Toyota dials in its eight-passenger family hauler
Comfort, roominess and capability are the 2020 Toyota Highlander’s key strengths, as they have been for the past 18 model years.
When it arrived for 2002, the Highlander was one of the initial part-car, part-sport-utility-vehicle models on the market. By the time a third-row seat was added a couple of years later, it had become one of the most popular Toyota vehicles.
The previous Highlander’s oversized trapezoid-style grille was not its most welcoming feature, but the nosepiece of the new fourth-generation model improves on that misstep and could serve as a template for future Toyota vehicles. The remainder of the body, from the hood to the liftgate, is also more attractive and correctly conveys a sense that the Highlander is a quality machine.
That also goes for the roomier cabin. A bigger vehicle means an increase in the second-row seat’s fore and aft travel to 4.2 inches from 3.0. That means more legroom. As before, there’s space for eight passengers, or seven when the second-row bucket seats replace the standard bench seat.
The Highlander’s dashboard is more dramatically shaped with an available 12.3-inch touch-screen that juts out, right next to the luminescent gauges. An 8.0-inch screen is standard for most other trims.
Underpinning the Highlander is Toyota’s New Global Architecture that the automaker claims is stiffer and helps deliver a quieter ride plus a smaller turning circle.
Revised powertrain offerings start with a 3.5-liter V6 that carries over from 2019 and makes 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. The previous 2.7-liter four-cylinder base engine didn’t make the cut for 2020.
The optional hybrid model constitutes significant change for the Highlander. Replacing the previous 306-horsepower V6/electric-motor combo is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with two integrated electric motors for a net system output of 240 horsepower. For the first time, the hybrid is available in front- and all-wheel-drive.
This is far less punch than outgoing system, but Toyota says the frontwheel-drive hybrid’s estimated 34 mpg in combined city/highway driving is 17 percent better. Gasoline Highlanders achieve an estimated 27 mpg, combined.
The V6 is linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission, while a continuously variable unit with Normal, Eco and Sport modes is standard with the hybrid models.
For 2020, three different all-wheeldrive systems are available. The L , LE and XLE trims ship up to 50 percent of the engine torque to the rear wheels when the front wheels begin to slip.
The Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD, optional for the Limited and Platinum trims, can vary the rear
torque between the left and right wheels (the torque-vectoring part) for increased control when turning. Mud & Sand and Rock & Dirt modes are part of the system, as is a Rear Driveline Disconnect feature that unhooks the driveshaft from the rear wheels when not needed, which conserves fuel.
The hybrid’s optional AWD has an electric motor mounted in back. It powers the rear wheels when the Highlander is accelerating and while cornering, for added control.
Highlander pricing starts at an estimated $35,000, including destination charges, for the base L and includes tri-zone climate control, power driver’s seat and a wide assortment of active-safety features.
From that point, both content levels and prices climb steadily, topping out with the $45,000 (estimated) Platinum trim, which includes self-leveling headlamps, heated second-row seats, panoramic moonroof, surround-view camera, heated and ventilated front seats, and a head-up information display for the driver.
Note that all but the base L can be ordered with hybrid propulsion.
The 2020 Highlander might look radically different from the outgoing model, but its advancements in useable space, technology and fuel economy are really what make this a standout utility vehicle.