2020 Toyota Highlander Platinum: There can only be one

The tale of the tape

The Highlander Platinum is the midsize crossover\’s top-tier trim, bringing with it three rows of plush leather seating, fine chrome and wood trim pieces, and all the tech you could ever want. Base MSRP is $48,800 $49,992 as tested during the week it was with me.

At the Platinum level, eight color options available, of which three are a $425 option; this shade, dubbed Moon Dust, is one of the premium trio. Each corner is shod in 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped with Bridgestone Alenza A/S all-seasons. Other options include carpeted floor mats ($318), cargo roof rack ($350), and universal tablet holder ($99).

Under the hood is the one of two options for the Highlander\’s power, a 3.5-liter 2GR-FKS V6 good for 295 horses and 263 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard on all Highlanders, while all-wheel drive (which this one has) with torque vectoring is an option across the line. Between the V6 and the corners, an eight-speed automatic moves the power along.

Within the Highlander Platinum, you\’ve got it all. For starters, all three rows wear Harvest Beige leather, though the third row is for your littlest ones or pets. The rest of the seating is as cushy as you can get without a Lexus badge, something my mom loved while taking her around town.

Another thing Mom and I both loved: the wireless charging unit in the center console. Whether you have an iPhone (me) or a Samsung (Mom), it\’s handy to have such a feature available, making room for phones without such capabilities.

Speaking of phones, though, the 12.5-inch touchscreen with Entune 3.0 features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities. Thus, another handy feature comes into play: the phone tray directly under the screen. Just thread your cable from the USB port through the opening on the left side of the tray, then connect your phone and leave it be; a similar tray without the cable slot is above the glove box. An A+ for organization.

And of course, if looking at the phone gets boring for your passengers, the Highlander Platinum features a dual-panel sunroof, perfect for seeing the world go by.