2020 Toyota Highlander debuts in NY with fresh-looking, crisp, efficient hybrid model
Toyota does many things very well, but one of the best things is mid-size family SUVs . Highlander has long been a leader in the segment with excellent build quality, high reliability and a reasonable price tag. Everything seems to be stuck for 2020 Highlander, which debuts on the New York Auto Show this week. But Toyota is also throwing a bunch of tech on Highlander – something that is needed.
Most of Highlander's fancy new technology is possible because Toyota moves the SUV to its TNGA-K platform. If TNGA looks like a familiar set of letters to you, it's probably because Toyota has spent the last few years switching almost the entire line of unibody cars to a taste of it. or another.
By 2020, the new Highlander will offer two drives. The first is a relatively common 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine that provides 295 horsepower and 263 torque torque. This engine uses the Toyota D4 dual fuel injection system that uses both direct fuel injection and multiport fuel injection (and as we first looked at Toyota 86 née Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ twins). This engine, bolted to the standard eight-speed car, is good for 22 miles per gallon.
Where things get very interesting, it is with the hybrid burner that is optional. Toyota is the undisputed king of hybrid technology and it is really bending the muscles there with the new Highlander. Instead of the Hybrid Synergy Drive that we're all used to, Toyota debuts a next-generation system that it calls Predictive Efficient Drive.
Predictive Effective Drive is a smart hybrid system that monitors and teaches driving habits and compares it with GPS data for upcoming roads to determine when to best utilize the electrical part of the drive for maximum efficiency. It's pretty cool, but it's cooler that Toyota claims that hybrid Highlander will offer its owners 34 miles per gallon combined. It is unreal in a large SUV and a 1[ads1]7% increase over the previous generation hybrid.
The new Highlander draws some of its styling signals from the newly updated RAV4 – and it's nothing bad.
Toyota
Outside, the new Highlander grows slightly (2.36 inches long, to be precise), but manages to look leaner than the car it replaces. This is mostly down to the new, more aggressive styling that we like. We also like the fact that Toyota has been working to make this new design functionality, adjusting the side mirrors and even the taillights to reduce wind noise at speed. For 2020, Highlander can now be equipped with its 20-inch first wheels. It is also a unique set available only as an option at the top level Platinum trim level.
Highlander also has not given up anything in the category decorated. It's still cavernous enough to pull all the kids and their crap around or swallow up a full Ikea shopping trip worth of flat furniture without complaining.
Highlander's L and LE trim levels have a standard second row bench which means it puts eight people in total. XLE and Limited trim come with the captain's chairs in the second row for a total capacity of seven, but you can switch them to a bench. Top-level Platinum trimmer comes with the captain's chairs in line two, and you can't switch them to a bench because of luxury.
It doesn't matter which trim level you choose, but if what you care about is security tech. All 2020 Highlander models are standard with Toyota's SafetySense 2.0 ADAS package. SafetySense 2.0 includes features such as automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning with steering assistance, automatic high beams, lane tracking assistance and vehicle assistance. Other safety features that are not part of the SafetySense are optional depending on the desired trim level, including blind spot monitoring, parking zones and something called parking braking.
Interior of the top model Platinum trim benefits from a 12.3-inch touch screen infotainment system, while smaller models receive an eight-inch unit.
Toyota
Inside things get better yet. The Platinum trim level gets a 12.3-inch touchscreen in the center console – one of the largest in the segment – and all other models get an 8-inch unit. The latest version of Toyota's infotainment platform also supports Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa by default. It's time Toyota.
Toyota has not provided us with any information on expected pricing or a potential sales date, but we are stating that the former will be quite affordable and the latter will be sometime later this year. [19659016]
