2020 Toyota Highlander
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A fourth generation for Toyota’s three-row mid-sizer
The previous third-generation Toyota Highlander debuted back in 2013, with a facelift performed in 2016 that added an eight-speed automatic transmission, an updated spec for the V-6 engine, and a few aesthetic upgrades as well. Since then, the Highlander has proven to be one of the brand’s most-popular nameplates, selling some 245,000 units in 2018. That means it’s time for Toyota to give the Highlander a full-fledged generation update for 2020. Making its big debut at the 2019 New York Auto Show, the latest fourth-generation Toyota Highlander brings new styling inside and out, a raft of fresh technology for infotainment and safety, and a number of powertrain updates as well. However, can it still stay at the top of the segment?
Latest Toyota Highlander news and reviews:
2020 Toyota Highlander - Driven
Last year, the Toyota Highlander was in its final model year of a generation that wasn’t great even when it was new. This three-row crossover lacked the spaciousness, slick driving manners, extra-easy ergonomics, modern infotainment, and upscale interior details of the latest competitors. Yet by a healthy margin, it outsold every other seven-seat vehicle in the country. Buyers were drawn to a trusted name, and even if the competition might have been more impressive, loyal customers didn’t find enough wrong with the Highlander to try their hand with, say, a Mazda CX-9 or Kia Telluride. Now, there’s a new Highlander, and it’s time to see where Toyota has made marked improvements.
2021 Toyota Highlander XSE
Toyota is bringing an armada of trucks and SUVs at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, including the Highlander XSE that’s infused with enough sporty characteristics that make us wonder if Toyota’s deliberately trying to jolt some life into what otherwise is a family-oriented three-row crossover. To be clear, the Highlander XSE is not a special edition Highlander; it’s a new trim level that comes with significant visual and performance upgrades that you normally don’t see in a Highlander. If this is Toyota’s attempt to catch our attention with the 2021 Highlander, consider our attention’s caught. The Toyota Highlander XSE will go on sale in the fall of this year as a 2021 model. No pricing details have been revealed, but Toyota did say that the Highlander XSE will slot between the XLE and Limited trims. With the Highlander XLE starting at around $40,000 and the Highlander Limited starting at $44,000, expect the Highlander XSE to start at $42,000.
2020 Toyota Highlander
The previous third-generation Toyota Highlander debuted back in 2013, with a facelift performed in 2016 that added an eight-speed automatic transmission, an updated spec for the V-6 engine, and a few aesthetic upgrades as well. Since then, the Highlander has proven to be one of the brand’s most-popular nameplates, selling some 245,000 units in 2018. That means it’s time for Toyota to give the Highlander a full-fledged generation update for 2020. Making its big debut at the 2019 New York Auto Show, the latest fourth-generation Toyota Highlander brings new styling inside and out, a raft of fresh technology for infotainment and safety, and a number of powertrain updates as well. However, can it still stay at the top of the segment?
The 2020 Toyota Highlander Debuts With an All-New Look and Better Efficiency
The 2020 Toyota Highlander is here, breaking into a new fourth generation at the 2019 New York Auto Show. The Highlander was last updated in 2016 following the debut of the third-gen model in 2013, and now, with demand for family-friendly SUVs still booming, Toyota is infusing the nameplate with new styling, a revised cabin, cutting-edge tech goodies, and updates to the hybrid powertrain that yield even more bang for your buck.
Here’s Your First Teaser for the All-New 2020 Toyota Highlander
The Toyota Highlander is one of the Japanese automaker’s most successful nameplates, selling nearly 245,000 units just last year. No surprise then that Toyota is keen to keep it as fresh as possible, and with the current third-generation debuting way back in 2013, the Highlander is definitely overdue for a full update. As such, Toyota will introduce a new fourth-generation at the 2019 New York Auto Show next week, throwing in tweaked exterior styling, a new cabin, the latest infotainment and safety tech, and a few revisions to the powertrain to boot.
Everything We Know About the 2020 Toyota Highlander
Mid-Size, seven-seat SUVs are taking over our roads, our car parks, and our highways. There’s nothing we can do about the invasion of cars like the Palisade, the Telluride, the Explorer, and now the Toyota Highlander. What we can do, however, is ask manufacturers to make them as good as possible. That is why the scheduled introduction of the new 2020 Toyota Highlander at the 2019 New York Motor Show is such a big deal. The new Toyota Highlander should be the best Highlander to date and this is what we know about it.
Toyota Set To Drop More Nightshade Lovin’ at The 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show
Toyota is once again rolling out a lineup of special edition Nightshade Editions, this time at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. Months after introducing Nightshade SE versions for the 4Runner, Tacoma, and Tundra, the Japanese automaker is giving the Camry sedan and the Highlander SUV the same treatment. Both special edition models will be in attendance in Los Angeles before going on sale in 2019.
Best Used 2016 SUV for Fuel Economy
The market trend is quickly shifting from sedans to crossovers and SUVs. However, SUVs have two major cons when compared to their segment counterparts - high retail price and poor fuel economy. Even though they are a practical choice thanks to additional cabin and cargo space, it’s a little difficult for everyone to afford an SUV. So why not go for a used SUV instead? You don’t take the depreciation hit that first owner does, and since SUVs are built to last a lifetime, you can get an almost-new SUV at half the original price.
Now that we’ve planted this seed in your head, let’s have a look at the best used SUVs from 2016 with high fuel efficiency.
Toyota Assists In Dino Bone Dig
Toyota is lending a helping hand to a team of paleontologists from the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis who are surveying an undisclosed site in northern Wyoming. The team of scientists, led by world-renowned paleontologists Dr. Phil Manning and Dr. Victoria Egerton, are in the area looking for fossilized dinosaur bones. Toyota is supporting the expedition by lending a pair of Tundra pickups and a Land Cruiser to help carry the scientists, their gear, and whatever fossils they dig up.
10 Best 3-Row SUVs of 2018
SUVs rose to popularity in the early 2000s, with customers being drawn to their large cabins, higher ride height, and perceived safety. The fact that automakers scored bigger profit margins from them also contributed to the surge. Starting in 2015, sales of SUVs started dominating the auto industry, and carmakers began building them in all shapes and sizes. But, while you can buy everything from compacts to full-size vehicles with taller ride height, three-row SUVs are limited to only midsize and large SUVs.
It’s obviously a matter of practicality here. And, while most haulers aren’t exactly practical, three-row vehicles retain one of the most important features of original SUVs: the ability to carry more than five people. With minivans almost extinct, the three-row SUV is arguably the most practical of its kind. With that in mind, we’re going to take a look at the ten best three-row SUVs you can buy today and compare what they offer in terms of features, power, and third-row practicality.
2017 Toyota Highlander
The crossover segment is on fire these days and Toyota is not letting its popular Highlander age out of the fight. Debuting at the 2016 New York Auto Show on March 23, the 2017 Highlander will boast several changes and upgrades for its mid-cycle update. The current, third-generation Highlander debuted for the 2013 model year and has done very well in the segment, posting record-setting sales gains in both 2014 and 2015 with 146,127 and 158,915 examples sold, respectively. Toyota is undoubtedly banking on these updates to further accelerate that trend.
Headlining the changes is a refreshed front grille, a new 3.5-liter V-6, an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission, available LE and XLE trims now on the hybrid, the sporty new SE trim level, and a host of safety features now coming standard. The Highlander will continue to offer seating for up to eight, a choice of a four-cylinder, hybrid, or V-6 powertrain, FWD or AWD, and a bevy of optional equipment. For those not smitten with the minivan segment, the Highlander is Toyota’s premiere people-hauler.
Updated 11/03/2016: Toyota announced prices on the 2017 Highlander. Check the "Prices" section for the full details.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Toyota Highlander.
2016 Toyota Highlander – Driven
The current Highlander has been around since 2014 when it received an extensive, ground-up remake. Now in the 2016 model year, the Highlander soldiers on unchanged. That won’t be the case for 2017, however, as Toyota will give the three-row crossover a mild facelift to match the all-new 3.5-liter V-6 borrowed from the new Tacoma.
Still, the 2016 is a relevant vehicle, offering families a reasonably priced vehicle with plenty of all-round capability, including seating for seven, towing up to 5,000 pounds, and the option of a hybrid drivetrain and AWD. What’s more, the Highlander offers these things at a reasonable fee, with prices starting around $30,000. My tester, fitted with the mid-grade LE Plus package, lists for $34,795.
Since the Highlander is slotted as such a family-friendly vehicle, it worked out perfectly that I had family in town, necessitating the need for a third-row seat. Though there are other crossovers and full-size SUVs with gobs more space, the Highlander seemed up to the task. The third row did prove to be rather limiting in terms of legroom, but four adults and a four-year-old in a car seat fit well enough.
There’s plenty more info below the jump, so keep reading for the full driven review
Continue reading for the full driven review
2016 Toyota Highlander Review
Since 2000, the Toyota Highlander has enjoyed a comfortable top spot as a nondescript suburban do-all, adept at hauling families, tackling snow days and offering better road manners than the average SUV thanks to its
based underpinnings. Reliable and useful, but not particularly exciting, was the recipe.
Has that changed, though? The latest Highlander, redesigned in 2013 and tweaked again for 2016, is larger, bolder and more luxurious than its predecessors. The new Highlander has curb presence, and the eye-catching design is just the beginning. The spacious interior would look equally at home in a Lexus product, and Toyota’s added items like an available panoramic glass roof for additional "wow" factor. A longer wheelbase provides additional room for third-row passengers, and the Highlander has grown into a viable minivan alternative.
Though rarely the darlings of enthusiasts, family-sized crossovers like the Highlander are important volume vehicles for manufacturers like Toyota. Not only does the Highlander fill an important midsize niche for the marque, but it also serves as a representative of the brand (and, by extension, Lexus) through which buyers my graduate to other Toyota products in the future. That’s why the Highlander’s upgraded style is significant: it’s not enough to just be a competent vehicle these days. The key to success is to bring ’em back for more.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Toyota Highlander.
The Highlander might have started life back in 2001 as a midsize crossover, but over time it has transformed into a larger, three-row people mover that offers an alternative to the minivan segment. Sure Toyota offers the Sienna, but those who won’t rock the Swagger Wagon can take refuge in the Highlander.
What’s more, this crossover offers a hybrid powertrain and an AWD system that’s available together – giving this seven-passenger vehicle the ability to traverse slippery terrain while getting an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined. That’s impressive.
I recently spent a week with a 2015 example of Toyota’s third-generation Highlander. My tester came loaded to the gills in its Limited trim with the hybrid powertrain and yes, AWD. A healthy list of options pushed the price toward the $54,000 mark, making it competitive with several luxury-brand crossovers, though it doesn’t carry the ostentatious luxury vibe.
So how well does the Highlander carry out its duties? Continue reading to find out.
The venerable Highlander has been a strong seller for Toyota since its debut back in 2001, when it helped usher in the era of uni-body crossovers. Back then, the Highlander represented a solid alternative to the mundane four-door sedan with its higher ground clearance, upright view of the road and tidy dimensions. Five passengers and a decent amount of cargo could trudge though snow or down wooded paths with more confidence than in a Camry, thanks to the available all-wheel drive. The little CUV That Could embodied the premise of the whole crossover craze; combining the on-road manners of a car with SUV-like capabilities in a smart package.
The Highlander moved into its second generation in 2008, and received a mid-life refresh in 2010. Those changes helped it stay competitive, but the time has come for the next generation. Enter: the all-new 2014 Highlander.
Everything inside and out has a new look. Sharper, crisper lines make the CUV more manly and rugged, while its overall look still labels it as civilized. It rides on the same wheelbase but has grown some three inches, giving more rear passenger legroom.
An eight-passenger configuration is available on mid-level trims, and a powerful 3.5-liter V-6 can send power to all four wheels when the right option boxes are checked. Both the four-cylinder and hybrid models return for 2014, but with improved fuel economy.
I had the chance to drive the Highlander through the “snowpocalypse of 2014” along the icy streets of Charleston, South Carolina, as the town suffered its first snowfall in years.
Click past the jump for our 2014 Toyota Highlander review
A few days ago, Toyota previewed its "Muppets" commercial that was set for air during this year’s Super Bowl on February 2nd. Today, the company revealed the full commercial, which features the 2014 Toyota Highlander, Terry Crews and the Muppets.
The commercial, called "Joyride," shows Terry Crews — star of the FOX series "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and former NFL player — driving his Highlander until his ride is invaded by the little Muppets. Just like most other Muppet capers, it also includes an original song. This time around, Crews joins in with a little dance of his own...
"Our game-day spot shows how Toyota Highlander puts the ’fun’ in function," said Jack Hollis, vice president of Toyota Division Marketing at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "Toyota vehicles are built to last and can even endure the most boisterous Muppets, a former NFL player as well as a center console full of chickens."
The 2014 Toyota Highlander is on sale at a price of $29,215.
This year’s Super Bowl XLVIII between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks will kick off on February 2nd, 2014, and part of the spectacle will be all of the car commercials during the breaks. Until we’ get to see the real commercials, automakers are teasing us with previews of the commercial that will air during the game.
Recently, Volkswagen teased its Algorithm commercials, and now Toyota has revealed a teaser video for the commercials it will air during Super Bowl XLVIII.
The stars of Toyota’s commercial this year will be the 2014 Highlander and "Everybody Hates Chris" star Terry Crews, and according to the company, the idea behind the commercial was: "one boring man, in a world full of boring choices, makes a stop that will change his life forever. In the all-new Toyota Highlander, the Big Game will be anything but boring."
Check out this teaser video to see what Toyota will bring this year at the Super Bowl XLVIII.
The world first laid eyes on the Toyota Highlander back in 2000 at the New York Auto Show and, being built on the Toyota Camry platform, it was one of the first car-based crossover/SUVs. The first generation model ran until 2007, and the second generation ran until 2013 when Toyota finally ushered in the third-generation model that was longer, wider, and more crossoverish than ever before. Highlights included a larger grille, and lower-mounted fog lights, and much more rounded body. Inside, it offered three rows of seating for up to eight passengers, a host of safety equipment, and Toyota’s Entune multimedia system with a 6.1-inch touchscreen display. Under the hood, one could find a 2.7-liter V-6 with a six-speed automatic and front wheel drive, or a 3.5-liter with a six-speed automatic and the option for all-wheel drive.
With a more upscale interior, decent power delivery, and a refined exterior, the third-generation Highlander was able to increase sales for 2014 and 2015, with more than 300,000 examples sold over the two-year span. Of course, all of the changes to the Highlander did look pretty familiar as a similar redesign of the Toyota Rav4 had already received similar design cues. Either way, the new Highlander can be chalked off as a success as of the time of this writing, so take a look at our full review below to see all of the fine details.
Hit the jump to read more on the 2014 Toyota Highlander.
The Toyota Highlander entered production in 2000 and, in 2007, Toyota was already offering the second generation of the SUV. Being the first car-based midsize SUV or midsize crossover offered in North America, the Highlander soon became one of the most successful models on the market, setting the industry standard for car-based SUVs in innovation, comfort, and sales.
The second generation revealed in 2007 was significantly larger, roomier, and more powerful than the previous Toyota Highlander. It is noticeably quieter, smarter, and more spacious with improved unprecedented versatility and ride comfort. It is powered by a new 3.5-liter V6 with dual independent variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) that delivers a total of 270 HP - a 55 HP increase over the previous generation. This engine delivers an impressive fuel economy of 31 city and 27 highway, making the Highlander the most-fuel efficient mid-size SUV.
Hit the jump to read more about the second generation Toyota Highlander.
The 2011 Toyota Highlander is here and the Japanese company has upgraded this year’s model with new exterior styling, new technologies, an improved interior, and updated engines. The 2011 Highlander will be offered in Base, SE, and Limited grades in both two-wheel (2WD) and full-time four-wheel-drive (4WD). Prices for Highlander will begin at $27,390 for the base four-cylinder two-wheel drive model; $33,150 for the SE V6 two-wheel drive, and $36,345 for the Limited V6 four wheel-drive model.
The 2011 Highlander looks like much better than the old model. This year, the Highlander will get a new front fascia, hood and fenders, redesigned headlights and tail lamps, and newly designed wheels to bump up the benefits in the look s department. New technologies will include a backup monitor with 3.5-inch multi-information display, an eight-way power drivers seat, tonneau cover, engine immobilizer, easy-clean fabric interior, flip-up liftgate window, fog lamps, and black roof rails.
Under the hood there will be a choice of a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine with 187 HP or a 3.5-liter V6 with 270 HP.
Press release after the jump.
The Toyota Highlander was first unveiled in 2000 and it wasn’t until 2008 that the second generation went on sale. Now, in apparent record time for the Highlander, the crossover will be receiving its first major facelift. The new 2011 Highlander will make its debut later this month at the Moscow Motor Show and will go on sale later this year.
The model will come with a redesigned front fascia that includes new headlights, a new grille with two horizontal lines instead of three, and the front bumper. While there are no details on the car’s specifications we expect to see a 273 HP 3.5 liter V6 engine under the hood and a 2.7 liter four-cylinder unit for the American market. A hybrid version will also be unveiled.
We have to inform you that even if you are looking at the European version, the exact same model will also be offered for the North American market. So what you see, is what you get!
Toyota has confirmed that Russia and the Ukraine will be getting the Highlander crossover, according to AutoBlog. Why should we care about those places? Well, the new look Highlander that will be unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show on August 25 will most likely be the one that we’ll get as well.
The new Highlander looks pretty good compared to the dull design of the old model. The bodylines are pronounced and the conservative front fascia is gone, having been replaced by an aggressive looking nose with bits of chrome here and there. We have only seen the front of the vehicle since there aren’t any official photos of the rear, but we would expect that to have the same characteristics as well.
Toyota has not confirmed that we are getting this same machine, but we would imagine that it would look similar to what you see above. With only three places in the world building these vehicles, it would be hard to imagine different models for different countries.
That’s about all we know at the moment, but when we find out more we’ll pass the info along.
According to AutoNews, Japanese automaker Toyota plans to move all of the Highlanders’ production to Indiana. This move is going to be made in order to localize the production of the vehicle for North America, as well as reduce the companies chances of being affected by exchange rates.
Highlander production has been in Indiana since last fall, but the company was still importing from a plant in Kyushu, Japan. These imports account for 17 percent of all Highlanders sold in the United States. Toyota now plans to stop the importation of vehicles and produce the SUV solely in Indiana, said Toyota spokesperson Paul Nolasco to AutoNews.
“This is part of our continuing trend to build more product where we sell,” Nolasco said.
So what is the affect of building its cars only in Indiana, rather than half and half? Simple, Toyota won’t be affected by rapidly fluctuating exchange rates.
Nolasco could not say when the shift would be complete, but in Japan, the Nikkan Kohyo business newspaper has reported that production of Highlanders will stop at Toyota’s Kyushu plant in August. The report also said that the production of the SUV in Indiana would increase to 2,000 units a month.
Sales of the Highlander were up 24 percent to 27,072 units in the first four months of 2010 and if this trend continues, this decision could be a wise one in terms of saving money.
When we first received the Toyota Highlander into the Top Speed test fleet we immediately noticed just how big the Salsa Red Pearl crossover from Japan really is. Even our base model Highlander came rather well equipped, and is the perfect new car for a growing family on a budget. The Highlander that Toyota chose for us to drive is representative of the automaker’s high quality economical transportation options.
The CUV came with everything you need to get the job done, like third row seating and plenty of interior space to go along with the comfortable ride, minus a few of the pricey creature comforts that the segment has become synonymous with; keeping the new car’s price well in the affordable range. On the outside, everything about the Highlander is big, like the oversized grill and machined six spoke alloys measuring 17 inches in diameter, giving the crossover a more powerful presence rather than a playful persona, unlike the majority of the CUV field. Meanwhile the interior is spacious and wrapped in cloth continuing the cost effective crossover theme.
Although Toyota offers both V6 and Hybrid equipped Highlanders, under the hood our car came equipped with a rather large 2.7 Liter VVT-i four cylinder engine cranking out 187 HP and a gas sipping six speed automatic transmission that is good for 20 MPG in the city and as much as 27 MPG at highway speeds. The package is more than enough to scoot the nearly two ton crossover around town comfortably, all for under $26,000.
The Japanese automaker Toyota has just announced pricing for the 2010 Highlander V6 Special Edition, a model that will replace the current Sport grade CUV. The Special Edition crossover will begin to arrive in showrooms by January of 2010 and will be wearing a $32,480 price tag for the two wheel drive Highlander SE 4x2 and the go anywhere 4x4 Highlander will go for $33,930. The new Highlander SE is powered by a 3.5 Liter gas burning V6 with modern technologies like Toyota’s VVT-i, Variable Valve Timing with intelligence, on both intake and exhaust that delivers a maximum output of 270 HP and 248 lb-ft of torque; more than enough grunt to take the extremely practical crossover wherever you might want to go.
The Special Edition will play up on Toyota’s more luxurious side by featuring luxurious amenities both inside and out like leather wrapped heated front seats, Tri-Zone automatic front and rear air conditioning, power moonroof, in dash six disc CD changer, 17 inch alloys wheels as well as a standard tow package so that owners can make more practical use of the V6’s pulling power. TheToyota Highlander offers excellent value even in base model form, but the Special Edition trim is guaranteed to take the Highlander to the next level.
Press release after the jump.
We recently received a Salsa Red Pearl 2010 Toyota Highlander into the Top Speed test fleet. The first thing we noticed when the full size Japanese crossover was delivered is just how big the Highlander is. This gives the 187 HP entry level CUV a more powerful rather than playful, unlike the majority of the crossover field. This should make a few more men fell comfortable behind the wheel when doing the job of a soccer mom. The Highlander that Toyota chose for us to drive is representative of the automaker’s high quality economical transportation options. At around $26,000 the CUV came with everything you need to get the job done, minus a few of the pricey creature comforts that the segment has become synonymous with.
Going along with the economy car theme; our Toyota Highlander is spacious and well laid out, but the seats are wrapped in money saving cloth as opposed to “Corinthian Leather” and while the crossover came equipped with rear air you won’t find any factory mounted screens to entertain the second and third row passengers. That is because the Highlander can seat up to seven passengers safely (did we mention the seven standard airbags) and after all aren’t vehicles more about getting people to their destination than being a rolling entertainment center. However Toyota does offer an optional 9 inch display complete with a pair of wireless headphones that are guaranteed not only to keep the back seat passengers entertained with DVDs, but it will do it in complete silence as well, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Either way our entry level Toyota Highlander has it where it counts, even in basic trim the truck rides on a set of massive 17 inch six spoke wheels and is powered by a 2.7 Liter 16 valve VVT-i four cylinder engine that gets an EPA estimated 20 MPG in the city and up to 27 MPG on the highway. The engine is connected to a six speed automatic ECT-i transmission with a manual shift mode that is supposed to be tuned perfectly for the four banger’s 186 lb-ft of torque, honestly we can’t wait to take this 3800 pound crossover for a spin. Another treat that we found after popping the hood is the equal length 4-2-1 headers that looks like it could have been lifted from the TRD catalog, the piece is the perfect example of how far the Japanese car builders at Toyota go to squeeze every last drop of efficiency out of their vehicles.
Toyota today announced prices for the 2010 line-up, including Avalon, Yaris, Highlander, FJ Cruiser, Rav4 and Tacoma. All cars will go on sale in August, with the exception of Highlander (September).
The 2010 FJ Cruiser will come with dual VVT-i and roller rocker arms on the 4.0-liter V6, which add 19 hp and a one mpg increase. Prices will range from $23,680 for the 2WD automatic to $25,270 for the 4WD automatic.
The RAV4 will go on sale with prices ranging from $21,500 for the base model 2WD four-cylinder to $27,810 for the 4WD Limited V6. The base MSRP for the 2010 Highlander ranges from $25,705 for the base four-cylinder 2WD to $41,020 for the Limited 4WD hybrid model.
For the 2010 Avalon prices will range from $27,945 for the XL to $35,285 for the Limited. Tacoma’s prices will range from $15,170 for the Regular Cab with a five-speed manual transmission to $27,075 for the V6 4x4 Double Cab Long Bed with a five-speed automatic transmission. And finally Yaris’s rpices will range from $12,355 for the three-door model with manual transmission, to $13,915 for the four-door sedan with an automatic transmission.
Press release after the jump.
Toyota is returning to its roots. It has had to scale back on production of large trucks and return to the focus on smaller products. This plan also includes a return of the four-cylinder Highlander for 2009. When the SUV first arrived back in 2001, it has the Camry’s four banger as standard, but that eventually went away. Now that fuel economy is back in fashion, a 2.7-liter inline four-cylinder engine will be the new base.
Highlander’s new four-cylinder powertrain will produce 187 hp at 5,800 RPM and 186 lb.-ft. of peak torque at 4,100 RPM. The engine will have an EPA estimated fuel economy of 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway/22 mpg combined. It is mated to a six-speed ECT automatic transmission.
Press release after the jump.
Bucking the market trend, Toyota will be accelerating the production schedule of an SUV. Toyota announced today that production of the Highlander SUV will be moved up six months. "We need to get those people working. That’s the bottom line," said Steve St. Angelo, senior vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc.
The Highlander makes the most sense out of all of Toyota’s SUVs because it is the one currently offering a hybrid version that can attract sales. Slow sales has already caused Toyota to halt production until November of the large Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV at the plants Princeton, Indiana, and San Antonio, Texas. The new plant in Tupelo, Mississippi, that was originally slated to make the Highlander will now make the Prius instead.
Unlike most of the U.S. auto companies, Toyota is giving a more optimistic view for the future at its U.S. plants that currently produce trucks. "I don’t anticipate us laying off any people," St. Angelo said. "Hopefully – and I can’t predict the future — the bad stuff is behind us, and we can stabilize, train and pick up again in a month or so."
If you have been following our video reviews, you know we have already featured the Toyota Highlander. But this is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and it’s full of enough technology to make it worth its own review. This is Toyota’s second generation of both the Highlander model and the available hybrid engine. Along with the Prius and the Camry Hybrid, this makes up Toyota’s gas-electric group. The new Highlander Hybrid is powered by a 3.3-liter double overhead hybrid engine, which produces 209 horsepower. This advanced Hybrid Synergy Drive System has the fuel economy of up to 27 MPG city, and 25 MPG highway. It comes standard with four-wheel drive, equipped with intelligence drive. Just like the gasoline powered Highlander, the hybrid is available with the choice of a Base or Limited trim. The price for the 2008 Highlander Hybrid starts at $33,700.
The 2008 Toyota Highlander is a seven passenger "affordable" midsized SUV. It was first introduced in 2002, and quickly became Toyota’s best selling SUV, until the Rav4 outsold it in 2006. After seven years, the highlander was in need of makeover. The highlander just looks dated, particularly in the cabin, which was smaller than most current SUV models. In 2008, Toyota decided it was time for a change and introduced a completely redesigned Highlander. The new highlander is built on the same platform as the current Toyota Camry, and is now longer, wider and taller than its previous generation.
This new SUV is offered in several trim levels: base, Sport and Limited, each with front or all-wheel drive. The Hybrid models are base and limited, and both are offered only with all-wheel drive. So, you have plenty of trim options to choose from.
Consumer Reports announced today that it has named five new models to its Top Picks list for 2007 — the Toyota RAV4, Infiniti G35, Toyota Sienna, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and the new Honda Fit. The Top Picks list is published in CR’s Annual April Auto Issue.
The Toyota Prius remains the Top Pick in the "green" car category for the fourth year in a row. The Prius demonstrated an excellent 44 mpg overall fuel economy, the best of Consumer Reports tests of any five-passenger vehicles. This (...)
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour joined Toyota (NYSE: TM) officials today to announce that the company has chosen a 1,700-acre site in Blue Springs, Mississippi to build its eighth North American vehicle assembly plant.
The new plant, to be located just outside of Tupelo, will have the capacity to build 150,000 vehicles annually of Toyota’s popular Highlander sport utility vehicle. Production is scheduled to begin by 2010.
The new plant represents a $1.3 billion investment by Toyota and (...)
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., will stage the world premiere of the all-new 2008 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid sport utility vehicles (SUVs) at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show.
The first-generation Highlander, Toyota’s best-selling mid-size SUV, debuted during the 2001 model year. The Highlander Hybrid, Camry Hybrid and Prius give Toyota Division the only three-vehicle hybrid line-up in the industry.
The Toyota press conference will take place on Wednesday, February 7 at 9:15 A.M. (...)
The Toyota Highlander continues to be the best-selling car-based midsize SUV since its launch in large part because it provides such a high degree of safety and ride comfort. Highlander is one of six sport-utility vehicles offered by Toyota (including the new Highlander Hybrid), and all are equipped with the STAR SAFETY SYSTEMâ„¢ that helps provide vehicle control from an array of advanced dynamic handling technology.
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is the first gas/electric mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) to offer seating for seven passengers. Launched in June 2005 it shares the same “Hybrid Synergy Drive” as the Lexus RX 400h. The Toyota has to offer in a addition to the Lexus two extra seats, and a 20% lower price tag. By joining the popular Prius sedan, the Highlander Hybrid made Toyota the first brand to offer both a passenger car and an SUV with hybrid power-trains.
A U.S. trade body is to investigate a complaint that Toyota Motor Corp.’s popular Prius and Highlander hybrid models infringed a patent, according to the body’s website.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will look at a claim that the patent is owned by Florida-based Solomon Technologies Inc., it said.
Solomon Technologies filed a complaint with the panel last month saying the hybrid transmission in the two popular vehicles infringed its patent related to motor and transmission (...)
The Toyota Highlander is the best-selling vehicle of its type, a midsize sport-utility based on a car. Highlander’s popularity is partly because it’s a Toyota, which promises top-notch quality, durability and reliability. But it’s also a result of its practicality and easy manner.