I test drove this car a number of times (my father in law has owned two) and actually went with my friend to the dealership when he bought his. I also had a lot of test drive experience with the Honda Pilot. I really enjoy the way this car handles; it's more like a car than an SUV or a minivan, which is how I would describe the feel of the Pilot. The controls are really nice: I drove a 1999 Honda Accord into the ground and am not used to all the nice new bells and whistles. It has all the basics: Bluetooth connectivity, navigation(Which I did not opt for), lane assist, back-up camera, etc. I have two kids so the dark tint in the back has been nice, as well as the included mats and combo vinyl/cloth seats with kid seat anchors. There is plenty of power for a mid sized SUV and it accelerates nicely. I do wish the gas mileage was a bit better. I bought it in may and maintained close to 21 mpg city in the summer but it has dipped to 17-18 mpg this winter. Highway is great; closer to 28. The car performs really well on the highway, not a ton of sway in the wind and the cruise control has the option of radar or standard, which is nice. The styling is really nice from the front grille details to the under dash shelf and the aforementioned cloth seats. There's tons of storage in the console, fold down 3rd and 2nd row seating, and power liftgate and rear window opens as well.

Purchased the Highlander last summer to replace a nine-year-old Subaru Forester. Needed a roof rack for a Kevlar canoe. Getting the roof rack from the dealer was easy, but in order to tie the front of the canoe down, we needed two front tow hooks. Dealer wanted $150 for each and could not get them in time for our trip. We called dealers in surrounding cities and none had them, or we were told they did not exist. Final went to Amazon and found them for $50 each, problem solved. SUV has a tow hitch for a camper we do not own, (yet maybe). We were going to get the Hybrid Highlander, but it would only tow 2,500 pounds. Our Highlander will tow 5,000 pounds. Only real disappointment is the gas mileage, it gets about 21 to 22 MPG. Old Sub got 25-26, which I believe the Hybrid Highlander would have matched in a much larger vehicle. Like the heated seats, the NAV system, and the free maintenance for the first couple of years. Inside is quite and well organized. Exterior holds a shine very nicely and fit is very solid. Middle row bucket seats are nice when we haul my some and his wife on trips. Much roomier in the back then I expected. This vehicle like most all new models used synthetic oil which is very much like water. Old Subaru would go through a quart of this oil every thousand miles or less. This Highlander does use oil but it is more like a quart every 4000 miles. Car came with Satellite radio, which after its free trial, proved too expensive to purchase.