This is the 2014 Toyota or an editorial board blackboard they've -- don't.
-- of red painted metal.
Unspectacular. How to drive in the similar speech on race and metal it was 1990 -- way of foreigners.
That's kind of like a home coming from -- looks -- behind the wheel and check the tech.
Those -- and everything.
Big chunky vehicle and it kind of extends to every part of the design even --
Headlights kind of like pushed out from the bumper and the tail lights are pushed out as well it's probably only vehicle -- ever driven we could see the tail lights from the driver's seat.
This is also a four by four -- model which means that it's got upgraded gonna make it look more aggressive.
But those upgrades are just for style sake for example the front bumper is more.
Aggressively -- right here that's gonna give you a better approach angle so that you don't rub your -- up against a bill.
We -- coming up the climate.
You've also got a similar situation happening out back underneath the body we've got upgrades to the sway bar system to the suspension we've got skid -- -- this and if you don't.
-- -- and you go over branches or rocks or something like that this vehicles also been upgraded with Toyota's kinetic.
Dynamic suspension system that's KD SS.
And that's basically a very simple version of an adaptive suspension that doesn't use magnets.
Or air suspension it just uses adapting dampers that are gonna automatically change their -- as you go over different sorts of terrain to give you the best handling whether you're on the road or -- --
Now let's -- the exterior of the -- the interior everything is really being funky.
I think the idea here is that they want you to be able to use the buttons and to be able to use the -- what you -- -- and crossing the Arctic.
That if you do that in this vehicle.
But all the buttons are really big and really easy to hit the exception comes out you to the touch screen this small six.
Point one inch into the -- history is a little bit small for a vehicle of this size.
But I am surprised that it does have a full --
Of audio sources. We've got the into apps that we've -- into the menu right here all of that's gonna come -- connected Smartphone.
When in between -- into an --
A for a vehicle that.
This simple this brutal. Max available its privacy that bit of advancement.
I think -- interesting -- -- -- considering navigation app.
Instead -- giving its own dedicated hardware button see if the pop into -- mean you just to get to your navigation a little weird.
Over -- our audio sources we got our AM FM I would get Bluetooth audio streaming we've also got pandora I heart show up again in this menu here that's kind of another way that into and it's been.
Integrated into the rest of the system not just kind of like sequestered -- to go into that means.
Got a phone connected that can run those at the show right there in your audio sources we've also got USB connected in and -- -- -- -- in the center console.
Here's an interest -- sort of weird thing.
The point of steering wheel control what they're supposed to be easy to hit when you're driving without taking your hand off of the --
Here's our volume down here at the bottom of the steering wheel gotta move my hand about.
Six or so inches to reach it the actual volume -- actually close.
So it's like if you're gonna make the volume button on the steering will this -- -- hit why even bother with it -- this one right here.
Down here in the center console we've got our controls for the transmission power train.
Got the F standard stock shifter right here for the five speed automatic transmission to bring that down and drive and then pop it over the -- if you want the whole of --
A little bit longer roles where you're driving.
He also pushed back and forth.
If you want to do a manual shift.
Over here you've got your controls for the center differential in the four by four system.
Now with default settings in the pushed up right here in -- two wheeled drive in the power from the -- gonna go straight to the rear wheels.
Better fuel economy.
But if you wanna get a little bit better grip you could pull it back into for about war in the spinning -- those front wheels.
Now layered on top of that very simple manual. Shifting between two and four by four you got the electronics we've got controls -- -- locking rear differential that electronic.
And then you can also turn on the eight track that and that's.
Britain based -- -- system that's gonna be.
With an emphasis on -- -- driving you've got your controls here for speed control when -- -- -- -- descending a hill.
And we've also got -- -- -- version of their terrain management system that lets you choose the type of terrain.
And then the -- are gonna come and help you sort of maintain maximum traction going over those things so it's very.
Simple. -- like system but which some technology on top of it now appear.
India at the top of the dash -- we got a small LCD that's usually gonna -- things like.
Your fuel economy information for your time what direction you're headed.
But when you engage the eight track system it's gonna give you information about what you need to do to bring this system in the -- -- right now.
We've moved in to four by four we've turned on a track and telling me that we need to accelerate.
Or decelerate in -- to engage the four by four system.
It'll also tell me summoned to wheel drive mode and that's turn on a track that eight tracks not possible in -- wheel drive mode and then it's just in the four by four so you've got a little bit of information right there if you know where to look for it.
But it actually could break out the instruction -- it was probably a good idea.
Now underneath the sculpted hood and frankly think that and you'll find me this.
Four liter V6 engine that -- output 270 horsepower and 278. Pound feet of torque.
Now I was wondering why -- -- -- V8 engine and -- V6 and a vehicle this big even though with this much displacement seems a little bit odd.
But with the five speed automatic transmission and they're all wheel drive system which includes a low four wheel drive mode you actually get pretty good -- multiple -- and so -- got some good.
Hill climbing ability here fuel economy is estimated eighteen miles per gallon combined that's gonna break down to about seventy miles per gallon in the city and 21 on the highway now done a lot of highway -- thing I've only averaged about seventeen point eight though.
You get somewhere in that range probably on the low end.
Now around towel and a foreigner.
Bad bad but there's just nothing about it really stands out -- great.
The -- pretty good thanks to the -- suspension system so you don't really -- a lot of crashing over the bumps.
But you do get a lot of body movement even or just the reasonably. -- San Francisco streets.
You also don't get very good accelerates.
Good enough bubble but start but if for example to rolling around and about 45 miles an hour to make -- quick path to find that if you can.
Floor the accelerator and nothing really happens workable set.
Part of that is because the five speed transmissions trying to figure out what's here what's the end but also.
This -- doesn't have a lot of power at the top end I was able to take this vehicle off road yet.
Today and that is really.
Where it kind of comes into its suspension just released soaks up the -- because you're not going very fast -- to take really did advantage of the -- that -- -- and offered especially when you're you're sport mode.
And even though it is kind of simple and a little bit easier to kind of what -- up if you're not sure what you're doing.
Of the very simple four wheel drive system and the eight track traction control system worked very well and it dragged -- vehicle over some pretty rough terrain.
I don't know if I'd go forging new path -- it but the trail in the trail moniker of -- vehicles definitely there.
Just -- -- fourteen trail for about four miles gonna fit in the middle of the -- lineup starting at about 38645.
We've also got that KD SS adaptive suspension that's gonna run -- 17150. Dollars.
And with a couple of extra -- -- -- that's gonna bring us or at half the price of 42.
175. And that's about it much is that be willing to pay for the people there -- big step up.
Premium version at the limited trim level that's got a lot more comfort but if you're looking for -- them more comfortable if you may have we'll be looking at the Toyota Highlander.
