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Leather, heated seats, Power lift gate, moonroof, JBL 440 wt + BT, 19" wheels. It's a lot wider, my 2004 HL happened to be next to it and it looks like a RAV compared to the new HL. The new model also looks to sit lower to the ground but I think that's an optical illusion because it's wider.
-Andy
Mackabee
The larger wheels probably help the vehicle look lower.
I don't think the styling is good or bad. It looks like a Rav4 V6 with chassis reinforcements.
DrFill
-Andy
I stopped by the Toyota dealership today and picked up a 2008 Highlander brochure. It mentions tilt/telescope steering wheel and 4-way adjustable headrests on the Limited/HH Limited w/leather. The Toyota site only mentions tilt wheel and 2-way adjustable headrests. I'm guessing the printed matter may not be as up-to-date as the web site. The site may still be evolving in regards to the details and prices. The outgoing Highlander had color-keyed splash guards and roof cross bars as standard on the Limited line but they are now listed as optional accessories.
Regards - M. J. McCloskey
I called two local dealerships (in Massachusetts) and asked whether they'd received any 2008 Highlanders in the showroom yet. They both told me that they weren't being released until September for the gas model, and one said November for the hybrid and the other said FEBRUARY! What gives? Are they totally out of it, or is the Northeast not going to get them until much later? Thanks for any insights into this...
- Charlie M
There were some glitches with the site, but a base AWD with an A Package in that color's total price was $30,115.
Driving impression: We set out at first with me as a passenger and one of my colleagues as the driver. We also had another passenger in the middle seat. The driver complained of sluggish performance although I thought it was adequate. I told him to put it in the sequential mode and see if he could feel the difference. It was quite an improvement. The ride was very quiet and smooth. Quite quieter than the model it replaces. We switched seats and I got on the drivers side. I went strictly sequential and it was nice. I took the first exit ramp towards the expressway and just shifted gears to my hearts content. The shifting was very smooth, up and down, no hesitation. The power from the 3.5L V6 was there when you wanted it. We came back to the boulevard and I decided to make a U turn to test the VSC. Works as advertised. I gunned the accelerator and through my peripheral vision saw the VSC indicator flashing. Back at the dealership I backed it up onto the ramp and the back up camera came on. The screen is about the size as the one on Tundra and good for backing out of a driveway to make sure you don't run over the kids bikes or the kids! I can't wait to get my hands on a Limited and feel the difference in the ride. I hope the fit and finish of the interior is corrected otherwise it will show up as squeaks and rattles later on.
Mackabee
One problem with Toyotas is people definitely walk in and expect Ergonomics, seats, panels, materials are expected to be two steps above the competition. Usually they aren't disappointed, it's just a matter of which dealer the purchase will be made from.
DrFill
Mackabee
The ride in both is very quiet and very smooth. The new model is far more powerful though. The new model is much bigger so it may appeal to a different buyer than a two adult family.
38K for a LOADED model with leather, moonroof, tow pkg, NAV, cold weather pkg, Bluetooth, dual digi climate, ski/snow crossbars.
Give me a winning lottery ticket and sign me up
Most 07 rav4 3.5 (same as HL) sell below invoice now.
How does the new '08 Highlander compare to the current model of Sequoia in terms of size, cargo area and amenities? The prices appear to be similar to what I negotiated the '04 Sequoia price on my lease three years ago. :surprise:
The vehicle should be a foot shorter, and with the new V6, will have about the same HP (270 to 271), but obviuously less torue for towing.
For less than $35k, it should be strong value.
DrFill
That's a good segue to introduce a new feature at Edmunds - dealer and service reviews.
Go to the Find a Local Car Dealer link and drill down to your dealer. Once there you'll find links to write a review about your purchase or service experience. Other owners will appreciate learning about the rip-off room practices of the mop and glow guys.
Part and parcel of the "Bigger Idiot" School of salesmanship. Every dealer has a chart in the tower, like a Periodic Table. :surprise:
DrFill
Apparently the Xzilon reps do a good job training dealers how to market this rip-off. They probably get very good bonuses, too, seeing how many people fall for it.
Suppositions on pricing of 2WD models
Base ICE $28-$30000
Mid Trim ICE $30-32000
Mid Trim HH $34000
Ltd Sport ICE $34-$36000
Ltd ICE $36-$38000
Ltd HH $38-$40000
Even though the vehicle is longer it doesn't look out of proportion because it's also wider. It is big though.
Exterior looked good. Not quite as boxy as the MDX but didn't go all the way to the "bubble" look showing up on a lot of cars lately.
Interior was nice, seating surfaces, controls, gauges were top notch and had a Lexus feel to them (the "deep" LED gauges have to be seen to be believed, they are gorgeous). The plastics for the dash and side panels were only average quality I expected better.
Very little storage room behind the 3rd seat when it is up. MDX I believe had more room behind the 3rd row when it was up but I could be wrong. You would be hard pressed to even get some groceries behind the 3rd seat when it's up on this car.
Rear seats were very comfortable and my 5'5" wife said she would be comfortable in the 3rd row for shorter trips. The 3rd row seats didn't seem to have an incline adjustment but the 2nd row seats did. The stow and go bench seat for the 2nd row seat seemed a bit gimmicky and I didn't mess with it.
Smart key entry and push button start is a nice feature that will be standard on virtually every car in the next few years I think.
In driving the car the first thing I noticed was how light the steering is. My wife noticed it too, it's VERY light, almost so light you could drive the car with one finger. I'm personally not a fan of this since it's geared towards dainty people who complain they can't park their cars without over boosted steering. This feeling persisted until the vehicle was brought up to about 60mph on the highway then it got somewhat stiffer.
Road noise was low and the ride was fairly smooth and didn't pound over bumps. Gauges, etc, were easy to read. Navigation is the standard "touch screen" variety with lots of customizeable options. Large screen is fairly easy to read but not sure that the JBL stereo + Navi is worth the $2500 they are asking.
Dealer says that the hybrid version won't be showing up until the end of September and to anticipate it being around $4500 sticker higher than the ICE version. That would put a loaded HH at about $46K or if you dropped the navigation, RSE and a few other extras you could get into a well equipped HH for around $40K-$42K. Acura MDX WITH NAV can be negotiated for around that price currently with some effort.
Dealer said that they already have 8 deposits on the HH and that inventory for it in 2008 will be very tight as production numbers are lowered on the HH from 35,000 to 25,000. They don't expect to budge from sticker on the HH since those who want it will pay full sticker on it unless they end up with unsold inventory sitting on the lot. This dealer will only be loading cars up to go on the lot, anything special order will require a deposit.
All in all very nice car that will stay on our short list for the time being.
:shades:
DrFill
Mackabee
Switching into sequential shift mode seems to fix this, even if I didn't change the gears manually it seemed to make the engine/transmission more "sport" oriented than leaving it in drive (now if they'd only offer it with a 6-speed manual!).
The test drive confirmed some of the other posters' discoveries. A "soft" but very good feel to the handling. Versatile features (though I question taking away the driver's armrest). But I found the extra weight to take its toll--it seemed a big more sluggish. And both the salesman and I thought there was more wind noise on the highway. All that said, if I wanted a vehicle this size I'd be happy to drive this car.
So they have something for people who really may need a Sequioa, but don't need a truck. It would be a full-size for those who don't want a full-size (truck). Tough balancing act.
It probably will split the dfference between the Sequioa and Rav4 in size.
DrFill
Question is:
Anyone have any personal experience with this place?. Heard any stories, know if it is legit. I will definitely check with BBB to get some kind of authentication.
Any thoughts, comments would be greatly appreciated. :shades:
dealer ratings & reviews
No I don't work for them, I compete against them. But for all the ease of doing business this way they don't grow as fast as one might think. Somewhere there is a disconnect and I don't know what it is. Maybe it's too easy.