Fine. If you're under six feet tall.

The Toyota Highlander is the top-rated SUV in "Consumer Reports," rated higher than the Nissan Murano, or Pathfinder; the Ford Explorer (by a considerable margin); the Lexus RX-330/350; and all of the SUV's from either BMW or Mercedes. That certainly would imply that this vehicle is something very, very special indeed. After all, "Consumer Reports" is all but the "Bible" for many consumers when purchasing just about anything from automobiles to absorbent adult diapers.

I recently went on a trip to Baltimore and rented a "mid-size" vehicle from Hertz, expecting a Ford Taurus, Toyota Camry, or the like. Instead, I had a gleaming, new Highlander parked in my spot, all spiffed up and ready to be driven away! I really anticipated driving the vehicle, considering its top rating. Well, my enthusiasm wore off very quickly.

To begin with, getting into the vehicle was extremely awkward. At first, I just assumed that the previous driver was a good deal shorter than me (I'm 6'2") and had the seat pushed far forward, and the steering wheel tilted down towards the seat. That certainly would have explained why I got stuck under the steering wheel on my first attempt to enter this automobile. I grabbed the bar under the front of the seat to move the seat back, and to my horror, I realized it was already as far back as it would go!

Next, I bumped my head (hard!) on the door frame while trying to shift myself in the seat, and then again on the assist handle, which is low, and very close to any driver's head, as I buckled up. After realizing that the seat couldn't be moved back any further, I tried adjusting everything else to at least attempt to make myself reasonably comfortable. "Reasonably comfortable" was a position I was never able to attain: my left knee was constantly banging against the rounded edge of the dashboard, and my right knee was bashed up against the center console, much like it was in an old Volvo. Also, I had to tilt the steering wheel all the way up (not a position I normally use) in order to be able to see any part of the dashboard. Oh well, nothing I can do about any of that, so then I tried to enjoy whatever I could about the car.

The over-light, feel-nothing steering is certainly uninspiring, though the car is very, very fast - quite surprising for an SUV, and a lot faster than my Murano, or any of the Pathfinders I've owned, and the many Mercedes M-class vehicles I've driven. The view out the windshield is unobstructed, but the shape of the fenders and the bulge of the hood is quite reminiscent of 50's and 60's automobiles - certainly not something from the 21st century.

The Highlander rode very, very smoothly (very much like a passenger car) and very quietly, except for noticeable wind noise. It also was annoyingly affected by crosswinds - due no doubt to its truck-like profile.

I know that styling is highly subjective, and rarely a justifiable aspect to praise or condemn; however, I must state quite emphatically that the Highander is one of the dullest, least interesting looking vehicles I've seen on the road in ages, and doesn't come remotely close to the modernistic, and perhaps even "futuristic" appearance of my Murano, which, at least in my opinion, is a lot more preferable.

If style took precedence over substance (as was the case with 50's and 60's American automobiles), I'd have nothing tangible to praise about the Murano over the Highlander. Still, as the Murano has loads, and loads more interior space (at least in the two front seats), a far more confidence-inspiring feel to the steering, far more commanding view of the road, and is almost as fast and far less susceptible to crosswinds, I really think the folks at "Consumer Reports" have their heads placed far, far up that ubiquitous area where "the sun don't shine," and they really need to get back down to earth.

The Highlander is a good vehicle in that it's quiet, fast, comfortable for midgets and gets good gas mileage. It also has lots of convenient storage "nooks" and a lot of space behind the back seat. So does my Murano, and so did my Pathfinders. Why "Consumer Reports" gave this thing the rating it did is something I'll never understand, though it's been said that they have a bias towards Toyotas and Hondas over just about anything else, and their recent ratings give that thought a great deal of credibility.

So, if you're as tall as I am, or just a little bit shorter, you'd best look elsewhere. You'll be miserable if you don't!