2020 Toyota Highlander Platinum: There can only be one

Comfort and versatility in one package

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On the left, my usual trip to the laundromat. On the right, a visit to one of the recycling centers near my Old Dominion home. Both show how well the Highlander Platinum handles most of the household tasks you can throw at it.

In most instances, like when I washed all of my bedding plus my clothes, or when my mom brought her army of reusable bags to fill with groceries at our Kroger, the third row remained upright. Thus, the crossover\’s got plenty to work with already with 16 cubic feet of space.

On the other hand, there are times when you need to fold down the row for more room, such as I what I did when taking this slab of cardboard (which once contained a butterfly chair) down to Riner for recycling. With the row down, space is increased to 48.4 cubic feet. And if I needed to fold down the captain\’s chairs, total cargo space jumps to 84.3 cubic feet, perfect for those trips to Lowe\’s.

On the road, you won\’t be jostled around like you would in a 4Runner or Tundra. Instead, it\’s smooth sailing in the city, as well as the highway. Fuel economy is 20 city, 27 highway, 23 combined. I managed around 17 mpg, as most of my driving was confined to in-town short trips.

In closing

If there can be only one Toyota crossover in your driveway with lots of luxury, but a Lexus badge isn\’t in the cards, then the Highlander Platinum should stand alone as your next best bet.

Photos by Cameron Aubernon for Aubernon Highway