Toyota Highlander – Your Friendly SUV

The Toyota Highlander is a crossover SUV unveiled in the year 2000 as one of the first car-based, mid-size vehicles. The Highlander has the sole purpose of combining the comforts of a sedan with the utility and cargo space of a full-size SUV. Over the years, the Highlander has evolved and gradually grown in size with new features.

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In 2001, the first-generation Toyota Highlander was built on a Toyota Camry platform with a 5-seater and in 2006 a 7-seat model was introduced. The cabin is big with enough head, leg, shoulder, knee, and foot room. The Highlander has 1090 liters of cargo space and extends up to 2305 liters with the rear seats folded. Standard features include six speakers, air conditioning, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, and optional features like JBL sound, woodgrain interior trim, automatic climate control, remote keyless entry, fog lights, and alloy wheels can be found in Limited trim models.

The Highlander is fitted with a 2.4-liter inline-4 petrol engine or an optional 3-liter V6 and later replaced with a 3.3-liter V6 engine paired with a 4-speed or 5-speed automatic transmission.

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The second-generation Highlander was revealed in 2007 which grew by several inches. The exterior did not change much, but in 2011, Toyota made some changes which include a revised front end, a prominent new grille, and a black rocker panel with chrome accents. The cabin has grown in size which resulted in a greater interior space, with better legroom, as well as more shoulder room and headroom. New standard features include cruise control, front and rear air-conditioning, a multi-function keyless entry control, and optional interior features including heated seats, leather upholstery, a Smart Key system, and a touch-screen navigation system.

The new 3.5-liter V-6 with 270 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque and a hybrid model 3.3-liter V-6 combine with an electric motor to produce a total output of 270 hp with AWD as the only drivetrain. In 2009, a 2.7-liter petrol engine was available and in 2011, the hybrid model received a new 3.5-liter V6 engine producing a total output of approximately 280 hp. 

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The third generation was introduced in 2013 and features a design shift from being boxy to curvy with a large grille, black louvers surrounded in chrome, and a chrome strip running from either side of the Toyota logo. The 2014 Highlander is an 8-seater with three rows featuring cloth upholstery or leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, second-row captain’s chairs, and power-adjustable front seats as options.

This Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V-6 that was upgraded to produce 295 hp and 263 lb-ft paired with eight-speed automatic transmission.

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The fourth generation was unveiled in 2019 and is available in five trims which are the L, LE, XLE, Limited, and Platinum Edition. The 2019 Highlander is a three-row eight-seat family car with standard features such as a 6.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, five USB ports, six speakers, a rearview camera, rear privacy glass, rear air conditioning, and a 60/40-split fold in second- and third-row seat.

The Highlander comes fitted with a 2.5-liter petrol engine and 3.5-liter V6 petrol paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

2022 – Present

The Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition was revealed in 2022 featuring bronze wheels, bronze badging, and bronze front-seat trim. The Highlander Hybrid is available in base LE, the XLE, Bronze Edition, Limited, and Platinum. Standard features include a 7-inch digital instrument cluster display, second-row captain’s chairs, wireless charging pad, a sunroof, heated front seats, and power-adjustable seats for both the driver and front passenger. The Highlander Hybrid comes fitted with a 2.5-liter petrol engine with motor producing a total output of 240 hp.

Finally,

The Highlander has an excellent capability and versatility of a full-size SUV which succeed by offering the best of both worlds with lots of space, car-like handling, and light off-roading capabilities. You can check the Toyota Highlander stocklist to get more available trim models and variations.