Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

  1. I agree with your frustration but it's difficult to argue against Toyota's approach from a business standpoint. The Highlander outsells every other mainstream crossover except the Explorer in the US. And that's only because nearly a third of all Explorers are sold to fleets. Toyota thrives on the basis of the brand's reputation for its vehicles' RANKING for reliability even though it is leads a number of other brands by a minuscule degree in terms in terms of the actual INCIDENCE of issues. Toyota retains its reputation primarily by an extremely conservative strategy in equipping their vehicles with "what the consumer wants." It's the same strategy that enables Toyota to constrain development costs and continue to offer vehicles long after the development and tooling costs are long since paid off.
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  2. Why would a consumer prefer a mainstream midsize 3 row crossover compared to one of the numerous two row versions out there? Answer: Presumably because he/she finds some value in the additional seating capacity that offers room for 6 to 8 passengers on at least an occasional basis. Of course, few if any vehicles in the category offer truly accommodating third row seating compared to a minivan but there are significant differences among vehicles. There's a difference between somewhat cramped and ridiculously small. And on that scale the Highlander anchors the ridiculous end. With 27.7" of claimed third row legroom, the Highlander provides 2" less than the infamously cramped interior of the Mazda CX-9. Even the KIA Sorento, a vehicle that's half a foot shorter than the Highlander offers a full 4" more third row legroom. In fact, it's difficult to imagine how the third row is a viable spot for most families. It's certainly not a place for a car seat. Even if a parent makes the dubious decision to put a small child in the rear seat the awkwardness of putting one in the third row may discourage it. And if a child is too big for a child seat, anyone approaching 5' tall will find it cramped. Even an average pre-teen may find it uncomfortable. Finally, keep in mind that kids have that annoying tendency of growing taller. A 4.5' tall 12 year old may well be close to Sofyan's height in three years. So how does Toyota figure that the Highland seats "up to eight" passengers? Answer: A cramped second row bench seat and the cruel joke of putting three seat belts in the third row! The new generation Highlander is undoubtedly a significantly better vehicle than the last generation. And if a mainstream midsize hybrid is a priority it currently stands almost alone in the marketplace. (Not for long, though. The Explorer Hybrid will soon be joined by the 2021 KIA Sorento) But the bottom line is that the top trim Highlander is essentially a four passenger crossover that at 195" in length is less than 2" shorter than a KIA Telluride that seats seven. And that's for an MSRP at least $3500 more than the Telluride.
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  3. Sorry, friend, but statements such as "The Highlander is definitely better looking", "...the Highlander interior design looks cooler and it's more eye catching", and "the new XSE trim...it hands down looks better." couldn't be more subjective. Obviously, your opinion is worth just about as much as my diametrically opposed view. Sticking to facts rather than opinions the top trim Highlander is essentially a four passenger crossover with an MSRP over $50K.
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  4. Actually, Edward, the Sorento is about half a foot less in length than the Highlander, (189" vs 195") A fact that makes its substantially larger interior passenger space than the Highlander, especially in the third row even more impressive. Comparing the 2020 Sorento and the Highlander's overall passenger space, the KIA provides 154.2 cubic ft compared to the Highlander's 139.1 cubic ft. The 2021's full specs haven't been released but we do know that it's only 0.4" longer but has a longer wheelbase (by 1.37") and is slightly taller and wider, all aimed at increasing interior space for both cargo and passengers. I'm somewhat disappointed that KIA has dropped its 3.3L NA V6 option for the Sorento. But the 2.5L turbo 4 cylinder gasoline engine is the same as the Genesis GV80's base engine so I have some confidence it will be both adequately powered and durable. As far as production issues are concerned, it's anyone's (or at least outsiders') guess. The massive demand for the Telluride produced in the same Georgia factory as the Sorento undoubtedly impacted the latter's introduction. And with the COVID-19 impact on top of that, it's unclear just when the 2021 Sorento will be available in the US. (Unlike the Telluride, Sorento's are built in several international locations so the 2021 model will almost certainly be widely available internationally before the US.)
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  5.  @canadabear72  Good to hear, John. Not much chance I can convince my wife to give up her 2018 Sorento for the 2021 model. She considers it a Goldilocks vehicle. On the other hand, when fuel prices return to normal, as they most surely will, the difference between the 22 mpg she gets from her beloved Sorento and 35+ mpg's may be very appealing.
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