Make Room for Family: 2014 Toyota Highlander
Life is busy. I have to be very intentional about making room in our schedule to connect with my family. A few weeks ago we got to test out the new 2014 Toyota Highlander. I decided to take this opportunity to an plan some much needed family time.
Make Room for Family
The weekend we received the 2014 Highlander our family was passing around a stomach bug so our plans got a little delayed (as plans usually do in families). Once everyone was feeling well enough to venture out we transferred all 3 car seats (rear facing, forward facing and booster) into the Highlander and set out on a few small adventures. We typically drive a minivan so I was a little concerned about how easily 3 kids would fit into the Highlander but I was very surprised to find that the rear passenger seats felt just as room (maybe even more roomy) than our van. Because we have 3 kids we utilized the collapsible 3rd row which was easy to use and offered ample leg room for our 5 year old.
We took the boys out to lunch and to the park after which they conveniently dumped the sandy contents of their shoes into the floor of the Highlander. Thankfully we were easily able to remove the floor mats for easy vacuuming. The boys were very excited to watch a movie on the Rear Entertainment System while Mom and Dad were equally excited that we could easily adjust the sound to only the rear of the vehicle.
The next day Joe and Jude took some friends to see the Harlem Globetrotters. While the boys giggled in the 3rd row the dads checked out the Entune Audio with Intelligent Touch. I think the men were pretty impressed with the technology and sound quality of the Highlander Limited. Between the standard radio and CD player to the new Bluetooth enabled living streaming which syncs with your phone there is no reason to not listen to great music.
The 2014 Highlander was great for our day-to-day errand with small children. I particularly love the 2nd-row retractable window sunshades for napping little ones.
I was completely spoiled by the 8-in. high-resolution touch-screen on the 2014 Highlander Limited complete with navigation, hands-free calls, audio, weather, and much more.
And waiting in the carpool line was much more enjoyable with the moonroof open and the SiriusXM radio playing. The everyday mundane tasks of being a stay-at-home mom were much more exciting when we rode in the Toyota Highlander. Jude immediately fell in love with the Highlander and proceeded to point out everyone Toyota vehicle he saw on the road as we were out and about.
Joe and I even made a little time for a date night. We went out to dinner and just enjoyed the quiet ride. 
Driving the 2014 Highlander was a major step up from our 2004 mini-van. It was nice to see all of the technological and safety advancements that have been made to family vehicles. Like the Blind Spot Monitorwith Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (Available only on the Limited).
And the remote keyless entry system, Smart Key System and Push Button Start kept me from digging around my “mommy bag” for keys which was a huge time saver. (If you have a “mommy bag” you now how big of a deal this is.)
Our week with the 2014 Toyota Highland wasn’t filled with as many special outings or family trips as I’d hoped (due to sick children) but driving it around town for everyday life was just as exciting to my kids. I also learned that “Making Room for Family” was more than special activities but taking the time to appreciate and enjoy life together.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (“Toyota”) provided me with use of a 2014 Highlander for a short period of time and a gas card. I am receiving no other compensation from Toyota. The opinions I have shared about this vehicle are my own.
