Toyota Highlander Limited 2015
By
pupu sahma
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Wednesday, April 4, 2018
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2015 Toyota Highlander
Toyota listened to consumers while upgrading the seven/eight-seat 2014 Highlander and reacted to needs for more cabin as well as freight room, vibrant designing as well as costs features. Ask for a much more vibrant driving experience needs to have been pleasantly neglected, however, as the 2014's harsher flight is a tradeoff I don't think many midsize SUV buyers ought to have to live with in return for sportier handling.
Still, other renovations will definitely appeal to consumers that had scratched the previous Highlander off their list or at the very least to those that do not think about a comfortable flight an essential. The 2014 Highlander's raised freight area behind the typical third-row seat is a much-needed renovation; plus, it's easier to obtain into the third row, which now seats 3 as well as bumps conventional seatsing ability to eight.
toyota highlander limited 2015
With upgrades that extend the schedule of LE, LE Plus, XLE, Limited and also Limited Platinum trim levels, the 2014 Highlander is currently in better shape to handle the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2014 Ford Explorer and also 2014 Honda Pilot.
I drove four-cylinder, six-cylinder and Hybrid 2014 Highlanders at a Toyota media event.
Outside & Styling
Toyota returned to the attracting board to redesign its aging and stylistically empty Highlander. Fast-forward to 2014, and also you cannot call the Highlander boring looking any kind of longer. The 2013's ho-hum look changes right into a hulking SUV with a beefier stance, bulging fenders as well as strong front styling. Its existence approved the 2013 New York International Automobile Show flooring where it debuted, as well as it looks just as good rolling down the street.
Just how It Drives
The driving experience isn't the auto's most attractive attribute, even with a variety of encouraging new chassis as well as suspension modifications, so it readies the new SUV does so lots of various other things well.
Toyota selected curvy canyon and also coastal roadways in California to demonstrate the Highlander's brand-new handling chops. Driving a 2013 and also 2014 back to back, the 2014 does exhibit higher levels of road hold and also a boosted guiding feedback. It's more sports when excavating right into a corner, though I wouldn't call the Highlander fun to drive. The 270-horsepower V-6 doesn't have a prompt strike of velocity in the heavy Highlander. It's an unlike the lighter, 290-hp Hyundai Santa Fe, which is a "little" ball of excitement to name a few comparable 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 effect of the Highlander's newfound dynamics is a choppier flight over rough roads. After driving 2013 and 2014 models, I might tell the 2014 transfers even more roadway flaws via the chassis as well as right into seats. Hey, Toyota: It's OKAY to have a hostile layout and trip like a sofa; see the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.
On the upside, the 2014 Highlander has a more considerable feeling over harsh roadways, with less rattles, squeals and also chassis flex. It's a matured experience with enhanced sound insulation, acoustic glass as well as a stiffer framework assisting maintain outside noise minimal.
I quickly spent time in the four-cylinder Highlander with front-wheel drive, which Toyota anticipates to make up 5 to 10 percent of sales, as well as in the all-new Highlander Hybrid. Both the front-wheel-drive-only four-cylinder (20/25/22 mpg city/highway/combined) as well as all-wheel-drive-only Crossbreed V-6 (27/28/28 mpg) are a little rough around the edges as far as engine noise and resonances. The Hybrid's gas mileage is reasonably unmodified for 2014, down 1 mpg in city ratings to 27 mpg however keeps its 28 mpg integrated ranking. The change from electrical to when the engine fires up is recognizable with raw sounds originating from under the hood, audible from throughout a parking lot. Vibrations from the shift are very little, yet the sounds are audible to take notice.
An extra 353 pounds added to the hybrid from 3 electrical motors-- 2 in the front and one in the back-- as well as a nickel steel hydride battery is recognizable in just how the Hybrid drives compared with the Limited V-6 with all-wheel drive. It's a relaxed experience much less ecstatic concerning increasing as well as managing even with 280-hp incorporated, as well as it likewise doesn't ride any type of smoother than the non-hybrid.
The Crossbreed's uncommonly loud engine noises would not be as much of an issue if the Highlander Crossbreed weren't $48,160 with destination, $7,130 greater than 2013-- a 2014 Lexus RX 450h is $47,320, however a lot smaller sized on the in. The Highlander Crossbreed's luxury vehicle price does not mirror luxury improvement now that the feature-loaded Hybrid Limited is the only Crossbreed offered; the less-expensive version got the axe for 2014.
The volume-seller V-6 is one of the most fine-tuned of the lot, providing smooth as well as predictable velocity as well as 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 four-wheel drive is additionally much more affordable than the outgoing 2013 thanks to a brand-new six-speed transmission changing a five-speed system on V-6 versions. The all-wheel-drive system, which is also brand-new, helps include 2 mpg highway over the 2013 variation. All-wheel-drive Highlanders send torque to the rear wheels when slippage is found, versus the previous system that always sent torque to 4 wheels.
Inside
Part of the 2014's change consists of dialing up the interior styling with countless soft-touch and accent-stitched indoor panels that enhance the classiness. The top quality is Toyota-Avalon nice with a stitched control panel, steering wheel and also soft-touch, top quality products in popular areas. Plastic areas that aren't textured, sewed or covered are still on par for the course. Even the base LE Highlander shows the virtually luxurylike niceness of the higher-optioned Minimal trims.
Seats is comfortable in the initial and second rows with soft, broad pole positions and a very adjustable second row that glides and reclines with two captain's chairs or the conventional three-seat bench configuration-- captain's chairs are available on the XLE and also conventional on the Limited. The rest of the Highlander could have been redone with dynamism in mind, however the seats speak with its comfort-focused origins. Lots of people on our team will miss the 2013's detachable second-row center seat. I will not, as it was awkward and bulky to remove and replace with the center table that stored under the facility console.
In the third row, Toyota raised width and added an added seat for a maximum capacity of 8 occupants in basic setup. A brand-new, extra compact back suspension freed the additional room. The third row still does not fit grownups with as much comfort as the larger Chevrolet Traverse, however it excels in a pinch. There are likewise new one-touch folding second-row seats on both sides. Formerly, just the curbside seat folded up and also moved onward by means of the one-touch lever. Third-row motorcyclists likewise gain from the 2nd row's increased seat traveling, which enables very easy entrance as well as leave.
Ergonomics & Electronic devices
Innovation is a huge emphasis in the 2014 Highlander and done extremely well. Toyota's Entune multimedia system works better compared to ever compared to various other Toyota automobiles in which I've made use of the system. Functioning the Entune system's voice commands goes over. The versions I checked noticed the numerous voice commands I talked.
Those with bulky phones or who continuously have their phone connected to the SUV will value a tool storage walk below the environment manages that provides a pass-through for USB cables. There need to be no more Medusa-like dangling of cables entangling the equipment selector.
The typical Entune on base LE models consists of a 6.1-inch touch-screen with backup camera, USB port with iPod connection, complementary input, voice recognition, Bluetooth phone connection and also Bluetooth streaming sound. LE Plus trims have Entune Audio And also with a higher-resolution 6.1-inch screen, HD Radio and also 90-day satellite radio membership. The next step up is Entune Premium Sound with Navigation as well as Application Suite on XLE models with an 8-inch touch-screen as well as app collection with Pandora, Yelp as well as Facebook combination with a smart device and accompanying Entune downloadable application. A JBL sound system is basic on Limited trim levels.
The large facility storage space container in between the pole positions could devour anything plus-sized, like a bag, iPad or Blu-ray collection for the available rear-seat Blu-ray gamer. And when you neglect that Blu-ray in the house, an intriguing new attribute called Easy Speak transfers the growing voice of an angry mom or dad with the rear stereo speakers via the Bluetooth microphone to keep wild children in check. How much extra family concentrated can you get compared to offering an attribute that enables moms and dads to yell at kids?
Freight, Towing & Storage
Freight space behind the third row improves over the previous Highlander's skimpy walk, which battled bring groceries, not to mention a stroller or golf bag. The cargo volume is currently rated at 13.8 cubic feet, up from 10.3 cubic feet. It's not a big renovation, however at least it makes the area functional. It's still tiny compared with others in the section: The Traveler has 21 cubic feet as well as the Pilot has 18 cubic feet behind the third row. Toyota's hoax to enhance freight room involved moving all 3 rows of seats onward, including length behind the back wheels and also using an extra small rear suspension.
The power liftgate is an excellent feature to be typical on LE And also trim levels and also above, and has a trick up its sleeve: It adapts to numerous elevations, not simply one or two predetermined elevation setups. With the liftgate in motion, customers can stop the liftgate and also program it to open to that established elevation the next time. The attribute will certainly make much shorter vehicle drivers as well as proprietors of reduced garages very pleased. (If the gate goes expensive, much shorter individuals could struggle to reach the power-close switch on its bottom side.) An additional special feature on the back is an oldie yet a reward: On LE And also versions and also above, the rear window opens for very easy gain access to independent of the freight gateway.
A 5,000-pound tow score on XLE as well as Limited trim degrees comes with a standard towing package that consists of engine/transmission colders and updated radiator as well as generator. Hybrids could tow 3,500 extra pounds, V-6 LE/LE And also can tow 2,000 pounds and a four-cylinder LE is rated at 1,500 pounds.
Security
The 2014 Highlander had not been crash-tested at the time of this writing.
The 2014 Highlander supplies lower supports and also tethers on outboard second-row seats for child-safety seats, yet just a secure anchor on the middle third-row seat.
Advanced safety functions are readily available, though just on the expensive Restricted trim level where a dead spot monitoring system and rear car parking assist are typical, and also pre-collision, flexible cruise control and lane separation warning are optional. Minimal trim degrees are also the only versions with a back-up electronic camera that uses predictive guidelines to show the vehicle's course-- a back-up electronic camera with set lines is basic on all various other trim degrees.
Value in Its Course
Toyota says prices is up around $1,500 on average across the 2014 trim degrees, which include added features over the 2013. Base prices begins at $30,075 for a base four-cylinder LE with location, while volume-seller XLE versions with four-wheel drive are $38,360 and consist of natural leather seatsing with warmed pole positions, navigation, three-zone climate control, clever keyless access, second-row sunshades and even more. Rates for the XLE is extremely competitive to three-row midsize SUVs like the Honda Pilot, Ford Traveler as well as the Hyundai Santa Fe.
The 2013 Highlander was absolutely a midpack three-row SUV, dragging in essential areas like interior high quality, freight space and also modern technology. Rest assured, if you're a Highlander proprietor aiming to upgrade-- as long as you're unconcerned regarding flight high quality-- the 2014 is not only an engaging upgrade, but additionally deserving of cross-shopping the sector's best.