the pervious generation, comparably equipped. But I also think it will be more aerodynamic.
I'm willing to venture a 0-60 in the mid 7s, perhaps even low 7s, with similar improvements in passing flexibility.
~alpha
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Sometimes, I almost wonder if that is strategic for the time being on Toyota's part - I'd certainly be more apt to spend another $2 grand on a V6 if I know it only ran one or two MPG behind the 100 horsepower lighter 4 cylinder.
The RAV4's interior is a bit hard and plasticky, but still well constructed, and the instruments are very pleasing to (my) eye. Style wise, I'd still call it better than the current gen HL.
~alpha
I would have liked to have seen a 4c HSD combo but again this is Lexus' call. The Lexus buyer generally is looking for performance over economy so the V6+HSD stays.
Now....
My hope is that when the next Prius comes out in 18 mo's with a new powerplant, allegedly more powerful, then this might migrate over to the HH. One can hope.
It does not matter that Lexus has no interest in 4 cylinders, and in fact, as noted, the Motor Trend report indicates that the largest of Toyota's new family of 4s will find its way into the Highlander... just not now because the engines aren't ready. That may or may not be true. I'd argue that a better case for a V6 only Highlander would be the growth of the lauded current generation RAV4.
And again, I say it matters not at all about Lexus' positioning the RX as a performance Hybrid. Its more the fact that the V6+HSD+AWD already exists, whereas the Camry set-up, for example, would require heavy adaptation to facilitate the AWD tech that is offered by these SUVs in their current generation Hybrid models.
Going back though, using the Camry example, it and the ES would both be V6-only by your reasoning. Or, using the 4Runner example, all would be 4.7L V8s in light of the GX.
If Toyota is claiming that Lexus is the driving factor in the redesign of the mass-market Highlander, I think its a corporate line used to market the Toyota as a cheape, alternative version of the luxo RX, and not at all the real case.
~alpha
Can you or anyone explain to me why Toyota continues with this design? what are the positive reasons one would want such door in the rear?
Why go backwards from the Camry powertrain by sticking with the 4-speed? Just to save a little money in development. I wonder if the RAV will get these new 4-cyl engines that the '08 HL is supposed to eventually get.
I am glad there will still be a 4-cyl Highlander in the future, and I really hope that the Camry's hybrid powertrain eventually makes it over there. Toyota is ignoring fuel economy too much here. I don't know how much influence the Lexus audience has on shaping the specs of the HL, but the HL wears a Toyota badge, not the capital 'L'. It should use regular unleaded and fuel economy should be one of the design priorities.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Now the Camry OTOH is Toyota's prime vehicle. Everthing, until the Tundra, revolved around the Camry in the Toyota line. The V6 Camry and the ES are the same vehicle essentially but it's the Camry that leads off the new model when there's a refresh and it's the Camry that gets all the press and attention.
I also think design priorities can be summed up in producing a competitive vehicle. If Toyota had sacrificed say, 30 horses and 15 foot pounds, people would be calling it underpowered as they do the Subaru Tribeca, for example. And, the new HL V6 is expected to acheive the same fuel economy as the previous version, despite being larger and heavier, and it will use regular. I don't consider that ignoring fuel economy, but if enough people are dissatisfied with the redesign, Toyota will feel it in the sales/margins of this vehicle and have to reconsider.
That said, the RAV got larger, heavier, more powerful and stayed about as efficient.... and sales doubled.
~alpha
I can't believe I am saying this as I own/have owned the following vehicles from new 2004 Sequioia SR5 4WD, 2002 HL Ltd AWD, 1999 Solara SLE V6, and 1999 RX300. Looks like a Murano and another RX will be given serious consideration. Toyota blew this one. They have very loyal customers like myself but as we age (50) we do expect nicer things from Toyota.
If I were you, I'd also check out the Mazda CX-9, Subaru Tribeca 3.6L, the GM Triplets and the Hyundai Veracruz.
~alpha
A couple other issues bothered me about the 08 like the increased width from 71.9 to 75.2 inches. The extra 3 inches in width is a problem due to the width of our garage.
The height also seems to have grown from 67.9 to 69.3, but I am not sure if the 08 measurement includes a roof rack. The current model is tall enough.
The 3.5L in the 08 was going to be overkill for us. The 4 is turning out to be rather zippy. I am surprised that with higher gas prices we keep on getting bigger vehicles and more power. Just goes to show people don't care.
I suspect the new prices will be up a few thousand for a base model since the 4 cyl is gone.
These buyers didn't have a lot of other choices except the Pilot unless they wanted to step all the way up to a Sequoia. The Pilot/MDX got a lot of buyers for whom the Highlander was 'just' a Camry wagon. The new Highlander is now Pilot-size with the new GM triplets being significantly bigger yet.
Can we expect the driving dynamics of the new model to improve at all, I wonder? I would tend to agree that the steering is totally numb in the current model, and handling is minivan-like. There's not much sport in this "sport utility vehicle".
Will the '08 have electric steering? I believe the current model still uses a hydraulic pump, right?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)