Does the Highlander have off-road capabilities?
1 Answers
The Highlander does have off-road capabilities, but its positioning is as a family-oriented midsize SUV. Although higher-end models are equipped with a four-wheel-drive system, this system is primarily designed to help the vehicle escape from muddy roads rather than being a true off-road vehicle. It should be classified as an SUV, but the Highlander also features the ultra-flexible space characteristic of MPVs. The full name of SUV is Sport Utility Vehicle, which translates to 'sport utility vehicle' in Chinese. It mainly refers to those four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles with avant-garde designs and novel shapes. Generally, SUVs have a car-like independent front suspension and a non-independent rear suspension with a larger ground clearance, combining the comfort of a sedan with the off-road performance of an off-road vehicle to some extent. They also feature the multi-combination seating functionality of MPVs. This type of vehicle can carry both passengers and cargo, making it widely applicable. MPV stands for Multi-Purpose Vehicle. Originally, MPVs evolved from station wagons. They combine the spacious passenger area of a station wagon, the comfort of a sedan, and the functionality of a van, typically featuring a hatchback structure—hence the term 'multi-purpose vehicle.' In simpler terms, it's a small bus that can seat 7-8 people. Strictly speaking, MPVs are mainly targeted at family users, while those passenger vehicles modified from commercial vehicles for group customers cannot be considered true MPVs. MPVs generally offer more space than vehicles of the same displacement, with varying size specifications, but they are not as compact as sedans.
