Since its debut for the 2001 model year, the Highlander has been a great seller for Toyota, attracting buyers with its utility, comfort, and promise of Toyota reliability. But, even so, six years is a long time for a vehicle to go without any major updates, especially when the vehicle is playing in the emerging, and hence increasingly competitive, crossover market. Couple this with Toyota’s own data indicating a need for a larger and more powerful Highlander, and its clear to understand why this rendition of one the brand’s most popular models is so important. Plus, the recently overhauled Toyota RAV4, now sporting up to three rows and nearly 270 horsepower, places the current Highlander on the border of redundancy.