Toyota Highlander - any good? Lexus RX 450h better?
Discussion
Has anyone got real life experience of the new Toyota Highlander and is it any good? I haven't driven one yet but wonder whether I could live with the CVT gearbox. Price wise, for the year I'm looking at, I could get a Lexus RX 450h. They also have a CVT engine, but possibly the V6 engine is smoother? I would appreciate any thoughts or opinions
Edited by lornemalvo on Thursday 6th April 10:21
I dont believe ANYONE has bought one, I havent seen a single one on the road!
When this car was launched I thought its probably a good car that nobody in the UK will buy as its too expensive for the Toyota badge - Americans view Toyotas and Hondas etc differently, here we'd rather a LR Discovery Sport even if it spends half its life in the dealership as its got the correct badge.
When this car was launched I thought its probably a good car that nobody in the UK will buy as its too expensive for the Toyota badge - Americans view Toyotas and Hondas etc differently, here we'd rather a LR Discovery Sport even if it spends half its life in the dealership as its got the correct badge.
I did see a Highlander once - in an IKEA car park. Certainly has presence.
As you say OP they're both CVT - although this is the gearbox, not the engine. We've had a couple of Toyotas in the past and I think they've lost their way in the last few years - the interiors have become very basic and "plasticky".
There's only one way to find out if you like the CVT gearbox - get as long a test drive as you can, and do some hard acceleration runs during that test. I had an RX 450h for 8 months but ultimately couldn't live with the gearbox, so swapped it for an RC F. It was during hard acceleration that I didn't like the 'box as it holds the revs high whilst speed builds. In all other respects they're incredibly smooth and seamlessly shift in and out of battery / hybrid / petrol modes.
The Lexus will be by far the nicer car inside, and as you say has a V6, the gearbox is down to your preference.
As you say OP they're both CVT - although this is the gearbox, not the engine. We've had a couple of Toyotas in the past and I think they've lost their way in the last few years - the interiors have become very basic and "plasticky".
There's only one way to find out if you like the CVT gearbox - get as long a test drive as you can, and do some hard acceleration runs during that test. I had an RX 450h for 8 months but ultimately couldn't live with the gearbox, so swapped it for an RC F. It was during hard acceleration that I didn't like the 'box as it holds the revs high whilst speed builds. In all other respects they're incredibly smooth and seamlessly shift in and out of battery / hybrid / petrol modes.
The Lexus will be by far the nicer car inside, and as you say has a V6, the gearbox is down to your preference.
BlueJ said:
I did see a Highlander once - in an IKEA car park. Certainly has presence.
As you say OP they're both CVT - although this is the gearbox, not the engine. We've had a couple of Toyotas in the past and I think they've lost their way in the last few years - the interiors have become very basic and "plasticky".
There's only one way to find out if you like the CVT gearbox - get as long a test drive as you can, and do some hard acceleration runs during that test. I had an RX 450h for 8 months but ultimately couldn't live with the gearbox, so swapped it for an RC F. It was during hard acceleration that I didn't like the 'box as it holds the revs high whilst speed builds. In all other respects they're incredibly smooth and seamlessly shift in and out of battery / hybrid / petrol modes.
The Lexus will be by far the nicer car inside, and as you say has a V6, the gearbox is down to your preference.
Yeah, butAs you say OP they're both CVT - although this is the gearbox, not the engine. We've had a couple of Toyotas in the past and I think they've lost their way in the last few years - the interiors have become very basic and "plasticky".
There's only one way to find out if you like the CVT gearbox - get as long a test drive as you can, and do some hard acceleration runs during that test. I had an RX 450h for 8 months but ultimately couldn't live with the gearbox, so swapped it for an RC F. It was during hard acceleration that I didn't like the 'box as it holds the revs high whilst speed builds. In all other respects they're incredibly smooth and seamlessly shift in and out of battery / hybrid / petrol modes.
The Lexus will be by far the nicer car inside, and as you say has a V6, the gearbox is down to your preference.
Comparing a Highlander, an RX450h and an RC F is, shall we say, illogical.
One is an estate, one a SUV and one a coupe. No? Surely to compare a Highlander with a Land cruiser would make more sense?
Alickadoo said:
Yeah, but
Comparing a Highlander, an RX450h and an RC F is, shall we say, illogical.
One is an estate, one a SUV and one a coupe. No? Surely to compare a Highlander with a Land cruiser would make more sense?
I wasn't comparing the RC F to anything, merely pointing out that I couldn't live with the CVT so went back to a traditional slushbox auto. Comparing a Highlander, an RX450h and an RC F is, shall we say, illogical.
One is an estate, one a SUV and one a coupe. No? Surely to compare a Highlander with a Land cruiser would make more sense?
Why do so many people have this prejudice against the Lexus CVT? I guess most have never been near one of these boxes. They are very well suited to the Hybrid running gear. They are not the old rubber band cvt's that dafs used to have. For an SUV type car they are equally as good as an auto box, and probably smoother in many cases. If you are going to race your car or drive over enthusiastically then the boxes may not be suitable. But who drives an SUV like that?
Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
I had a highlander as a hire car in the US a few years back. We did a lotto mileage over 10 days. It was OK, good for what we needed, but wouldn't describe it as luxurious Now I also have a highlander as my car at work. It is a far higher spec than the hire car. Now I'm driven everywhere in that so can only really comment as a passenger, but with the higher spec feels much better place to be. I've done 500km journeys & it's very comfortable. It's seen as a higher model than the Prado, but lower than the land cruiser.
I've driven a Lexus CVT and it is perfectly fine for pottering about around town.
However the big old Highlander with the same 2.5 engine as found in a little RAV4 might need you do be using lots of throttle (and therefore revs) to get going at any sort of pace.
The bigger engine in the smaller RX seems a much better choice (if the RX is practical enough for your needs).
Also, the Toyota 2.5 I have experienced in non-hybrid form is as rough as an '80s Ford CVH whereas the V6 is lovely and smooth.
However the big old Highlander with the same 2.5 engine as found in a little RAV4 might need you do be using lots of throttle (and therefore revs) to get going at any sort of pace.
The bigger engine in the smaller RX seems a much better choice (if the RX is practical enough for your needs).
Also, the Toyota 2.5 I have experienced in non-hybrid form is as rough as an '80s Ford CVH whereas the V6 is lovely and smooth.
If you want a sports car forget it. Otherwise cvt is excellent in a RAV4/Highlander or 450. Too many on here expect excitement from every car!
450 is way more substantial in feel and quite remote from any excitement. The better cruising option for sure, the one I’d choose. The Toyota is a bit more involving and lighter, and the cvt is smooth, well isolated under a heavy hood and soundproofing. I’ve had a cvt Rav for 10yrs and it’s superb utility transport. I’m not expecting the impossible from it.
450 is way more substantial in feel and quite remote from any excitement. The better cruising option for sure, the one I’d choose. The Toyota is a bit more involving and lighter, and the cvt is smooth, well isolated under a heavy hood and soundproofing. I’ve had a cvt Rav for 10yrs and it’s superb utility transport. I’m not expecting the impossible from it.
ARHarh said:
Why do so many people have this prejudice against the Lexus CVT? I guess most have never been near one of these boxes. They are very well suited to the Hybrid running gear. They are not the old rubber band cvt's that dafs used to have. For an SUV type car they are equally as good as an auto box, and probably smoother in many cases. If you are going to race your car or drive over enthusiastically then the boxes may not be suitable. But who drives an SUV like that?
Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
Because cvt is abhorrent from an nvh perspective. Who wants the engine noisily buzzing away at high rpm.Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
We had a CH-R and it went for that reason, Audi used to fit to A4’s pre DSG and they were equally terrible.
bennno said:
ARHarh said:
Why do so many people have this prejudice against the Lexus CVT? I guess most have never been near one of these boxes. They are very well suited to the Hybrid running gear. They are not the old rubber band cvt's that dafs used to have. For an SUV type car they are equally as good as an auto box, and probably smoother in many cases. If you are going to race your car or drive over enthusiastically then the boxes may not be suitable. But who drives an SUV like that?
Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
Because cvt is abhorrent from an nvh perspective. Who wants the engine noisily buzzing away at high rpm.Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
We had a CH-R and it went for that reason, Audi used to fit to A4’s pre DSG and they were equally terrible.
ARHarh said:
bennno said:
ARHarh said:
Why do so many people have this prejudice against the Lexus CVT? I guess most have never been near one of these boxes. They are very well suited to the Hybrid running gear. They are not the old rubber band cvt's that dafs used to have. For an SUV type car they are equally as good as an auto box, and probably smoother in many cases. If you are going to race your car or drive over enthusiastically then the boxes may not be suitable. But who drives an SUV like that?
Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
Because cvt is abhorrent from an nvh perspective. Who wants the engine noisily buzzing away at high rpm.Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
We had a CH-R and it went for that reason, Audi used to fit to A4’s pre DSG and they were equally terrible.
A V90 diesel with proper auto was much more refined as it’s predecessor, an ionic 5 way more as its successor.
Alickadoo said:
If you bought a large estate or SUV, then a CVT's performance wouldn't affect or worry you.
I did buy an RX 450h, and the CVT was an issue, so much so that I couldn't live with the car beyond 8 months and 10k miles. It wasn't a question of performance, it was the gearbox's characteristics. bennno said:
ARHarh said:
bennno said:
ARHarh said:
Why do so many people have this prejudice against the Lexus CVT? I guess most have never been near one of these boxes. They are very well suited to the Hybrid running gear. They are not the old rubber band cvt's that dafs used to have. For an SUV type car they are equally as good as an auto box, and probably smoother in many cases. If you are going to race your car or drive over enthusiastically then the boxes may not be suitable. But who drives an SUV like that?
Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
Because cvt is abhorrent from an nvh perspective. Who wants the engine noisily buzzing away at high rpm.Having covered over 80k miles on my Lexus CVT, I have no issues with it at all.
We had a CH-R and it went for that reason, Audi used to fit to A4’s pre DSG and they were equally terrible.
A V90 diesel with proper auto was much more refined as it’s predecessor, an ionic 5 way more as its successor.
bennno said:
Because cvt is abhorrent from an nvh perspective. Who wants the engine noisily buzzing away at high rpm.
It's no different than changing down to third for an overtake and giving it some beans in a manual car. I had a Honda with CVT and it would cruise along at 1200rpm at 60mph. If you drive like a tit everywhere then yeah, they're noisy, just the same as a manual car would be.Mercury00 said:
bennno said:
Because cvt is abhorrent from an nvh perspective. Who wants the engine noisily buzzing away at high rpm.
It's no different than changing down to third for an overtake and giving it some beans in a manual car. I had a Honda with CVT and it would cruise along at 1200rpm at 60mph. If you drive like a tit everywhere then yeah, they're noisy, just the same as a manual car would be.Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff