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An occasional-use seat fits between the second-row captain?s chairs, making the new Highlander a seven-passenger vehicle. (Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.)

TORRANCE, Calif. — The 2008 Toyota Highlander will range in price from $27,985 for the base 4x2 model to $34,835 for a top-of-the-line Limited 4x4 model, the automaker said on Wednesday. Prices include a $685 destination charge.

The prices reflect increases across the board for the various Highlander models. The base '08 Highlander is $510 more than the previous model, while the Limited 4x4 model gets a $1,940 price increase. The midlevel Highlander Sport model will start at $30,635, including destination. The revamped Highlander arrives in showrooms in July, with Highlander hybrid models coming in late September. Toyota said the Highlander hybrid pricing will be announced closer to launch.

The 2008 Highlander gets a new 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 270 horsepower, a 55-hp gain over the previous 3.3-liter engine. It also gets a new five-speed automatic transmission, electronic power steering, three-row side curtain airbags and larger alloy wheels. The Highlander, like the new Toyota RAV4, has been stretched significantly in this latest redesign. It rides on the Camry and Avalon chassis and is nearly 4 inches longer and 3 inches wider than the outgoing model.

What this means to you: You get more with the new Highlander — and you'll pay more, too.