Sybil isn't the only one suffering from multiple personality disorder. The 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is schizophrenic, too. But unlike Sybil, whose 13 personalities could make people, uh, a bit uncomfortable, the all-new Highlander Hybrid's characters work together to put an attractive face on a hybrid sport-utility.

Such has not always been the case. The previous-generation Highlander Hybrid proved easy to drive around town and earned a respectable EPA rating of 26 mpg in the city, but the transition between gas and electric power was unpleasantly conspicuous compared to the Toyota Prius, and it was too easy to discern which powertrain personality was doing the talking.

After two years of behavioral therapy, Toyota has engineered a larger, more powerful 2008 Highlander Hybrid. And its complex personalities understand the value of working together, each system quietly supporting the other instead of proclaiming its gas or green individuality. The result is a seven-passenger midsize hybrid SUV that's more refined and functional than its predecessor and one that Toyota hopes will appeal to a broader range of eco-minded consumers, whether they're celery-colored or forest green.

Growing Up Green
Developed from the latest Camry chassis, the wheelbase of the all-wheel-drive Highlander Hybrid has grown 3 inches, while its overall length has increased by nearly 4 inches and its width by 3 inches. There are three rows of seats in the new Highlander and 145.4 cubic feet of passenger volume. At 4,508 pounds, the new SUV is 263 pounds heavier than the outgoing model, and our base-level Highlander Hybrid test car with optional 19-inch alloy wheels tipped the scales even further at 4,670 pounds.

To help manage the Highlander Hybrid's new heft, Toyota has upgraded its 3.3-liter V6 engine and refined its high-torque electric-drive motor generators to produce 270 cumulative horsepower, just a fraction up on the former combination's 268 hp. Even with such a small increase, the heavier SUV with its continuously variable transmission doesn't feel sluggish. Its 7.5-second acceleration to 60 mph is just three-tenths slower than the lighter 2007 model, and its quarter-mile of 15.6 seconds at 91.8 mph is nearly identical to the old Highlander's best run.

More Ute, Less Car
You'll notice the new Highlander drives a little more like an SUV and less like a car. The electronic power steering requires less effort and there's less feedback from the front tires as you're bending the Highlander through the curves. But the upside is that the low-effort steering keeps the new Highlander from feeling cumbersome in parking lots. Even with its increased dimensions, the Highlander has not become a Chevrolet Tahoe that will make moms fearful of crowded parking lots.

The Highlander's suspension has been revised to handle stylish 19-inch wheels, although the hybrid is restricted to a soft-riding package while the conventional gas-powered Highlander is available with a sport suspension. In this case, soft translates to comfortable, not overly spongy, so that's not a bad thing.

It performs in a way you'd expect. It goes through the slalom cones at 57.6 mph, just 1.3 mph slower than the 2007 model. And it comes to a halt from 60 mph in 127 feet; not too bad considering the extra weight. Around the skid pad, it does 0.76g.

Reading the Green Manual
If you bother to crack open the owner's manual, you'll find the Highlander Hybrid offers three ways for you to consciously maximize fuel economy. It's like a game for those who need a little focus in their lives.

The new Hybrid System Indicator consists of two automatic modes: "Normal" and "Acceleration." The display for the Normal mode shows three white LED dashes along the outer edge of the power meter, a gauge that replaces the gas-powered Highlander's tachometer. If you keep the needle of the power meter within the three white dashes of Normal mode at lower speeds, you're maintaining a constant level of speed that helps achieve maximum fuel economy. When you squeeze the gas pedal, the Hybrid System Indicator automatically switches to Acceleration mode, and then you need to keep the power meter needle within five white dashes to optimize the instant economy, carmakerspeak for the amount of fuel being used at that moment.

An EV switch on the center console allows the Highlander Hybrid to operate in electric mode for a limited distance at low speeds. We tried it repeatedly, but the system has specific requirements for temperature and level of battery charge, and we were hard-pressed to make it out of our parking garage before the EV mode had to deactivate in order to deliver increased acceleration. It's kind of fun, but it only matters to people who like to race golf carts.

A better bet for real-world driving is the new Econ drive mode. Econ activates a control program that restrains the powertrain's throttle response. Basically, it limits excessive acceleration and prevents you from jumping on the gas and using more fuel than you need. Switching into Econ after driving a few miles on the open freeway makes the Highlander feel like you're suddenly towing an elephant behind you, but if you start out in Econ or switch into it while in stop-and-go traffic, your fuel economy will noticeably increase and you'll never guess Dumbo is in your draft.

No More Personality Disorder
Most important to the character of the 2008 Highlander is the newfound harmony of the Highlander's hybrid system. Sybil's multiple personalities have come together in one giant group hug. The transition between electric and gas power is so seamless that it's easy to miss the handoff unless you're staring intently at the blue LED power meter and watching for the green or gas-guzzler personality to emerge. Just as important, the transition from electromagnetic regenerative braking to friction braking is also free of Sybil-style internal conflicts.

Our test vehicle crossed a couple of state lines and also carpooled kids around the suburbs during the 1,562 miles it was in our care. We averaged 23.8 mpg along the way, which compares to the 22.8 mpg we averaged during our test of the 2006 Highlander Hybrid.

This increase might not seem significant, but while using the EV and Econ modes whenever possible, we averaged 28.6 mpg over 193 miles without devaluing the driving experience. The Highlander Hybrid's tripmeter function records previous fuel-economy results and we had a great time trying to beat previous records, or at least it was more intellectually stimulating than singing along to Disney radio with our carpool of Brownie Girl Scouts.

Seven at One Blow
The gas-powered Highlander with its 270-hp 3.3-liter V6 comes in both front- and all-wheel-drive versions, and there are three trim levels: base, Sport and Limited. The Highlander Hybrid with its unique grille and wheels comes only in all-wheel drive, and just base and Limited trim models are available.

You'll be comfortable in the Highlander's roomy new seven-passenger interior, especially since the optional third-row seat is actually made for adults. The second-row seats recline and then also move fore and aft through 4.7 inches of travel. The second-row seat also incorporates a Center Stow seat, an occasional seat that can also be converted to a center console or even stowed away to create separate captain's chairs. It's amazingly light and easy to handle, and even a scrawny 6-year-old with arms like twigs was able to get the job done without whining for help.

Sybil Gets Manners, Becomes a Grown-Up
Growing families, put that Tahoe angst out of your mind. There's no reason to believe that your future lies in some hulking sport-utility based on a gas-swilling pickup truck. The Toyota Highlander was a crossover before crossovers were cool, and the Highlander Hybrid is close to being the ultimate crossover.

The 2008 Highlander Hybrid is an exceptionally versatile package that allows you to haul the kids and their lanky pals in happy comfort without experiencing unnecessary gas pump trauma. It's always quiet and hassle-free, just like the neighbor's kid (not your own), and its green-friendly powertrain takes some of the guilt out of the constant motorized errands that are part of raising a young family. It's comfortable and useful without being so precious that you're afraid of parking it somewhere a rogue supermarket cart might find you. You might even be able to cancel that summer math tutor if you can get the kids involved in running fuel-economy calculations.

Maybe things would have turned out differently for schizophrenic Sybil if her mother had driven a 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

One of the problems parents encounter when dropping their kids off at school is the obligatory wave. You know, a familiar Sienna or Odyssey minivan drives by, and you wave. Trouble is, there are dozens of Siennasseys in the lot, so you have to wave at each one just to be sure. This country's grade-school parking lots are crying out for something different-and Toyota's got a dandy new candidate in the 2008 Highlander.



"But Highlanders are too small," weary new parents out there yawn. Well, not anymore, Mister and Missus Carpool. It's 3.8 inches longer, 3.3 inches wider, and 2.8 inches taller. It's bigger! Yes!

Grown from the same structural seed that sprouted the Avalon and Camry, the roomier Highlander's interior is highlighted by an extractable (and stowable) center row that provides a unique kid corridor to the aft quarters (also more spacious and fitted almost universally across the lineup). The family-friendly theme continues with an adequate 3.5-inch rear-camera display on all but the base model, plus easy-reach levers that remotely fold down the second-row seats from the rear hatch.

As with the Camry and Avalon, power for the traditional gasoline version is supplied by a 270-horse, 3.5-liter V-6 coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission. No surprise that acceleration is strong nor that the front-drive version's steering suffers momentary vertigo when you give it the stick from a stop. The Sport model's recalibrated steering software and stiffer springs don't cure this, but they nicely focus the handling of front and AWD models, with modest ride degradation.



This isn't a problem with the hybrid version (which is just about all carryover hardware) because it's outfitted just one way-with AWD. Notably, it also offers identical output to the gas Highlander, 270 combined gas-and-electric horsepower, making for a particularly elementary mileage comparison: According to the EPA's all-new, real-world 2008 mileage metric, the hybrid has a 37-percent economy advantage. It also offers an EV-mode button that theoretically instructs (though rarely allows) it to traverse up to three miles at 25 mph without firing the engine. More effective is the "Econ" mode that intelligently smoothes power changes if it deems the driver's accelerator foot is just being fidgety.

So move over, you other grade-school haulers, there's going to be a bright new face you'll need to wave at.

First drive: Kluger II is Territory's nightmare


Accomplished: Second-generation Kluger goes on sale here in August.

Toyota’s redesigned mid-sized family SUV addresses the current Kluger’s weak points

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS 26 June 2007


DETERMINED to regain ground lost to Ford's dominant Territory in the medium-sized SUV sector, Toyota Australia has revealed its second-generation Kluger will have an entry price below $40,000 - plus superior power, economy, interior space utilisation and safety features.

Launched in the US last week ahead of its Australian debut in August, Kluger II will be fitted with stability control across the range and, like Territory, will come in both all-wheel drive and 2WD (in this case front-wheel drive) forms.

The Territory is currently priced from $39,490 for the rear-wheel drive TX and offers stability control (on this and the mid-range RWD TS) as an $850 option. All other Territory RWD and AWD models have the important safety device fitted standard.

The new Kluger, known as the Highlander in the US, was styled at Toyota’s Calty Design Centre in California and will be produced for Australian consumption in Osaka, Japan.

It will be positioned to wrestle class leadership from the Territory, to fill in the gap vacated in 2002 when the last Camry station wagon was discontinued, and to even lure buyers who may have chosen the now-discontinued (in Australia) Corolla wagon.

Toyota is remaining silent on exact power and economy figures, as the well as the fine detail concerning pricing, model proliferation, specification levels and sundry other items relating to Australian-bound versions of its monocoque-bodied SUV.

However, GoAuto can reveal that fuel consumption figures will be "at least" 10 per cent better than the equivalent Territory.

This should put the Kluger II at about 11L/100km, with the AWD models hovering in the high-11L/100km region. Aiding this is improved aerodynamics, which benefits from some wind-cheating underbody work. The current Kluger returns 12.3L/100km.

The Camry-based Aurion, which uses virtually the same 2GR-FE 3.5-litre quad-cam dual-VVTi V6 powerplant as the Kluger II (but with a different gearbox), returns an official combined average of 10L/100km.

On the other hand, weighing in between 1740 to 1875kg, the outgoing Kluger is around 200kg lighter than Kluger II, which – in FWD form – starts to tip the scales from about 1800kg.

Shared with the current Lexus RX350, the Kluger II should have similar power and torque outputs. So count on at least 202kW of power on standard unleaded petrol, and about 345Nm of torque. In US Highlander guise, the figures are 201kW and 336Nm at 4700rpm.

In contrast, the Aurion delivers 200kW and 336Nm, while the outgoing Kluger’s outputs are 172kW and 328Nm from a 3.3-litre V6 powerplant.

Toyota says the new Kluger will come with the most powerful non-turbo engine in its class – the Territory Turbo pumps out 245kW and 480Nm, while in naturally aspirated form its 4.0-litre straight-six delivers 190kW and 383Nm.

Come September, American Highlander buyers will also be able to choose a hybrid version, which will mate either a 3.3 or 3.5-litre petrol V6 with an electric motor, similar to the 254kW/368Nm Hybrid Synergy Drive set-up used in the Lexus GS450h.

However, it is unlikely that the Australian Kluger line-up will include any hybrid model before 2009 at the earliest.

And there is no word of a diesel version to match Holden's Captiva, which is claimed to be 20 per cent more fuel efficient than Territory.

All models will use an electronically controlled five-speed automatic gearbox with a gated sequential-manual shift facility, instead of the Aurion’s Aisin-supplied six-speed automatic.

This is because the five-speeder is the only unit designed for this particular permanent AWD application. By comparison, rear-wheel drive Territory models have a four-speed automatic, while the AWD cars come with a ZF six-speed auto.

Underpinning the latest Kluger is a development of the current Camry/Aurion’s platform, which is itself based on the set-up employed in the outgoing Kluger.

However, according to Toyota Australia product manager Doug Soden, an inspection of the Kluger and Aurion underneath will reveal virtually no common components.

Using a four-wheel MacPherson strut design with lower transverse links and a lower trailing arm at the rear, the Kluger II sits on a wheelbase that, at 2790mm, is 75mm longer than before, while the SUV stands about 16mm higher for better off-road clearance.

In length, width and height measurements, the Kluger II’s respective 4785mm, 1910mm and 1705mm tallies make it 95mm longer, 85mm wider and 25mm higher than the outgoing vehicle.

Toyota claims that the suspension was altered to improve handling on both bitumen and dirt. Particular attention was paid to reducing mechanical noise and vibration from entering the cabin.

A new electronically powered rack-and-pinion steering system has also been devised.

Interestingly, the next Lexus RX – due towards the end of 2008 – will not share anywhere near as many parts with the new Kluger as today’s versions (which are very closely related under the skin). It is believed that Lexus is going it alone with the development of the next RX.

Also expected is a much more sophisticated drivetrain package, to bring the model closer to the dynamic and refinement qualities of its premium German rivals such as the BMW X5.

Nevertheless, Toyota claims that the new Kluger is "a significantly higher-quality vehicle" than before, with a number of measures instigated during the design and development period to ensure this.

As well as the aforementioned stability control, every Kluger will also be fitted with traction control, ABS brakes with EBD and brake assist, and seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag and side and curtain items that extend to all three rows in seven-seater versions.

Active head restraints and a pedestrian-impact "friendlier" bonnet will also be part of the Kluger’s safety role call, as will hill-start control on all cars, as well as a Hill Descent Control feature in AWD models.

Finally, the Kluger also scores tilt and telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel, adding weight to Toyota’s claims that special attention was paid to improving comfort and ergonomics.

Creating more space in every direction inside has been a Kluger II priority. Longer (by about 65mm) and wider (by around 48mm) in body than before, there is now more room in every row of seats.

As before, the second and third row of seats (where fitted) fold flat to increase cargo room.

A novel removable second-row middle seat that stows neatly underneath the centre console between the front seats, a flip-up back window built into the tailgate, a reversing camera, air-conditioning, remote central locking, power windows and AM/FM/CD/MP3 sound will be standard items across the range.

Also standard will be a 17-inch wheel and tyre package, with a 19-inch wheel available as an option. Toyota says that the suspension had to be significantly revised to accommodate the larger wheels.

Toyota will not confirm this for now, but buyers will also be able to obtain new-to-Kluger features such as front and rear climate-control air-conditioning, leather seats, Toyota’s keyless "Smart Entry" and "Smart Start" technology, front foglights, and a Bluetooth-compatible multi-disc sound system.

All models will be available in both drivetrain and seating arrangement formats. Toyota will not reveal whether it will continue the current Kluger’s CV/CVX and Grande nomenclature.

In terms of styling, designer Ian Cartabiano revealed that he wanted to emphasise the "SUV-ness" of the vehicle, particularly in profile.

"It’s not lying about what the car is," he explained to GoAuto. "You haul people in it."

Calty’s studio design and resource manager Erwin Lui added that within this "stylish box" is where the new Kluger’s real design progress can be found, highlighted by a much strong shoulder line, larger wheel-arches and tauter surfacing than before.

This year Toyota expects to sell at least 5000 current and new-model Klugers in Australia, matching 2006 levels. It is counting on incremental sales, secured from rivals as disparate as the Territory, Holden Commodore wagon, Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Odyssey and Volkswagen Passat.

Toyota will not disclose what it believes will be the FWD to AWD sales split, but one insider suggested that the Territory’s 55/45 bias would be a reasonable indicator.

More Kluger II details will be revealed closer to the Australian launch.


Drive impressions:
AN AMERICAN Toyota insider summed up the new-generation Kluger succinctly.

"This is the Camry of SUVs. It’s a huge selling product and it has to appeal to a lot of different people with a lot of different tastes..."

The Kluger, or Highlander (as it is known in North America, its key market), is one of those cars that is just too darned popular for its creators to mess around with.

No changing the flavour then. No wacky new styling directions. No intimidating new features. Just the same, time-tested and populus-proven ingredients.

But this is selling Toyota’s latest medium sized SUV short, because while it may be larger, heavier, roomier, sleeker, safer, quieter and more powerful than before, the Kluger II is also – somehow – less thirsty and more accessible, with prices that are expected to start at under $40K.

In other words, it’s a better car.

To begin with, photos fail to convey the new model’s tauter, edgier design.

The latest Kluger works particularly well in profile, gaining a presence that was previously absent in the series. The nose and tail treatments, however, seem somewhat anonymous, leaving it looking like a RAV4 Xeroxed up to 120 per cent.

On the Californian launch program, only models fitted with the US 19-inch alloy wheels were available for perusal. They look great, and certainly finally introduce a semblance of style to the Kluger, but we think that the car does look like it is standing on tippy-toes.

If you are a short person, you will surely appreciate the electric power steering’s easy responsiveness, as well as the helpfully high-res rear-view camera, that helps makes parking less intimidating. Likewise, the Charlie Windsor ears-like exterior mirrors are also very useful here.

Tall folk too can benefit from these of course, and in more comfort and space than before, but the point is that such items are there to accommodate a broader range of people than the previous Kluger could.

As does the every-which-way driving position, possible nowadays thanks to a steering wheel than tilts and telescopes, while the thoughtfully designed and extremely functional dashboard is nicely modern in that oh-so-slightly anodyne Toyota way.

Special gold stars are added for the very effective ventilation system, handy storage receptacles and super-crisp instrumentation, while the outmoded and infuriating foot-operated park brake should be flung into the nearest Black Hole – even if Toyota has introduced a Subaru-style device that will stop the Kluger II rolling back anyway.

Some models now come with a fancy-pants keyless entry and starting system operated by a high-tech proximity key. Cars without this make do with a surprisingly outdated two-piece key and fob set similar to the one Ben Hur used for his chariot.

Meanwhile, gangly teenagers and leggy supermodels are likely to enjoy lounging in the middle-row seats, since they recline (a little) and don’t crowd your knees.

Conversations can be carried out at speed without resorting to shouting, even for the two kids hanging in the (optional) third row.

It certainly is roomier than in a Ford Territory, and easier to get there, since the middle seats slide and the centre one can be removed and easily stowed for walk-through access.

You wouldn’t want to spend any meaningful time back there if you are taller than Webster though.

Loading the back is now simpler because you can now option the Kluger II with a powered tailgate, while the back glass lifts up Territory-style so you can just throw stuff inside.

So far, so good then; even before turning a key or pressing a button, the latest Kluger is cutting it with panache as a family carryall.

But can the Toyota keep up with the Territory as a driving machine?

First, an admission of ineptitude: Driving in mind-numbing freeway conditions on a warm and dry sunny day, we could not tell if the Kluger II that we were piloting was all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive.

That probably also speaks volumes about how close FWD and AWD Klugers really are in benign circumstances.

Either way, the driving experience can be described as impressively capable, toweringly proficient and unswervingly secure, but slightly detached and somewhat uninspiring.

We mostly drove AWD Klugers fitted with the US Sport pack, which features firmer suspension.

Toyota representatives say that this is the closest to what the Australian Kluger’s suspension set-up will be, but there will still be further modifications designed to deliver more dynamic responses.

We hope so, because the Californian Kluger’s steering seems a little too void in the information-sharing department, with a springy artificial feel in some circumstances, such as when pressing on through fast corners.

Now this would not matter so much except that the benchmark-setting Territory – as an accomplished athlete among SUVs – rules with unchallenged authority in the minds of driver enthusiasts.

Yet the majority of owners will simply delight at the fact that the Kluger II will go to exactly where it is pointed, will not load up or feel too heavy while doing it, and latches on to the road like a leech at all times.

They are also likely to love the engine’s off-idle acceleration and smoothness.

However, there needs to be plenty of revs and a portion of patience present if overtaking manoeuvres are to be executed, since – especially when laden – the Kluger II does hesitate before the super-slick five-speed auto gearbox kicks down a gear.

Keep the engine on song, though, and most drivers will find that the Toyota is certainly amply powerful.

Praise is deserved for the Kluger’s effective ride quality on a rough-road course that seemed far closer to Australia’s urban streets than the Californian highways we drove on.

The extra 16mm or so ground clearance certainly aided the Toyota’s progress over a reasonably challenging rutted track section, and loose surfaces did not result in anything too untoward even at some speed, but you would conclude that this car is very much the soft-roader with no pretensions to being anything more.

Besides being somewhat non-representative of the cars that we will get come August, the Kluger IIs sampled were also pre-production vehicles.

Still, we could not detect squeaks, untoward wind or road noise intrusion or even the sort patchy build quality that prototypes usually possess.

Which neatly brings home the Kluger II’s biggest and most formidable advantage against all its competitors: it is a Toyota.

That somebody has called it the Camry of SUVs might sound like faint praise to some.

But for hundreds of thousands of new-car buyers in North America and Australia, this simply means the Kluger II is like the latest Andrew Lloyd-Webber production, Tom Cruise movie, football grand final event or Coldplay concert: a crowd pleaser extraordinaire.

In fact, we think that – dull steering feel aside – the next Camry would be doing very well indeed if it were to be referred to as "the Kluger II" of medium-sized family sedans.

It appears that the Territory may face its biggest fight yet.

PHOENIX -- The original Toyota Highlander was one of the first crossovers to reach the market, but its design and driving dynamics were bland.

For the 2008 model year, Toyota has redesigned the Highlander to be bigger, brasher and bolder than its predecessor.

The basics: The Highlander has grown considerably, from being based on the old Camry to being mounted on the recent Avalon platform. The new version is 4 inches longer, 3 inches wider and an inch taller. Interior volume increased by 41 cubic feet.

But this growth comes with a weight penalty. Depending on the trim level, the Highlander has added as much as 450 pounds of curb weight.

To move this metal, Toyota replaced the 3.3-liter V-6 with a 3.5-liter engine that also powers the Camry and Avalon. It is teamed with a five-speed automatic transmission. The brake discs are larger. And Toyota has deleted the underpowered price-leader four-cylinder engine, making the price of entry steeper.

Notable features: The redesigned Highlander comes in a hybrid version. The 270-hp hybrid powertrain is mostly carryover, with numerous refinements.

As for the interior of both models, the second-row "center seat" is removable and cleverly slides into a cubbyhole below the center console between the front seats. The second row seats also fold, recline and slide.

Among the standard features on the new Highlander: a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, 10 cupholders and a CD player with six speakers.

Standard features include cruise control, electric power steering, 10 cupholders, 17-inch wheels, air conditioning, a CD player with six speakers, auto-off halogen headlamps, keyless door locks, power windows and mirrors and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. The tailgate has a separate glass hatch that opens independently.

Standard safety features include seven airbags, ABS, traction control, vehicle stability system, brake assist, electronic brake force distribution, hill-start assist and downhill assist. For purists, the traction and stability systems can be turned off. "Active" headrests move to restrict whiplash in a rear-end collision.

What Toyota says: "The next-generation Highlander has a more upscale image," said Bob Carter, Toyota Division general manager, at a press event here. "Customers wanted a roomier and more comfortable interior, more interior without compromising economy (and) a more forceful styling statement."

Compromises: The four-cylinder version generated less than 20 percent of Highlander sales. But given the price of gasoline, Toyota may regret dropping it. Toyota hopes the larger RAV4 will eliminate the need for a base model Highlander, but executives say the four-banger Highlander can be revived if needed.

The hybrid powered model illustrates Toyota's decision to calibrate hybrids for power as much as fuel economy. Whereas the old version could reach 30 mpg in easy driving, an hour-long test drive of the 2008 model netted less than 28 mpg.

Nuts and bolts: The standard Highlander arrives in July, and the Highlander Hybrid debuts in October. Toyota expects annual sales of 105,000 standard models, plus 28,000 hybrids.

The skinny: The new model is a big improvement, but fuel economy will take a hit in an era of rising gasoline prices. Toyota styling aims for sophistication over dynamism, meaning some folks will see it as bland. But the typical Toyota buyer will see it as a perfect fit for a growing family.