Practical Excellence; Highlander unifies car, SUV, minivan.(Toyota sport utility vehicle)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

THE SMALL NICHE OF ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SUV-like cars, created by Subaru with its Outback and Forester, has grown into a large market segment, and one of the better sellers in this segment is the Toyota Highlander.

Exuding neither minivan dullness nor SUV-pretentious ruggedness, the Highlander's clean-cut looks earned approval from both owners and test- ers. It isn't flashy like its high-style Lexus RX 300 cousin, but a few tasteful creases accent its shape, while a thin spoiler on the back of the roof adds a bit of sportiness. The Highlander comes from the same factory as the luxury RX 300, and shares parts with it, yet costs about $5,000 less.

One tester calls the quiet, comfortable interior ``a nice blend of car/minivan/SUV. It feels like you've driven this vehicle before.'' That interior features excellent ergonomics and simple, quality oversized controls. The Highlander's well-mannered ride and handling are compliments of the Camry's unibody chassis with four-wheel independent suspension.

The seats provide plenty of room to stretch out. There's good rear cargo space, and the easy-folding seatbacks make for even more room. However, for all of this, storage space is scarce. There is no center console between the front bucket seats, allowing a pass-through to the back but cutting the interior short of cubby room. Things end up stored on the floor-then sliding around front to back. We're told a front console will be standard for 2002. That new console will probably have new cupholders because the present ones, which fold out from the front seats, are too shallow, allowing drinks to fall out when the vehicle turns at even modest speed.

The Highlander comes in either two- or four-wheel drive, and with four- or six-cylinder power. We tested the 3.0-liter V6 (220 horsepower, 222 lb-ft of torque) model, but we've also driven the 2.4-liter four-cylinder (155 horsepower, 163 lb-ft of torque) and it's capable in most ...