The Highlander is Toyota’s latest large SUV. It isn’t as rugged as the Land Cruiser, offering a more road-orientated attitude. It even has a hybrid powertrain. It offers excellent capability, reliability and practicality. Lots of practicality. And it comes with plenty of standard equipment, making this a superb lease choice if you're looking for reliablilty and space.
Good standard equipment.
The boot is massive.
Build quality is excellent.
The Highlander is a comfy, spacious and well built 7-seater that goes toe-to-toe with more established rivals. The Toyota name brings a promise of reliability few cars can compete with, while the hybrid powertrain is not only efficient but also refined. It isn’t perfect, but the Highlander offers customers a dependable and attractive leasing alternative to its better-known rivals.
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With all 7 seats upright and the boot filled to the window line, the Highlander will carry 241 litres of luggage. Or, to put it another way, roughly the same as a Volkswagen Up city car. Fold down the back seats and fill it to the roof, and you get a massive 865 litres to play with. And if you go for 2-seat mode, you get 1909 litres of space. That’s almost van-like.
There’s also lots of space inside. The front seats have lots of adjustment and give you more than enough space, while the middle row is perfectly capable of carrying 2 adults. Taller passengers might be a bit tight on headroom, but they’ll have plenty of legroom. That row will also carry 3 children, with an almost flat floor making the middle seat more comfortable. The rear-most seats are only for shorter adults or children, but they’re fine for occasional use and they give the Highlander a little extra versatility.
The Highlander’s hybrid powertrain makes it surprisingly affordable to run. Officially, the 2.5-litre, all-wheel-drive system will return nearly 40mpg. That makes it almost exactly as economical as the automatic Hyundai Santa Fe diesel, which is impressive when you consider the Toyota has an extra 48hp.
The Toyota is also far less polluting than the Hyundai, with CO2 emissions of 160g/km. In comparison, the Santa Fe pumps out 186g/km. That means the Highlander will be slightly cheaper as a company car, albeit not for long. In 2021/22, the Toyota sneaks into the 36% company-car tax bracket, whereas the diesel Santa Fe is in the 37% bracket.
The Highlander is only available as a huge 5-door, 7-seat SUV. It’s enormous, but it’s also enormously practical.
Trim Levels Available: Excel, Excel Premium
The Highlander range is simple, with just 2 models to choose from. Both are well equipped, with 20-inch alloy wheels, a JBL sound system and a panoramic glass roof included as standard. Automatic lights and wipers, keyless entry and 3-zone climate control also feature alongside satellite navigation, a reversing camera, and the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity tech.
The Highlander is competing with a host of 7-seat SUVs, almost all of which are very competent. The recently updated Kia Sorento is brilliant, as is its cousin, the Hyundai Santa Fe. Then there’s the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, which offers a slightly more premium feel than some of the more mainstream models. If you want 7 seats without the bulk of such a big SUV, consider the Skoda Kodiaq, SEAT Tarraco or Peugeot 5008. And thanks to the wonder of leasing, more premium models might also be within your budget. Cars such as the Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Volvo XC90 are all well worth a look, along with the Lexus RX L and Range Rover Sport.
Toyota’s reliability record is pretty much spotless. The Japanese company is famed for its dependability and we expect more of the same from the Highlander. Even the hybrid powertrain is tried and tested. If you have any concerns, there’s a comprehensive standard warranty with all new Highlanders.
Depending on how you load it, the Highlander can carry between 241 and 1909 litres of luggage. That’s the equivalent of anything from a small city car to a small van. In the most commonly used 5-seat mode and laden to the roof, you get an enormous 865 litres of space to fill.
When you lease a Highlander, you get a choice of 2 trim levels. The Excel comes with everything you need, but the Excel Premium adds goodies including a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats.
Yes, front and rear parking sensors come as standard on every Highlander. A manoeuvring camera is also thrown in to help you park the big SUV.
Space is one of the Highlander’s biggest selling points and the big SUV comes with acres of boot capacity. The cabin is also massive, with seating for 7 people. Adults might find the rear-most seats a bit cramped, but kids will be fine back there.
The Highlander sets itself apart with its roomy interior and hybrid powertrain. But it’s Toyota’s famous build quality and reliability that put the Highlander up there with the best in its class.
Leasing a Highlander with Vanarama is the smartest way to upgrade what you drive. Not only will you get the best price, guaranteed with our Price Promise*, there’s also no hidden fees, extra protection should the worst happen and access to expert advice when you need it! What are you waiting for? Find your New Lease Of Life today!
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