2010 Toyota Highlander Overview Change Vehicle

This 2010 Toyota Highlander overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2010 Highlander, and includes Toyota Highlander safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

Toyota is not one to mess with success, a point proven by the 2010 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid. Buyers have responded positively to the changes that accompanied 2008’s redesign, so significant updates have been minimal. This year, it’s all about the Base model; V6 versions are now available with a rearview camera, and the entry-level four-cylinder Highlander includes a new power moonroof option.

For shoppers who like the Highlander but want to keep the price as low as possible, the Base model is the way to go. Available with a four- or six-cylinder engine and either front- or all-wheel drive, this entry-level variant delivers the same capability of its fancier siblings, and does so without emptying the standard features cupboard. Despite what its name might lead you to believe, this Highlander is anything but bare-bones with its height-adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry, 17-inch alloy wheels, reconfigurable second-row seat, rear privacy glass, auxiliary audio jack, and electronic doo-dads like power door locks and windows. That’s a pretty generous array of goods, but there’s plenty left for the options list, like a rear climate control system, heated mirrors, and, new for 2010, a moonroof and rearview camera.

What you won’t find on the Highlander Base are 19-inch alloy wheels. Those are only available on the Sport model, as are a retuned suspension, tinted headlights, and a streamlined rear spoiler. In addition to those bits, Toyota has equipped this mid-level variant with a multi-disc CD changer, fog lights, a cover for the rear cargo area, quick-fold second-row seats, and upgraded cloth fabric. Options include hands-free Bluetooth calling capability, leather upholstery, a power-operated liftgate, a voice-activated navigation unit, heated front buckets, and a JBL sound system.

In lieu of the Sport’s more aggressive suspension setup and various exterior details, the Highlander Limited treats drivers and their passengers to standard leather, a power passenger’s seat, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming interior mirror, and a push-button ignition system. Like the Sport, the Limited can be fitted with amenities like the navigation system and power liftgate.

Turning the page to the next Highlander chapter, we find the hybrid version. There’s no Sport trim to select, but Toyota does offer this gas/electric crossover in Base and Limited guises. The former is equipped much like its less efficient counterpart, albeit with add-ons like blue-tint headlight lenses, upgraded seat fabric, and the keyless ignition feature. The Highlander Hybrid Base has also been decorated with chrome exterior trim and woodgrain in the cabin. Available options that can’t be had with the regular Base models include the power liftgate, automatic climate controls for the driver and front passenger, and easy-fold second-row seats.

That brings us to the Highlander Hybrid Limited. Logic would tell you that the features match those of the previously discussed Limited, which is true for the most part. Exceptions include the power passenger’s seat and leather upholstery, upscale amenities that have been relocated to the options column.

There are three engines charged with moving the 2010 Highlander down the road, including two for the gas variants and one for the hybrid. The first is a 2.7-liter four-cylinder boasting 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, all directed to the front wheels courtesy of a six-speed automatic transmission. This may not be raciest of the trio, but it does promise up to 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

Drivers won’t enjoy that kind of efficiency with the Highlander’s 3.5-liter V6, but offsetting any pain at the pump are specs that read 270 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. Unlike the little four-banger, this six-cylinder is mated to a five-speed automatic and can be used to motivate front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive models. Expect up to 18 mpg city/24 mpg highway from the former and 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway from the latter.

Neither of those engines is involved with moving the all-wheel-drive Highlander Hybrid. Instead, Toyota has paired a 3.3-liter V6 with three 650-volt electric motors to generate 270 net horsepower. A continuously variable transmission is part of the package, as are regenerative brakes and a substantial nickel-metal hydride battery. EPA estimates suggest drivers should see up to 27 mpg around town and 25 on the freeway.

It’s another good year to be a Toyota Highlander. Once again, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named this crossover a Top Safety Pick, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration backs that up with impressive crash-test scores across the board. Aiding in the effort are features including front-seat side-impact and side-curtain airbags, antilock disc brakes, electronic stability control, front active head restraints, electronic brake-force distribution, and more.

The positive vibe flows over to the subject of reliability, as well. J.D. Power and Associates is sticking with the excellent rating that’s been tied to the Highlander for years. Consumer Reports concurs for gas models, but drops its rating to above-average for the hybrid.

With the exception of a few features, the 2010 Toyota Highlander is identical to the 2009 model, and that’s a good thing. High levels of dependability and value should make this popular crossover a top contender on shoppers’ lists, while satisfying the demands of current or past owners who have developed high expectations. That being said, recent recalls related to floor mats and potentially stuck accelerator pedals suggest that the car company so many buyers have assumed to be infallible is, indeed, not.

By Thom Blackett