Toyota Highlander 2015 Reviews
By
Herman Syah
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Wednesday, March 21, 2018
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2015 Toyota Highlander
Toyota paid attention to customers while upgrading the seven/eight-seat 2014 Highlander and reacted to demands for even more cabin as well as cargo area, vibrant designing and costs features. Requests for a much more vibrant driving experience should have been respectfully disregarded, however, as the 2014's harsher flight is a tradeoff I do not assume many midsize SUV buyers need to need to deal with in return for sportier handling.
Still, various other enhancements will undoubtedly interest consumers who had actually scraped the previous Highlander off their listing or a minimum of to those who do not think about a comfy ride an essential. The 2014 Highlander's increased freight area behind the conventional third-row seat is a much-needed renovation; plus, it's much easier to get right into the 3rd row, which currently seatses 3 and also bumps basic sitting capability to 8.
toyota highlander 2015 reviews
With upgrades that span the schedule of LE, LE And Also, XLE, Limited and also Limited Platinum trim degrees, the 2014 Highlander is now in much better form to take on the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2014 Ford Explorer and 2014 Honda Pilot.
I drove four-cylinder, six-cylinder as well as Hybrid 2014 Highlanders at a Toyota media event.
Exterior & Styling
Toyota went back to the drawing board to revamp its aging and also stylistically empty Highlander. Fast-forward to 2014, as well as you cannot call the Highlander boring looking any kind of longer. The 2013's dull look transforms into a hulking SUV with a beefier stance, bulging fenders and also bold front designing. Its presence approved the 2013 New York City International Vehicle Show flooring where it debuted, and also it looks just as good rolling down the street.
How It Drives
The driving experience isn't the car's most attractive quality, despite an array of promising brand-new framework and also suspension modifications, so it readies the brand-new SUV does so numerous various other things well.
Toyota selected curved canyon and also seaside roads in California to show the Highlander's brand-new handling chops. Driving a 2013 as well as 2014 back to back, the 2014 does show higher degrees of road grasp and also an improved steering action. It's more athletic when excavating right into an edge, though I would not call the Highlander enjoyable to drive. The 270-horsepower V-6 does not have an immediate punch of acceleration in the hefty Highlander. It's an unlike the lighter, 290-hp Hyundai Santa Fe, which is a "little" round of enjoyment to name a few similar three-row SUVs. A six-cylinder Highlander LE with front-wheel drive is 4,244 pounds, while a V-6, front-wheel-drive Santa Fe GLS is 3,933 pounds.
A damaging result of the Highlander's newly found characteristics is a choppier trip over harsh roadways. After driving 2013 and also 2014 models, I might tell the 2014 transmits more roadway blemishes through the framework as well as into seats. Hey, Toyota: It's ALRIGHT to have a hostile design as well as trip like a sofa; see the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.
On the benefit, the 2014 Highlander has a more significant sensation over rough roadways, with less rattles, squeaks and chassis flex. It's a matured experience with boosted sound insulation, acoustic glass as well as a stiffer chassis aiding keep outside noise minimal.
I quickly hung out in the four-cylinder Highlander with front-wheel drive, which Toyota anticipates to account for 5 to 10 percent of sales, as well as in the all-new Highlander Crossbreed. Both the front-wheel-drive-only four-cylinder (20/25/22 mpg city/highway/combined) and all-wheel-drive-only Hybrid V-6 (27/28/28 mpg) are a little harsh around the sides regarding engine sound and resonances. The Crossbreed's gas mileage is relatively unchanged for 2014, down 1 mpg in city ratings to 27 mpg yet maintains its 28 mpg incorporated score. The change from electric to when the engine fires up is recognizable with raw noises coming from under the hood, audible from across a car park. Vibrations from the shift are minimal, however the sounds are loud enough to take notice.
An added 353 pounds added to the crossbreed from three electric motors-- 2 in the front as well as one in the back-- and also a nickel steel hydride battery is visible in how the Hybrid drives as compared to the Restricted V-6 with all-wheel drive. It's a kicked back experience less fired up about increasing as well as taking care of even with 280-hp integrated, and it additionally does not ride any type of smoother compared to the non-hybrid.
The Crossbreed's unusually loud engine noises wouldn't be as much of a concern if the Highlander Hybrid just weren't $48,160 with destination, $7,130 more than 2013-- a 2014 Lexus RX 450h is $47,320, however a lot smaller on the inside. The Highlander Hybrid's high-end car cost does not mirror deluxe improvement since the feature-loaded Hybrid Limited is the only Crossbreed offered; the less-expensive version obtained the axe for 2014.
The volume-seller V-6 is the most improved of the lot, offering smooth as well as predictable acceleration along with the most effective handling with all-wheel drive. The V-6-powered Highlander's gas mileage of 19/25/21 mpg with front-wheel drive and also 18/24/20 mpg with all-wheel drive is likewise a lot more affordable than the outgoing 2013 thanks to a new six-speed transmission replacing a five-speed system on V-6 versions. The all-wheel-drive system, which is likewise new, helps add 2 mpg freeway over the 2013 version. All-wheel-drive Highlanders send out torque to the rear wheels when slippage is discovered, versus the previous system that always sent out torque to 4 wheels.
Interior
Part of the 2014's transformation consists of calling up the interior styling with various soft-touch as well as accent-stitched indoor panels that boost the classiness. The top quality is Toyota-Avalon nice with a stitched dashboard, steering wheel as well as soft-touch, premium products in prominent areas. Plastic areas that typically aren't textured, sewed or covered are still on par for the course. Also the base LE Highlander emanates the nearly luxurylike niceness of the higher-optioned Restricted trims.
Seats fits in the first and also second rows with soft, large front seats as well as an extremely adjustable second row that slides as well as reclines with two captain's chairs or the typical three-seat bench setup-- captain's chairs are offered on the XLE as well as common on the Limited. The remainder of the Highlander might have been redone with dynamism in mind, yet the seats talk to its comfort-focused roots. Many individuals on our team will miss the 2013's removable second-row center seat. I will not, as it was awkward as well as bulky to remove and change with the facility table that stored under the center console.
In the 3rd row, Toyota raised width and added an added seat for an optimum ability of eight passengers in basic arrangement. A new, a lot more small back suspension freed the extra room. The third row still doesn't fit grownups with as much comfort as the bigger Chevrolet Traverse, yet it readies in a pinch. There are also brand-new one-touch folding second-row seats on both sides. Formerly, only the curbside seat folded and also glided ahead via the one-touch lever. Third-row cyclists also benefit from the second row's enhanced seat travel, which permits very easy entrance as well as leave.
Ergonomics & Electronics
Modern technology is a substantial focus in the 2014 Highlander and done effectively. Toyota's Entune multimedia system functions much better than ever compared to various other Toyota vehicles where I have actually made use of the system. Working the Entune system's voice commands goes over. The designs I tested detected the numerous voice commands I spoke.
Those with large phones or who regularly have their phone linked to the SUV will certainly value a device storage space walk listed below the environment manages that offers a pass-through for USB cables. There must disappear Medusa-like dangling of cables ensnaring the gear selector.
The standard Entune on base LE versions includes a 6.1-inch touch-screen with backup electronic camera, USB port with iPod connectivity, supporting input, voice recognition, Bluetooth phone connection and Bluetooth streaming sound. LE Plus trims have Entune Sound Plus with a higher-resolution 6.1-inch screen, HD Radio and 90-day satellite radio membership. The following step up is Entune Premium Sound with Navigation and also App Collection on XLE models with an 8-inch touch-screen as well as application collection with Pandora, Yelp and Facebook combination with a mobile phone and also coming with Entune downloadable application. A JBL stereo is common on Limited trim levels.
The massive facility storage space bin in between the pole positions can devour anything plus-sized, like a handbag, iPad or Blu-ray collection for the offered rear-seat Blu-ray player. When you forget that Blu-ray in the house, an interesting new function called Easy Speak transmits the booming voice of an angry mom or dad with the back stereo speakers using the Bluetooth microphone to keep wild kids in check. What does it cost? more family members focused can you get than supplying a function that allows moms and dads to yell at youngsters?
Freight, Towing & Storage space
Cargo space behind the 3rd row enhances over the previous Highlander's sexy step, which struggled lugging grocery stores, not to mention a stroller or golf bag. The cargo quantity is currently rated at 13.8 cubic feet, up from 10.3 cubic feet. It's not a significant enhancement, however a minimum of it makes the location useful. It's still little compared to others in the section: The Traveler has 21 cubic feet and the Pilot has 18 cubic feet behind the third row. Toyota's trickery to increase cargo room involved relocating all 3 rows of seats onward, adding size behind the rear wheels and also utilizing an extra compact back suspension.
The power liftgate is an impressive feature to be common on LE And also trim degrees and above, as well as has a trick up its sleeve: It gets used to different elevations, not just 1 or 2 fixed elevation settings. With the liftgate moving, individuals could quit the liftgate and program it to open to that set elevation the next time. The feature will make much shorter vehicle drivers as well as proprietors of reduced garages very happy. (If eviction goes expensive, shorter folks might have a hard time to get to the power-close switch on its bottom side.) Another one-of-a-kind feature on the back is an oldie however a reward: On LE And also designs and above, the back window opens for simple gain access to independent of the cargo entrance.
A 5,000-pound tow rating on XLE as well as Limited trim levels features a basic towing package that consists of engine/transmission coolers as well as upgraded radiator and also generator. Crossbreeds could tow 3,500 pounds, V-6 LE/LE Plus could tow 2,000 pounds and also a four-cylinder LE is ranked at 1,500 extra pounds.
Security
The 2014 Highlander had not been crash-tested at the time of this writing.
The 2014 Highlander provides lower anchors as well as tethers on outboard second-row seats for child-safety seats, but only a tether anchor on the middle third-row seat.
Advanced safety and security functions are available, though just on the costly Limited trim degree where a dead spot tracking system and back car park aid are conventional, as well as pre-collision, adaptive cruise ship control as well as lane separation caution are optional. Minimal trim levels are likewise the only designs with a back-up camera that makes use of predictive standards to show the automobile's path-- a back-up camera with fixed lines is common on all other trim levels.
Worth in Its Class
Toyota says rates is up around $1,500 typically across the 2014 trim levels, that include added attributes over the 2013. Base rates begins at $30,075 for a base four-cylinder LE with location, while volume-seller XLE versions with all-wheel drive are $38,360 and consist of leather seatsing with heated pole positions, navigating, three-zone climate control, clever keyless entry, second-row sunshades and also more. Rates for the XLE is very competitive to three-row midsize SUVs like the Honda Pilot, Ford Traveler as well as the Hyundai Santa Fe.
The 2013 Highlander was genuinely a midpack three-row SUV, lagging behind in vital locations like indoor high quality, cargo space as well as technology. Rest assured, if you're a Highlander owner wanting to upgrade-- as long as you're unconcerned about flight quality-- the 2014 is not only an engaging upgrade, but also worthy of cross-shopping the sector's ideal.