2004 Toyota Highlander Road Test

Seven-Passenger Equalization

Toyota has found much success with their car-based Highlander midsize SUV, and why shouldn't they? It's a wonderfully designed, well-built automobile that is chalk-full of Toyota's legendary quality and reliability.

After losing sales to the rival Honda Pilot, Toyota has fought back with a more accommodating 7-occupant Highlander. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

But there was a deficiency in the Highlander line when measured up against its main rival, the slightly larger Honda Pilot. The deficiency was more posterior-related than size-related - specifically two posteriors. That's the number of additional people which could be accommodated into the back of the Pilot, versus last year's Highlander.

For 2004, Toyota has all "butt" remedied the situation with the addition of a third-row seat. Now an equal number of soccer players can fit into Mom's taxi, be it a Toyota or Honda.

On a recent Toyota trip I had the opportunity to put the Highlander through its paces, on and off the road. (Photo: Toyota Canada)

During a recent event, Toyota presented the media with a lineup of its 2004 trucks and SUVs, one of which was the 7-passenger Highlander, along with a route map that led us into the Rockies. Along the way I put the car-like SUV through its paces, including some off-road driving with challenging inclines, heavily blanketed in some areas with knee-high snow.

This is a tall order for a vehicle not designed primarily for off-road excursions, but I lived to tell the story so obviously the 4WD Highlander is more capable than at least I initially conceived.