Toyota Highlander Review
By
fardhan alief
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Friday, March 9, 2018
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Toyota Highlander
Toyota Highlander Review
Like the 1986 movie Highlander, the Toyota SUV that shares its name is a crowd-pleaser that cannot motivate fervor among movie critics. After more than 190,000 Highlanders rolled off supplier great deals last year, Toyota's mid-size crossover SUV got in 2017 with a host of modifications aimed at pleasing the masses as well as pundits alike.
Notably, all Highlanders, from the base $31,590 LE to the state-of-the-art $48,840 Highlander Hybrid Limited Platinum, now come typical with a pre-collision warning system with pedestrian discovery and also automated emergency braking, plus lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, as well as automated high-beams. Our all-wheel-drive $43,184 Highlander XLE test vehicle additionally loaded blind-spot surveillance, an attribute not available on the lower-level Highlander LE as well as LE Plus.
Coming with the 2017 Highlander's numerous safety systems is the latest variation of Toyota's 3.5-liter V-6 engine. The six-cylinder is conventional on almost the base front-wheel-drive Highlander LE-- which continuouslies use a wimpy 185-hp inline-four-- and integrates a host of modern-day innovations, including a direct and port fuel-injection system and an upgraded valvetrain that allows the engine to run on the much more efficient Atkinson cycle. Ranked at a healthy 295 horsepower as well as 263 lb-ft of torque, the changed V-6 makes 25 more ponies and an extra 15 lb-ft compared to the previous unit. Gas economic situation is up, too, with the front-wheel-drive 2017 Highlander V-6 earning an EPA-rated 23 mpg incorporated; all-wheel-drive designs attain 22 mpg. Both figures note a 2-mpg improvement over in 2014's Highlander and placed the crossover within 1 mpg of the four-cylinder Mazda CX-9's consolidated fuel-economy figures.
Toyota's 2GR-FKS six is a gem of an engine that builds power mostly all the method approximately its 6800-rpm redline. At the track, this Highlander shaved 0.3 second off of its precursor's zero-to-60-mph as well as 30-to-50-mph times, hitting the marks in 7.0 and 3.8 secs, specifically. However, the 2017 Highlander's 5.6-second 50-to-70-mph passing away time was both slow-moving for the course as well as virtually a 2nd behind that of its forbear. Blame the brand-new eight-speed transmission's hesitancy to downshift. Regardless, the revised Highlander's V-6 offers a lot of grunt in many real-world driving scenarios. Many thanks partially to our test vehicle's automated stop-start system, we managed a sensible 21 mpg throughout our time with the crossover, 2 mpg much better than what we received from a Mazda CX-9.
The Element of Crossover
If the 2017 Highlander's V-6 powertrain is the equivalent of Highlander's lovely Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos RamÃrez (played by Sean Connery), after that the crossover's revamped exterior layout is akin to the film's handsome yet featureless protagonist, Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert). New front and rear fascias, updated headlamps, and also an appealing collection of LED taillights offer the Highlander a more cohesive, SUV-like look. But we still would not put it fairly on the same level of appearance as the butch Dodge Durango or the hot CX-9.
Unlike the exterior, the Highlander's inside has been left mainly untouched. Toyota did include 4 even more USB ports, bringing the overall to 5-- 3 ahead as well as two in the rear. The cockpit showcases a variety of helpful storage nooks, consisting of a rack that spans the lower control panel as well as a massive center-console bin that can accommodate almost a cubic foot of assorted things. Ergonomic mistakes consist of difficult-to-grip temperature knobs for the climate-control system and also a touchscreen that's also far away from the vehicle driver.
While base-level LE and LE Plus Highlanders have a typical second-row bench seat, the XLE, SE, Limited, and also Restricted Platinum grades feature captain's chairs in the middle. (The bench seat is a no-cost option on the XLE, Limited, and Restricted Platinum.) Space abounds in the 2nd row, however we found that our seven-passenger examination cars and truck's pail seats were mounted too reduced for optimum comfort. Still, the Highlander's sliding and reclining second-row chairs were like a pair of La-Z-Boy reclining chairs compared with the slim and lightweight 60/40 split-folding third-row bench. Legroom in the wayback is just 27.7 inches, a full six inches fewer compared to exactly what the Volkswagen Atlas's rearmost row offers. If you on a regular basis haul sufficient passengers to advantage regular use the 3rd row, take into consideration the Atlas, a Honda Pilot, or a Ford Flex.
Shadow of an SUV
In spite of the Highlander's carlike unibody building and construction and reduced step-in height, this mid-size crossover's managing reminds us of an antique body-on-frame SUV, as its softly sprung suspension permits too much body coming in turns. On the bonus side, the suspension takes in road abnormalities with nary a shudder, and also the electrically helped steering is reasonably quick and also normally well weighted.
At 4560 pounds, our all-wheel-drive Highlander test car was no lightweight, and also the excess mass made itself recognized when applying the brakes, as the Toyota required 181 feet of tarmac to stop from 70 miles per hour-- 11 feet more than a 161-pound-lighter all-wheel-drive GMC Acadia Denali.
With an as-tested rate of $43,184, our Toasted Walnut Pearl Highlander XLE sported $3704 in alternatives. Of that tally, all-wheel drive includes $1460 and also brings vestigial mud flaps, hill-descent control, and a screen setting within the 4.2-inch gauge-cluster display that shows torque circulation among the Highlander's four wheels. An $1810 rear-seat entertainment system was one of the most expensive option, while $434 gotten flooring mats and body-side moldings. Criterion items included navigating, a closeness key with push-button start, and a sunroof, along with abovementioned functions such as a blind-spot tracking system and leather-trimmed initial- and second-row seats (Toyota cushions the third row in vinyl).
While the Highlander's lifeless handling as well as confined third row remain to suppress our enthusiasm for the Indiana-built crossover, the updated 2017 Highlander's lengthy listing of conventional security and also comfort features, a lot more effective as well as fuel-efficient V-6 engine, and also improved outside styling will certainly continue to draw in stockpiles of shoppers seeking a comfortable and reasonably priced mid-size crossover SUV.