Page 40 - MotorTrend (March 2020)

FIRST DRIVE
WORDS ZACH GALE
ne of the hottest-selling SUVs in
the country is back, and its maker
is tired—tired—of competitors
muscling in on its turf.
O Redesigned for 2020, the Toyota
Highlander demands your attention with
exactly the same formula it’s used for
almost two decades—wait, that’s not right.
Actually, the 2020 Highlander builds on
its winning formula with more than just
comfort, convenience, and a reputation
for reliability. The three-row family
hauler boasts improvements that should
attract more buyers. But can it challenge
the popular Ford Explorer and SUV of the
Year–winning Kia Telluride?
40 MOTORTREND.COM MARCH 2020
The 2020 Highlander rides on a new
advanced platform, but what really
defines this new family hauler is a revised
storage tray. Yes, really.
First off, don’t knock it until you’ve
lived with it—and my sister has. The look
of that decidedly unalluring tray put her
off during a test drive, but the slim space
proved practical the entire time she
owned a current Highlander. Extending
under the center of the dash and across to
the passenger side, the tray in the rede-
signed Highlander now features a more