DRIVEN + VIDEO: Doug DeMuro Reviews The 2020 Toyota Highlander — Can It Top The Telluride And Palisade?

If we haven't made this abundantly clear, let me restate this. We LOVE competition!

And thanks to the handiwork of Kia and Hyundai with the Telluride and Palisade, respectively, the sport-utility vehicle market has been shaken to its core. We've talked with many executives across the brands — volume and luxury — and they are shocked at how good the Telluride and Palisade are.

THINK of it like when Lexus introduced the first-gen LS in the early 1990s. That's the type of impact these vehicles are having today.

So, how does the all-new 2020 Toyota Highlander measure up? Well, look no further.

In this video review, Doug DeMuro does his usual dog and pony show to reveal all of its quirks and features. But, does it win?

You'll have to watch below to find out.

MDarringer - 2/16/2020 12:09:03 PM

0 Boost

"Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis is the Highlander."

MDarringer - 2/16/2020 12:15:06 PM

+2 Boost

Ford is in pretty deep shit with the Explorer. All that money spent on an RWD platform only to be outclassed by three FWD crossovers.

Agent00R - 2/16/2020 12:49:21 PM

+2 Boost

The Explorer is a huge miss.

It's a real shame too. Right now the competition is hotter than ever, as you know, Matt.

MDarringer - 2/16/2020 1:09:17 PM

+2 Boost

The Aviator is a home run and the Explorer is a strike out. How is that possible?

The Explorer and Escape have big money on the hoods because both of them are total miss fires. The Aviator doesn't last on the lot.

Agent00R - 2/16/2020 1:32:00 PM

+1 Boost

I think it all comes down to execution.

You spend 2 minutes inside the new Explorer and it's just bad plastics everywhere. Then, the powertrain/transmission combination on the four-cylinder models are atrocious. Lots of transmission shock.

MDarringer - 2/16/2020 1:55:15 PM

+4 Boost

We've had people returning from their 2-3 year Explorer leases and walking away because the new car "looks the same" as the one they are coming out of. The interior is low-rent as hell. The 4 cylinder is atrocious. Then factor in that to get a basic Explorer, you're spending $45K and at least $10K more if you want it nice and you understand why Ford is throwing money at it.

The Escape is nearly as bad in its execution except that the 1.5T 3 cylinder + 8 speed is actually quite excellent, but cheap-assed interior and hideous exterior.

SuperCarEnthusiast - 2/16/2020 8:48:29 PM

+3 Boost

It becoming a very competitive 3seat crossover market now! Kia and Hyundai have amp up this segment while the new Explorer just looks much cheaper looking but priced a lot higher then most of the competition. Ford needs to redo their a dash and center stack

MDarringer - 2/16/2020 9:27:46 PM

+3 Boost

The noses of the Explorer and Escape need emergency redesigns.

jtz7 - 2/16/2020 10:03:05 PM

+3 Boost

What was Ford thinking when they designed that Explorer and Escape? As for the new Highlander? I'm not worried. Toyota should be more worried about the 2021 Kia Sorento more than the Telluride.

USNA1999 - 2/17/2020 2:08:53 PM

+1 Boost

For the price of a loaded Highlander you can get a Lexus RX with cash on the hood. I think this new Highlander looks better than the old one but you could purchase a 2020 Explorer XLT for around $33k making it a better buy.