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Enter the Woodland version of the 2027 Grand Highlander. Part of Toyota’s expanding off-road-enhanced lineup, the Grand Highlander Woodland joins the likes of the bZ and the Sienna in getting a trim level that is aimed directly at customers who own several pairs of hiking footwear.

Available only with the 245-hp 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain, the Grand Highlander Woodland isn’t the kind of thing you’re going to see getting air off a sand dune. Well, it might be able to do it just once.

Added off-road capability is pretty mild, limited to an additional half-inch of ground clearance thanks to taller springs, as well as a set of Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires. There’s also a tow hitch, and the 18-inch wheels come with a matte black finish.

Interior upgrades that should be useful for both camping trips and day-to-day duties include standard all-weather floor mats and a couple of extra 12V power outlets (one in the second row and one in the luggage area). There's also a neat second-row console-cooler combo that can just squeeze in a six-pack of kombucha or similar. It’s removable to make access to the third row easier.

Taken all together, it’s hardly a 4Runner Trailhunter, and the Woodland trim is not available with the punchier 2.4-liter turbocharged hybrid engine and its 362 horsepower. This does drop the Woodland’s tow rating from a max of 5000 pounds for the other two Grand Highlander engine offerings to 3500, which may limit choices for families wanting to tow a camping trailer.

However, we rate the standard Grand Highlander hybrid well for its smooth ride, roomy and practical interior, and great fuel economy. After all, if you’re someone who actually enjoys nature, shouldn’t you want your vehicle of choice to offer a lesser environmental impact?

Put another way, a suitably gnarly 4Runner might be able to get further into the backcountry, but the Grand Highlander Woodland will burn less fuel getting you to that far-flung trailhead. The whole family can hike from there, the kids getting a much-needed break from screens.

As some mud-colored icing on a pragmatic and practical family hauler, there’s much to like about the Grand Highlander Woodland. And if you really want, yes, you can put a roof tent on it too.

The 2027 Grand Highlander Woodland starts at $53,375 and is expected in dealerships by the end of the year.

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Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki's half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. %!s()

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Lingering questions over the state of the U.S. labor market could be answered Friday when the Bureau of Labor Statistics presents its nonfarm payrolls count for September.

Wall Street is looking for job growth of 84,000 to close out the summer, with the unemployment rate holding at 4.1%, according to the Dow Jones consensus.

While the top-line payrolls number represents a downshift from the pre-2025 trend, the jobless rate, which Federal Reserve officials watch more closely, is around a level indicating full employment.

The September release follows a surprisingly strong gain of 162,000 in August, which also saw upward revisions to prior months.

Fed officials likely will be looking to the number to confirm labor market strength while they simultaneously turn the balance of their attention to the more nettlesome inflation picture.

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"In the labor market, a broad range of data indicates that conditions have stabilized," Fed Vice Chairman Philip Jefferson said in a speech Thursday. "While job creation has been somewhat volatile, payroll gains have broadened to many sectors in recent months, which is encouraging. Layoffs have remained low, and job openings have moved a bit higher on net."

Even with a solid jobs picture, Fed commentary this week has shifted market expectations for a rate hike near the end of October.

New York Fed President John Williams remarked earlier in the week that "there is no need for urgency" when policymakers weigh whether to follow up on September's quarter percentage point rate hike with another increase.

"On the employment side of [the Fed's twin goals of full employment and stable prices], the data show that the labor market continues to be solid — and has even strengthened a bit on the margin," Williams said.

Markets subsequently sharply reduced the odds for a hike at the Oct. 27-28 meeting and see a move much more likely in December.

Slow but steady

Central to the argument that the Fed needs to focus on inflation but doesn't need to be in a hurry for another hike is the stable if unspectacular labor picture.

Payroll growth has averaged 80,000 a month in 2026 but has been erratic, from the loss of 156,000 jobs in February to growth of 214,000 the following month, with hits and misses in between.

Wage growth also has moderated, with average hourly earnings expected to show a 3.1% year-over-year increase in September, down from around 4% at the start of the year. Fed officials have emphasized that wages are not a significant source of inflation, with the lack of evidence of a wage-price spiral an important distinction when calibrating policy.

Still, there are worries over labor market conditions.

The most recent Glassdoor survey shows employee confidence fell to a record low in September, the third time that has happened this year. Daniel Zhao, the job site's chief economist, said the concerns come as "anxiety around job security, economic uncertainty and inflation mount."

Workers also cite fear of artificial intelligence.

However, layoffs remain low, with the latest data showing that first-time claims for unemployment insurance edged down to 197,000 last week. Job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported Thursday that layoffs in September were off 18% from August and 20% from the same period a year ago.

"Job openings are going down, hiring's kind of creeping down, and you find out that anecdotally, anyway, and also in the data, that it's very hard for people to get a new job," said Dan North, senior economist at Allianz Trade. "You have that unemployment rate which doesn't move much, and it's really important to see that historically it's pretty low. So, I think you're seeing a job market that is — 'stable' is a really good word for it."

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“I’m not going to make that announcement here with you today,” Walden said. “Again, I’m letting Casey make the news.” (Bloys, the head of HBO and HBO Max, is the presumptive front-runner to head up streaming at the combined Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery when that megamerger closes in the coming days.)

Speculation about Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘s future has swirled since an early September Page Six story claimed Kimmel’s contract wouldn’t be renewed. ABC quickly denied that was the case, but other reports said the network is looking for significant budget cuts to keep the show going.

“The truth is, it’s a very challenging daypart,” Walden said Thursday at the Bloomberg event. “That’s not to say that Jimmy is not doing a phenomenal job, and his ratings are up. But they’re up relative to a smaller audience that’s watching late night on broadcast television.”

Kimmel and the show also have a big presence on YouTube and social media platforms, but those views and clicks bring in a fraction of the revenue that on-air advertising does. “That is not a lucrative opportunity for a very premium talk show,” said Walden.

“We’re trying to make sense of the business while also honoring a deep partnership,” she continued. “I love Jimmy; we have great friendship. He’s close to a number of the people at Disney. We’re trying to work through it and make sense of, what does Jimmy want, what’s the right thing to do, and what’s the right thing for our business.” %!s()

Matt and Ross Duffer surprised the industry by announcing they were jumping ship to Paramount last August in a four-year exclusive deal that covered film and TV. They officially made the switch in April.

Then Levy, who is directing the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter for Lucasfilm, was announced as leaving for Disney’s 20th Television after a decade spent at Netflix. His deal via his 21 Laps Entertainment production company beings next October.

The Hollywood Reporter asked Sarandos about the high-profile defections of three men who were responsible for what’s arguably the streamer’s biggest hit series.

“The Duffers have worked with us for [a] decade and did not want to make more TV shows right now,” Sarandos said. “They really want to make big tentpole theatrical movies. And I said to Matt and Ross, ‘You guys are great at what you do, and I think you should go do that. You’re 40. Don’t wake up when you’re 60 wishing you did that 20 years later.’ And I’m thrilled for them. They’re going to have great success.”

Sarandos pointed out that Netflix still owns the Stranger Things franchise, which could have still some additional content to come. “We — the Stranger Things universe — are going to continue to be a part of [that success] forever,” he added.

As for Levy, Sarandos suggested the director likewise wanted to make major theatrical films — and suggested that Levy will make more Star Wars movies after Starfighter is released next year.

“Shawn also was kind of doing the same thing. And the problem when you have an overall deal with someone who has commitments in other places, you’re in constant conflict for their time. And Shawn is going to be making Star Wars movies for a while. So the fact that his deal is with Disney makes a lot of sense. I’m thrilled for Shawn. We’re going to do a ton of things together.”

Sarandos added Netflix still has shows in development with Levy, including an upcoming hockey drama titled Sticks. “We have a lot of that stuff’s going to stick around,” he said.

The Duffer Brothers have similarly explained that movies were their reason for leaving Netflix, with Matt Duffer saying, “The biggest draw to us was just to be able to do something theatrical, which is not something Netflix does.”

Levy’s statement about his Disney deal was more vague, saying he has “always felt a kindred spirit in Disney and their storytelling ethos” and noting the studio “feels like home.”

Tony Magilo contributed to this report. %!s()

Nike released the Caitlin 1 at 10 a.m. ET on Nike.com. About an hour later, only extra-large sizes above size 15 remained. It's unclear how much inventory Nike made available.

The sneaker is also nearly sold out at retailers such as Foot Locker, Champs Sports, and Hibbett.

On resale sites like eBay, Caitlin 1s are already being listed for $200 and up.

On Thursday's Nike earnings call, CEO Elliott Hill highlighted the growth of Nike's women's basketball business as the company works to reconnect with consumers. Nike's stock is down more than 50 percent over the last twelve months. The company has seen sales decline over the past year amid concerns about product innovation, increased competition and challenges in China. Hill said Nike's women's signature business has grown nearly 500% over the past four years.

"One of our most powerful growth opportunities is the women's game," Hill said.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles between her legs while guarded by Las Vegas Aces guard Jewell Lloyd (24) in game two of Round 1 of the WNBA Playoffs on Sept. 29, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Brian Spurlock | Icon Sportswire | Getty Images

Hill also said the Caitlin 1 launch was the largest women's signature-shoe introduction in the brand's history, with the new sneaker launching in 5,000 stores. He said that was "twice the average for a Nike basketball signature shoe, supported by our largest Nike product campaign for the holiday season."

The shoe release comes as Clark and the Indiana Fever prepare for a win-or-go-home Game 3 playoff game Thursday night at 9 p.m. ET in Las Vegas against the Aces.

The shoe retails for $140 and is available in adult sizes. Kids' sizes are listed as "coming soon."

The shoe comes in two colors: "Caitlin Blue" or a bright yellow.

Nearly sold out Caitlin 1 sneakers on Nike.com.

Courtesy: Nike.com

"A lot of thought and time has gone into this shoe," Clark said in a press release when Nike unveiled the shoe. "I never thought I would have my own signature shoe, and now that I do, it's pretty special."

Nike first signed Clark in 2022 when she was still a college player at the University of Iowa. She signed a reported eight-year, $28 million deal in April 2024.

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