Within the Hood. The Highlander’s base engine is a well-balanced 2.7L 4-cylinder with 185 horsepower and a towing capacity of up to 1,500 pounds. 3.5L V6 – Upgrade to the available V6 on higher levels for 295 horsepower, 263 lb-ft of torque, and a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds!
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Is there a Toyota Highlander with six cylinders?
A 3.5-liter V6 engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission are standard on all variants. All-wheel drive is an option costing $1,600 or $1,950 depending on the trim level, while front-wheel drive is standard.
Is there a 4-cylinder engine available for the Toyota Highlander?
A 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 265 horsepower is standard on the Highlander, and it is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and either front- or all-wheel drive. Although we haven’t driven this particular version yet, we will be able to remark on its performance then. The Highlander Hybrid has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors working together to provide 243 horsepower. This variant offers both front- and all-wheel drive and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Utilizing Toyota’s hybrid expertise, this engine offers customers a vehicle that is far more fuel efficient than the normal model without significantly reducing performance; on our test track, the most recent hybrid model we examined was capable of reaching 60 mph in 7.3 seconds. The ride is excellent for serving as the family chauffeur because of its boring but stable handling. Potential customers in this market may be aware that the Ford Explorer is also available in a hybrid version. But if you compare the fuel efficiency of different utes, the Toyota comes out on top.
A V8 Toyota Highlander is there?
What does midsize actually mean? With each new generation, new vehicle models seem to get bigger and bigger, but they nonetheless carry their original size categories with them even when they are no longer relevant. The Toyota Highlander serves as a good example nowadays. Twenty years ago, the first model made its debut as a reliable midsize crossover utility. To call it a midsizer today, as the fourth-generation 2020 models begin to arrive in Toyota stores, is a genuine stretch given the enormous interior.
The Highlander has three rows of seats and eight seat belts are standard on the L and LE trim levels. There are 136.1 cubic feet of passenger volume and an additional 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row in all models, even the ones with panoramic moonroofs. In light of the Highlander’s renewed availability of a hybrid powertrain, let’s contrast it with the 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid, which is undeniably a full-size SUV.
The Tahoe is seven inches longer than the most recent Highlander at 202 inches, but it only has 108.9 cubic feet for passengers and 16.9 cubic feet for freight. It also featured a considerably less functional third row than the Toyota due to its live rear axle. I would contend that the Highlander, like rival models like the Ford Explorer, Hyundai Palisade, and Kia Telluride, is a full-size SUV despite having neater outward measurements.
With more curved surfaces than the third-harder-edged, generation’s truck-like design, the new Highlander has in some ways reverted to the styling of the second-generation vehicle. With the large wheel arches at the rear quarters, Toyota has even incorporated a small amount of the new Supra design DNA.
The base engine’s 3.5-liter V6 and 8-speed automated transmission are carried over from the 2019 model. These have combined EPA ratings of 23 mpg with all-wheel drive and 24 mpg with front-wheel drive. This year, a torque-vectoring technology that can control the distribution of torque between the left and right rear wheels to better handling, regardless of wheel slip, is new to the Limited and Platinum trims with AWD.
Without a hybrid option, the 2020 Highlander wouldn’t be a contemporary Toyota, which has been the case since 2005. This time, Toyota has greatly increased its focus on fuel efficiency and made important changes. The hybrid’s previous generation’s engine was an Atkinson cycle V6, however this generation’s hybrid is powered by the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder used in the Camry and Avalon hybrids. It is still offered with an electric AWD that activates on demand and makes use of a motor on the rear axle. However, a hybrid Highlander with front-drive is also available today. EPA combined fuel economy figures for the 2019 Highlander increase from 28 mpg to 35 mpg and 36 mpg, respectively, with AWD and FWD.
In contrast, that 2010 Tahoe hybrid only only managed to achieve 22 mpg on the EPA test cycles, despite having less interior space and more exterior sheet metal. But it could tow a fairly remarkable 5,900 lbs thanks to its two-mode hybrid system and 6.0-liter V8 engine.
Toyota anticipates that the new model’s 20% hybrid sales share will more than double from the previous generation’s 10% share due to the addition of FWD and increased fuel efficiency. Although the fuel economy is much better than the rear-drive Ford Explorer hybrid’s 28 mpg, it has a lower towing capacity at 3,500 lbs as opposed to the Ford’s 5,000 lbs. There are currently no other large three-row crossovers in this sector that have a hybrid option, but that is probably going to change over the next few years. Customers will currently have to decide between the Ford’s towing capacity and the Toyota’s superior passenger volume and efficiency.
The opportunity to test drive the new Highlander around Detroit on a chilly winter day was only fleeting. When walking into a Limited model, the first thing you notice is how much more premium it feels than previously. The materials, which include stitched leather, represent a significant improvement. Similar to the previous version, there are storage trays under the dashboard, but now there are two separate compartments rather than one continuous tray that extends from the center all the way to the left.
The Limited and Platinum have a 12.3-inch touchscreen in the centre, up from 8 inches on the L, LE, and XLE models. During the limited time we spent playing with it, the screen was responsive and had a nice appearance. Unfortunately, none of the five USB ports are USB-C. The Platinum offers a camera-based rear-view mirror technology for the first time in a Toyota, which can significantly improve sight in a large vehicle like this. Support for Google Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa is standard, unlike the Rav4 I tried last summer, which caused the infotainment to reboot itself every two minutes.
The Safety Sense 2.0 package is now a standard feature on every Highlander, as has come to be the case with Toyota in recent years. This features automatic high beams, lane-keeping assistance, lane-tracing, front collision alert, pre-collision assist, traffic sign assistance, bike and pedestrian recognition, and radar adaptive cruise control. On every trim except the L, blindspot monitors are furthermore available.
The pavement in many other places has a lot less roughness at this time of year than the roadways in Detroit have. Despite this, the Highlander Limited with 20-inch wheels I drove had excellent ride quality and very little noise. The gas-powered model includes automatic engine stop-start, as is typical for most contemporary cars, and Toyota has improved its performance so that there is less lag when releasing the brake pedal. Since the hybrids’ production introduction is still a few weeks away, we haven’t had a chance to test them out yet.
It is a very competitive industry, even if I no longer classify any of these larger three-row utilities as mid-size. In 2019, around 2.5 million midsize utilities were sold in the United States, with the Highlander making up 9% of those sales. Toyota moved manufacture of the large Sequoia, a body-on-frame vehicle, from its Princeton, Indiana factory to San Antonio this year, where it will join the Tundra and Tacoma. Toyota intends to increase the share of the Highlander by using the additional capacity in Indiana. This won’t be simple because there are excellent items like the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade out there that offer a lot of value for your money. With a starting price of little under $36,000 and a top price of $50,000 for the Platinum hybrid, the Highlander L will have to fight hard to maintain its market share.
Are 4-cylinder engines preferable to 6-cylinder ones?
A four-cylinder engine typically has superior fuel efficiency than a six-cylinder. Because of its lower horsepower as well as its smaller size and less weight, it has greater fuel economy. Performance and fuel efficiency are further enhanced by adding turbocharging.
Which Highlander model is the best?
The 20082013 edition is most likely the best option. You get more interior room, more features, a more potent engine lineup, better safety ratings, and better crash test results with this generation.
What issues are there with Toyota Highlanders?
Similar problems with the motorized tailgate and air conditioning system plagued the Toyota Highlander’s previous version from 2008 to 2013. A few owners have also complained of oil leaks from the engine and clunking sounds they hear when rotating the steering wheel.
Is the Toyota Highlander a dependable vehicle?
The Toyota Highlander has a 4.0 out of 5.0 reliability rating, placing it seventh out of 26 midsize SUVs. It has cheaper ownership costs than the national average due to the $489 average annual repair cost. When compared to all other vehicles, the frequency and severity of repairs are both about average.
Does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid have six engines?
A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors combined to produce 243 horsepower in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The only transmission available is a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
Toyota Highlander will be discontinued?
One of the few automakers still using V6 engines is Toyota. Consider the Toyota Camryone it’s of the only vehicles in the midsize class that still has a 3.5-liter V6 engine on offer.
Do the Highlander Hybrid’s engines have V6s?
Intensity and Power Every Highlander Hybrid has a 3.5-liter V6 engine that generates 306 horsepower when combined with three electric motors. An eCVT, a form of automatic transmission, is included as standard equipment. The powertrain of the Highlander Hybrid provides quick acceleration.