The Toyota Highlander was one of the founding members of the Crossover SUV market. This SUV and the Dodge Durango was a couple of the first to show us what a unibody construction can do over a body on frame build. After these two set up the segment the Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder came in to join while others followed behind when they saw how much we wanted an SUV with this build. What makes it a great choice? The fact that a larger SUV can drive like a car and still give you the seating and space of a full size SUV that can also give you well fuel mileage and a towing capacity you want.
What makes the Highlander better than others? Not only does this SUV have a fantastic amount of space for you to enjoy but the Highlander has been admired for the safety, comfort, economy, reliability and resale value that it offers. For this new model year the Highlander comes virtually unchanged by adding only a tow package to the standard list of equipment that is enjoyed. With this addition you can have the ability to tow up to 5,000 pounds and take some fun with you to your next destination.
Speaking of the standard list of features, the Highlander starts out at the LE trim which offers you seating for eight, a rearview camera, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, a day/night rearview mirror, three power ports, a 6.1-ich touchscreen display, the Entune infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition, projector beam headlights, 18-ich alloy wheels, body-colored mirrors, eight airbags, Lower Anchor and Tethers for Children (LATCH) points, stability control, traction control, ABS and electronic brake distribution. This gives you an awesome menu of items to enjoy when on the road in your new Highlander.
Looking to the optional features you will find the safety and driver alert menu of lane departure warning, dynamic radar cruise control and automatic high beams. Additional optional features include heated second row captain’s chairs, a panoramic moonroof, a heated steering wheel, a rear seat Blu-ray and DVD entertainment system, Driver’s Easy Speak, tri-zone automatic climate control and much more. Moving through the lineup of various features you can make this SUV into one that is truly a luxury model with the addition of leather upholstery and the fun electronic features that can be added for your driving and riding pleasure.
When you step inside the Highlander you are greeted by the new design trend from Toyota which fills the cabin with comfort and luxury. The look offers you gorgeous materials that are trimmed out in metals in perfect fashion and give you some of the most comfortable seats to enjoy the ride. All controls of this SUV are easy to find and make full use of as you look to see what you need to have in a vehicle that will carry you and your whole family wherever you want to go. The Highlander can be the perfect ride for you to enjoy a great vacation in or it can be your favorite commuting vehicle, or both.
On the outside the highlander is recognizable but leaves behind the style of a boxy build that make up some of the competition. This beauty has a great looking grill for you to see and enjoy along with a shark style from every curve and line of this awesome SUV. Sitting on large wheels and showing up with just the right amount of chrome the Highlander will catch your eye and make you wonder why you haven’t driven one before.
Under the hood you can find a variation of three different powertrains from two different engines. The base engine will give you a 2.7-liter inline four-cylinder engine that does give you 185 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. If you are on a budget for your Highlander this may be the engine to choose which is attached to a six-speed automatic transmission to bring you fuel mileage of 20 city/25 hwy mpg. Even though this is a nice engine most shoppers move up to gain some of the great benefits the other powertrains have to offer you.
The second and most popular engine is a 3.5-liter V6 engine which allows you to enjoy 270 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft. of torque. Using the same transmission this powertrain can give AWD and shows up with fuel mileage of 19 city/25 hwy mpg for the FWD version and 18 city/24 hwy mpg for the AWD model to give you some great options. The third powertrain is a hybrid version which uses the V6 and adds a pair of AC 650-vold permanent magnet motors to give you 280 horsepower and 215 lb.-ft. of torque. This gives you a fuel mileage of 27 city/28 hwy mpg to add a bit more efficiency to your life along with more horsepower.
When it comes to the price you pay for a Toyota Highlander you will love the fact the starting price comes in just below $31,000. Moving up to the LE with the V6 only brings the price to $32,500 which makes it highly affordable and a great choice if you need to stay on a budget with this large crossover SUV. Moving to the top trim of the Platinum with AWD the price will be $45,000 and the Hybrid Limited Platinum tops out at $51,500 to give you the SUV that can be the best you can get at the top of the model lineup.
The drive for this SUV allows you to enjoy great acceleration and reasonable efficiency across the lineup. With a calming suspension that will give you a ride that is smooth and controlled you can appreciate the fantastic drive you get to have from this beautiful vehicle. The Toyota Highlander makes an awesome choice for you to drive for your daily commute, weekend adventures or for bringing home a great weened project that will keep you busy. Come check out the Highlander at a Toyota dealer near you and find the right SUV for you.
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