The Car Exam Quick Quiz # 15: The Toyota Highlander V6 Hybrid

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Good Grades: Good engine acceleration, comfortable seats, backup camera a nice feature, decent fuel economy, better styling than the last generation.

Bad Grades: More engine noise than I cared for, bland driving experience; this does not really stand out from the competition--except for the fuel economy.

Final Grade: I left this vehicle wanting much more than I got. Again, a fun driving experience would have been nice--but that's not what you get with most Toyotas. I don't have to feel like I'm Bo or Luke Duke from "The Dukes of Hazzard," but at least some driving enjoyment would be appreciated. I know a lot of drivers don't care about driving enjoyment--but I am one who does.

The Car Exam Grade: B

Base MSRP: $34,900

The Car Exam Quick Quiz #14: The 2010 Toyota 4Runner Limited

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Good Grades: Decent acceleration, good brakes, good seat comfort and interior space.


Bad Grades: It feels way too heavy, “blocky” exterior styling, all of the windows are too small (including the windshield), the high price, the fuel economy could be better and it doesn’t stand out from others in the class.


Final Grade: The 4Runner is not a bad SUV overall, but it could stand to go on a serious diet. And, like most other Toyotas I have driven the past several years, the driving experience was only "plain vanilla" at best. If Toyota gets its act together, puts its focus back on quality (and improves it once again), then it just may get over the recent woes that have soiled its reputation and hurt sales.

The Car Exam Grade: B

Base MSRP: $37,765