Don’t new Toyotas usually debut at the top of their class?

Climate Controls

Climate controls in our 2008 Toyota Highlander test car proved perfectly capable of cooling and heating the vehicle, and the controls are the standard three-knob setup. However, we were shocked that in a $40,000 vehicle it was a do-it-yourself manual system rather than an automatic one. C’mon, Toyota. At least single-zone automatic climate control is expected at this price point, and frankly, it should be dual-zone. The rear controls were just as manual and effective as the fronts, but there’s no way to independently control the rear settings from the driver’s seat, so tough luck if what's good for mom and dad is too hot or cold for the kiddies.

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