By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Uninspired styling and ordinary gas mileage will not deter buyers from purchasing in large numbers the all-new Toyota Highlander crossover utility vehicle.

The original Highlander, introduced in 2001 as a 2002 model and one of the first crossovers to reach the market, was a Toyota success. The second-generation Highlander should prove to be as attractive to people who want Toyota’s attention to detail, a whisper-smooth V-6 engine with solid performance, a compliant ride and a Lexus-grade interior.

The styling, certainly not offensive, is perhaps a bit of a yawner. Bland apparently is good when seeking a mass audience. Gas mileage is actually one mile to the gallon better than last year using the new more stringent 2008 EPA numbers despite a bigger engine and a heavier vehicle.

But styling and mileage will have no bearing on most buying decisions.That’s our take on the new vehicle, which should keep current Highlander owners in the fold while winning over people stepping out of competitive brands.

People who loved their 2002 through 2007 Highlander — an average of about 125,000 a year left showrooms — but yearned for more space, more horsepower and more towing capacity can now have all those things without abandoning their favorite family appliance.

A larger size makes the Highlander more family-friendly. And it needed to gain a few inches to stay ahead of Toyota’s redesigned entry-level RAV4 crossover, which grew like a weed in a rain forest when it was reworked for the 2006 model year.

The new Highlander is four inches longer (118.4), three inches wider and as much as 450 pounds heavier depending on trim level. It rides on a 2.9-inch longer wheelbase making a third-row seat more palatable, less cramped than in the previous iteration. That being said, the third row is still too cozy for adults for anything longer than a short trip to the restaurant.

Getting to the third row has been made easier by a second row seat that folds and slides out of the way. Also, the second row has a removable center portion that slides into a cubbyhole below the center console between the front seats. When in place it makes seating available for three people, but don’t volunteer for the center position. Comfort is not an attribute in the middle.

When the center section is stowed, it creates a pass-through to the back, very handy for kids who want to move from one location to another.

One of the biggest benefits of the increased size is wonderful second-row leg room, especially with the seats, which can be slid fore and aft several inches, pushed back on their tracks.

And if you want convenience, the space between the middle-row seats can be filled with a latch-in tray that includes cupholders and a storage area.

When hauling things is more important than carrying passengers, the Highlander with all seats folded into a flat load floor yields a spacious 95 cubic feet of storage. And there are 43 cubic feet with just the rear seat folded. If you need three rows of passenger space, however, the Toyota is a bit of a letdown with only 10.3 cubic feet left over for luggage or the kids’ sports gear.

Another downside is that the rear seat does not offer a 50-50 split, but must be folded as a single piece. We’ve encountered a four-adult, one-child configuration in the past where a split third seat was essential, allowing for a passenger on one side and storage on the other.

The interior is hushed, a Lexus trait for years that has been engineered into many Toyota-brand vehicles here in the 21st Century. A quiet interior devoid of wind and road noise is not only soothing, but conveys a luxury persona.

The dashboard is truly Lexus-like from its layout design to its impeccable fit and finish.

One neat feature, standard on the mid-level Sport and top-level Limited, is a 3.5-inch screen mounted high up in the center of the dashboard that not only dispenses information, but acts as a backup camera when the Highlander is placed in reverse. That means you don’t have to invest in the $2,505 navigation system to get the peace of mind a backup camera provides.

If you do opt for navigation, a great-sounding nine-speaker JBL audio system is included. The premium sound can also be purchased as a stand-alone option for $630. A rear entertainment system, virtually a necessity these days with kids as passengers, is a $1,780 option.

One of the biggest upgrades over the last-generation Highlander comes under the hood.

The four-cylinder base engine has been dropped and all trim levels now come with a healthy 3.5-liter 270-horsepower V-6 mated to a five-speed automatic. Power comes on smoothly and evenly. The Highlander is capable of finishing off a 0-to-60 run in about seven seconds.

Perhaps even more important to haulers of recreational equipment is the crossover’s ability to tow up to 5,000 pounds.

All three trim levels can be purchased with either two-wheel or all-wheel drive. The base Highlander begins at $27,985, the mid-level Sport starts at $30,635 and the top-line Limited begins at $33,385. Tack on about $1,400 for all-wheel drive.

For those interested in being as environmentally correct as possible or people simply intent on saving a few gallons of gas, the Highlander again comes in hybrid format. The good news is that the new hybrid, outfitted with the previous 3.3-liter V-6 making 209 horsepower and an electric motor rated at 167 horsepower mated to a continuously variable transmission, exhibits the same performance as the standard gas model but with a lower tow rating of 3,500 pounds.

The customer must decide if the improvement in gas mileage — 27 city/25 highway for the hybrid compared to 18/24 two-wheel drive or 17/23 all-wheel in the gas-only model — is enough to warrant a nearly $6,000 price premium.

Our test vehicle was a well-outfitted Limited all-wheel drive with a few extras including navigation carrying a bottom line price of $40,430.

The new Highlander is improved in just about every way from the first generation offering many satisfying qualities. In its new guise Highlander provides an intriguing addition to a growing list of high quality car based crossover vehicles that are gaining market share at an incredible rate.

Essentials

Base price, $27,985; as driven, $40,430
Engine: 3.5-liter V-6
Horsepower: 270 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
Torque: 251 foot-pounds @ 4,700 rpm
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Drive: all-wheel
Seating: 2/3/2
Wheelbase: 109.8 inches
Length: 188.4 inches
Curb weight: 4,650 pounds
Turning circle: 39 feet
Towing capacity: 5,000 pounds
Luggage capacity: 10.3 cubic feet
Maximum cargo capacity: 95 cubic feet
Fuel capacity: 19.1 gallons
EPA mileage: 23 highway, 17 city
0-60: 7 seconds (Car and Driver)
Also consider: Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Pathfinder

The Good
•  Excellent performance from new V-6
•  Bigger size more family friendly
•  Easy access to third-row sears

The Bad
• Third-row seat doesn't have 50-50 split

The Ugly
• Bland styling continues