Toyota Highlander
New large SUV offers seven seats and economy-boosting hybrid power On sale Early 2021 Price from £37,000 (est)
TOYOTA MAY BE known as a hybrid specialist these days, but none of the SUVS in its line-up that bene t from this fuel-saving technology have been able to carry more than ve people – until now. The Highlander – a large SUV that rivals the likes of the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento – is the rst Toyota to combine hybrid power with seven seats.
Although the Highlander is already on sale elsewhere in the world, it’s a newcomer to British roads.as in some other Toyota and Lexus models, it’s powered by a 2.5-litre petrol engine and two electric motors – one on each axle, giving it four-wheel drive when needed. Combined power output is 241bhp, with CO2 emissions of 146g/km and of cial fuel economy of up to 42.8mpg.
Inside, the Highlander features a partly digital instrument cluster, a large central infotainment touchscreen and an array of buttons to control features such as the air conditioning and seat heating.
The Highlander’s middle row of seats can be slid forwards and backwards, allowing buyers to prioritise either luggage space or leg room.with up to 658 litres of space on offer in ve-seat mode, the boot is a decent size, although most rivals can hold even more.the electric tailgate is hands-free; you just need to wave your foot under the rear bumper to open or close it.
The Highlander features USB ports in both the second and third rows, allowing everyone to charge their devices on the move, while a digital rear-view mirror provides an unobstructed view behind.
Standard safety equipment includes automatic emergency braking that can detect cyclists and pedestrians and steer the car away from an oncoming impact, plus adaptive cruise control and lanekeeping assistance.
The Highlander is expected to be priced from around £37,000, making it competitive with the likes of the Santa Fe.