Ride Report - 2005 Toyota Highlander V6 FWD
Apr 8, 2006, 9:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, B6 Mosaic, UA Platinum, others
Posts: 1,270
Ride Report - 2005 Toyota Highlander V6 FWD
Another trip to SFO brought another bland Taurus. They were out of my usual preference (Camry) but offered up a 2005 Toyota Highlander V6 FWD - class Z (I booked F). I've gotten SUVs from Hertz before, but this represented a somewhat strange combination of big vehicle and no four-wheel-drive. I can't imagine exactly who they're targetting with them.
Power: The V6 engine did a pretty decent job of getting this one moving. It's the same engine as they use on the 4WD (which weighs quite a bit more), which might give it a bit of edge. I wouldn't call it sporty, but it did make for a decent vehicle to get around in. Fuel consumption was roughly 20mpg in mostly highway driving.
Handling: Pretty similiar to the Camry from which it was stolen, with obvious amendments for the sheer bulk. Cruddy turning radius, and too much rain for me to try anything too tricky.
Interior: Cloth interior with pretty standard Toyota finishes. Great legroom, lots of storage space, and a pretty clean vehicle. For a car that's been in the fleet this long, it was in pretty decent shape.
Features: Power everything, standard tape/CD, nothing too special. No on-steering wheel controls
Value: I guess it fits the bill as a stand-in for a YF, but I'd never pick it. Still, if you have lots of luggage and no need for 4WD, it may be a steal.
Power: The V6 engine did a pretty decent job of getting this one moving. It's the same engine as they use on the 4WD (which weighs quite a bit more), which might give it a bit of edge. I wouldn't call it sporty, but it did make for a decent vehicle to get around in. Fuel consumption was roughly 20mpg in mostly highway driving.
Handling: Pretty similiar to the Camry from which it was stolen, with obvious amendments for the sheer bulk. Cruddy turning radius, and too much rain for me to try anything too tricky.
Interior: Cloth interior with pretty standard Toyota finishes. Great legroom, lots of storage space, and a pretty clean vehicle. For a car that's been in the fleet this long, it was in pretty decent shape.
Features: Power everything, standard tape/CD, nothing too special. No on-steering wheel controls
Value: I guess it fits the bill as a stand-in for a YF, but I'd never pick it. Still, if you have lots of luggage and no need for 4WD, it may be a steal.
May 29, 2006, 5:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Earth (PIT)
Programs: Airline/TSA Avoidance Platinum, Hotel Disloyalty Silver, Hertz 1.7*
Posts: 5,277
I was about to post a new thread, then I did a search. Can we get the Ride Report thread updated? Highlander is not listed. (I also posted a report on a Pontiac Vibe which could be added to the list. It's in the Toyota Matrix thread, though, because it's the same thing.)
Anyway, I got up to PVD the other day, went to the Gold booth, and he handed me the keys to some Buick. I walked back to the spot, and it was a Rendezvous. Ick. I couldn't bring myself to take it out. Went back to the guy, very friendly, and asked if he had anything else I could take. He's like well, mostly gone, maybe have an Equinox or a Toyota Highlander (while telling me how well the Rendezvous rides, though he agrees it's ugly). Okay, I'll take the Highlander. Same price. This was a C reservation, mind you, and was all in at only just over 60 bucks for two days even with PVD's insane taxes and fees.
I agree mostly with the above. The 2WD Highlander is like a tall Camry V6 wagon. It cruises nicely on the highway, has decent acceleration (not spectacular, but more than adequate), is fairly roomy inside and can haul a reasonable amount. It probably replaces an F fairly well. The cargo area does have the roll-up cover installed so you can shield it from view. Class is still Z and still doesn't seem to be bookable in most places.
My 2006 example had just 2200 miles on the clock. It was apparently the base model, all cloth inside, and they didn't spring for the power driver's seat. Luckily, unlike many of the seats I've tried recently, this one had the proper height adjustment with both a lever for the rear part of the bottom cusion and a knob for cranking up the front part. If only the Sonata had the latter knob, it would be a perfect C car. Makes all the difference in the world. The lower-end Toyotas in the fleet (Corolla, Matrix/Vibe) lack this front-end height adjustment as well. Okay, yeah, I'm picky about the seat, but it's amazing the difference this small addition makes.
It did appear that this particular example had the stowaway third row seat. I did not attempt to open up the seat, but the seat belts for a third row were hanging there at the rear of the car. I don't see why they would be there otherwise. If you could book this with the third row, it would make an intriguing minivan alternative, although there wouldn't be much luggage space left.
Very hard to fault the interior of this car. Everything worked well, was in the right place, there was storage for everything, really comfy. The stereo had cassette as well as CD, possibly useful at times for a better way to play your iPod or such. It wasn't a particularly highline interior, though. Climate control was manual, there are no steering wheel audio controls (they are optional or included on higher trim models), no sunroof, no temp or compass, no leather, but what is there works well.
I happen to remember the gas clicked off at just over 10 gallons, and I just looked at the receipt (returned it this morning, so it's still handy) and see that I drove it 220-odd miles. So about 22mpg, mostly highway, from PVD to north Boston suburbs and back, but some backroad and town in between. Not too bad for that car, but a regular intermediate should have been better for that.
I think it would be interesting to be able to book these directly, as there are times when I could see choosing a vehicle like this. Yeah, it's an SUV that's not 4WD, but the hatch makes for some flexible loading which could be useful at times. Then again, you'd never get this kind of deal on it if it could be directly booked. There do appear to be a number of these in the fleet at various places, based on other reports, but there's still no clear way to get them apart from booking something else and asking, it seems.
All in all, it could have been worse. Had I been taking a car for a week and much more mileage (this was a personal rental), then I would have been looking for something that did better with gas. But this was short, and it was at least comfy. It really didn't ride any worse than the C cars I've driven. I'd take it again as a C or even F (really, I mean, Taurus or Highlander? No brainer for me
)
Anyway, I got up to PVD the other day, went to the Gold booth, and he handed me the keys to some Buick. I walked back to the spot, and it was a Rendezvous. Ick. I couldn't bring myself to take it out. Went back to the guy, very friendly, and asked if he had anything else I could take. He's like well, mostly gone, maybe have an Equinox or a Toyota Highlander (while telling me how well the Rendezvous rides, though he agrees it's ugly). Okay, I'll take the Highlander. Same price. This was a C reservation, mind you, and was all in at only just over 60 bucks for two days even with PVD's insane taxes and fees.
I agree mostly with the above. The 2WD Highlander is like a tall Camry V6 wagon. It cruises nicely on the highway, has decent acceleration (not spectacular, but more than adequate), is fairly roomy inside and can haul a reasonable amount. It probably replaces an F fairly well. The cargo area does have the roll-up cover installed so you can shield it from view. Class is still Z and still doesn't seem to be bookable in most places.
My 2006 example had just 2200 miles on the clock. It was apparently the base model, all cloth inside, and they didn't spring for the power driver's seat. Luckily, unlike many of the seats I've tried recently, this one had the proper height adjustment with both a lever for the rear part of the bottom cusion and a knob for cranking up the front part. If only the Sonata had the latter knob, it would be a perfect C car. Makes all the difference in the world. The lower-end Toyotas in the fleet (Corolla, Matrix/Vibe) lack this front-end height adjustment as well. Okay, yeah, I'm picky about the seat, but it's amazing the difference this small addition makes.
It did appear that this particular example had the stowaway third row seat. I did not attempt to open up the seat, but the seat belts for a third row were hanging there at the rear of the car. I don't see why they would be there otherwise. If you could book this with the third row, it would make an intriguing minivan alternative, although there wouldn't be much luggage space left.
Very hard to fault the interior of this car. Everything worked well, was in the right place, there was storage for everything, really comfy. The stereo had cassette as well as CD, possibly useful at times for a better way to play your iPod or such. It wasn't a particularly highline interior, though. Climate control was manual, there are no steering wheel audio controls (they are optional or included on higher trim models), no sunroof, no temp or compass, no leather, but what is there works well.
I happen to remember the gas clicked off at just over 10 gallons, and I just looked at the receipt (returned it this morning, so it's still handy) and see that I drove it 220-odd miles. So about 22mpg, mostly highway, from PVD to north Boston suburbs and back, but some backroad and town in between. Not too bad for that car, but a regular intermediate should have been better for that.
I think it would be interesting to be able to book these directly, as there are times when I could see choosing a vehicle like this. Yeah, it's an SUV that's not 4WD, but the hatch makes for some flexible loading which could be useful at times. Then again, you'd never get this kind of deal on it if it could be directly booked. There do appear to be a number of these in the fleet at various places, based on other reports, but there's still no clear way to get them apart from booking something else and asking, it seems.
All in all, it could have been worse. Had I been taking a car for a week and much more mileage (this was a personal rental), then I would have been looking for something that did better with gas. But this was short, and it was at least comfy. It really didn't ride any worse than the C cars I've driven. I'd take it again as a C or even F (really, I mean, Taurus or Highlander? No brainer for me
)