Toyota's Debut of 2017 Highlander Mid-Size SUV to Showcase Significant Performance Updates

• Newly Developed Direct Shift 8-Speed Automatic Transmission
• New 3.5-liter Direct Injection V6 Boosts Horsepower/Helps Increase MPG
• New Available Stop and Start (S&S) Engine System
• Standard Toyota Safety Sense
• New Sportier SE Gas Model; Hybrid Trim Expands to Four Grades
• Refreshed Exterior Styling

TORRANCE, Calif., March 14 - - Toyota will be debuting the significantly enhanced 2017 model year Highlander mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) on Wednesday, March 23 at the upcoming New York International Auto Show. The popular Highlander, receives an array of new and updated equipment and technology, inside and out, including a new Direct Shift 8-speed (8AT automatic transmission).

Highlander is a no-compromise mid-size three-row SUV that brings together the best in style, technology, comfort, capability, and safety. Its exterior design conveys both refinement and strength, which complements a refined interior that sets a high bar in its segment. The third-generation model, now entering its fourth year, offers room for up to eight, a choice of three powertrains and six model grades, including a new sporty SE model. The Highlander Hybrid adds two new grades, (LE and XLE) to its existing lineup of Limited and Platinum models for a total of four. All Highlander Hybrid models will continue to be all-wheel drive (AWD). The six Highlander gas models will continue to be (LE, LE Plus, XLE, SE, Limited and Limited Platinum) available in both front-wheel and AWD. It all adds up to the ideal family vehicle.

Greater Level of Performance

Performance will be enhanced in the 2017 Highlander gas models with the addition of the new Direct Shift 8AT (automatic transmission) that will be paired with a new 3.5-liter V6 Direct Injection Engine. The new transmission is more compact and will provide more transmission efficiency through its 8-speed gear range. The 8AT (Automatic Transmission) will be standard on all V6 Highlander gas models.

The new 3.5-liter Direct Injection V6 Engine will be available on all Highlander gas models and standard on all Hybrid grades. The new engine will generate significantly more horsepower, provide enhanced fuel efficiency, and deliver a more direct driving feel by expanding the lock up range.

In addition to Highlander, the new Direct Shift 8AT (automatic transmission) and 3.5-liter V6 Direct Injection Engine powertrain will be equipped in the 2017 model year Toyota Sienna van. In an effort to help conserve fuel, Highlander V6 models (excluding LE) will come standard with a new Stop and Start Engine System (S&S). While driving the Highlander, the S&S allows
the engine to shut off when the vehicle comes to a complete stop and restarts when the driver lifts their foot off of the brake pedal.

The standard powertrain on Highlander 4x2 LE gas models will remain the 2.7-liter 4-cylinder paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission. All Highlander Hybrid models will continue to receive the electronically-controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Updated Luxury Look and Feel

The 2017 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid will receive tasteful styling enhancements that will continue to turn heads. The changes start with a new upper and lower front grille design for all grades. Each grade will be distinguished by different grille finishes that will also carry into the headlamp housing. The grille on all LE, LE Plus and XLE grades will receive a silver painted finish, while Limited and Platinum grades will receive a painted chrome finish. From behind, the rear taillights will receive a sleeker redesign. A chrome trim garnish will also be added on the rear bumper of Limited and Platinum models.

Highlander will receive three new exterior colors, including Celestial Silver Metallic, Toasted Walnut Pearl, and, exclusively on the new SE, Salsa Red Pearl. Interior updates include a new brown leather interior that will be available on the Limited Platinum grade. Charging personal devices will be more efficient as all Highlanders will add four USB ports for a total of five.

For those looking for a Highlander with all the bells and whistles but require added passenger seating, the premium Limited and Limited Platinum grades will offer buyers the choice of second-row captain's chairs (providing seating for seven), or second-row bench seats that will expand capacity to eight people.

Sporty New SE Grade

For a touch of sportiness, Highlander will now be available in the new SE model. It starts on the outside with unique 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, tuned suspension for a sportier ride, and a sporty dark paint treatment to the front grille, which is also incorporated into the headlamp housings and roof rails.

Inside, the SE will stand apart from all other Highlander models with unique black leather-trimmed seats with silver stitching and pattern seat inserts, a black front tray, and matching dash and door inserts.

Toyota Safety That Makes Sense

The 2017 Highlander will come standard with Toyota Safety Sense P (TSS), a new multifeature advanced safety package anchored by automated pre-collision braking. TSS bundles cutting edge safety technologies including Pre-Collision System (with Forward Collision Warning and automatic emergency brake), Lane Departure Alert, Automatic High Beams, Pedestrian Pre-Collision System and Dynamic Radar Cruise Control.

The Pedestrian Pre-collision System (PCS) uses a camera and radar to detect objects ahead of the vehicle. When the system determines there is a possibility of collision it prompts the driver to brake with an audio and visual alert. If the driver notices the hazard and brakes, the system provides additional braking force. If the driver fails to brake in a set time, the system automatically applies the brakes, reducing speed in order to prevent or mitigate the collision. Lane Departure Alert (LDA) uses a camera to detect visible lane markings. If the system determines that the vehicle is starting to deviate from the lane, LDA alerts the driver and will provide steering assist to help get the vehicle back into its lane. Automatic High Beam (AHB) helps enhance forward visibility during nighttime driving. It uses a and then automatically switches between high beams and low beams so as not to dazzle other drivers.

The Highlander XLE grade will also adopt blind spot monitor as standard equipment.

To help make parking easy and safe, the 2017 Highlander Limited Platinum grade will come standard with a Bird's Eye View Camera with Perimeter Scan. This Toyota technology employs four cameras that are mounted on the front, the side mirrors and rear of the vehicle to project a panoramic view of the vehicle's surroundings on the central touch display monitor. The system offers drivers assistance when parallel parking, and when pulling in and out of parking spaces. The Bird's Eye View Monitor system also debuts a Toyota-first feature called Perimeter Scan, which provides a live rotating 360-degree view around the vehicle, helping the driver to see potential obstacles.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana (TMMI) in Princeton, Ind., which employs over 4,000 American workers, assembles all Highlanders and exports them to 12 countries. The 2017 Highlander and Highlander Hybrid will begin arriving at Toyota showrooms in the fall of 2016.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander is clearly trying hard to look tough, but, whatever. The design is inoffensive. What’s cool about this car is its efficiency, in a couple senses of the word–the Hybrid version now claims 34 mpg(!) in combined driving. That’s not a lot of gasoline to lug eight people around.

The outgoing Highlander Hybrid hit 28 mpg in combined highway and city driving, making the 2020 model a pretty significant step upward in fuel economy. Highlanders have three rows of seating and while lower-trim variants seat eight with a middle bench, the nicer ones will have captain’s chairs for a little more comfort at the cost of one seat.

The new Highlander can stash 16.1 cubic feet of whatever behind the third row, and its cargo capacity expands to 73.3 cubic feet if you fold all the back seats down according to the preliminary spec sheet.

The standard 3.5-liter Dual VVT-i V6 engine, which turns out a factory-stated 295 horsepower and 263 lb.-ft. of torque, claims 22 mpg in combined driving but will feel a little swifter than the electric-assisted model. The Hybrid, which is clearly the spec to get, is propelled by a 2.5-liter DOHC VVT-i four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors making a reported 240 total HP.

Either powertrain can be ordered with front or all-wheel drive.

But if you want to use your Highlander to tow things, you’re going to want the V6, which can have a towing package that includes a heavy-duty radiator, engine oil cooler and improved fan to be able to pull 5,000 pounds.

As far as convenience tech, a suite of safety tools like pre-collision warnings, automatic high beams, radar cruise control, and something new for the Highlander called Lane Tracing Assist which is Toyota’s name for lane-keeping.

The Platinum trim, which is the finest finery a Highlander can be kitted out with, will have an expansive 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment functions, finally taking Toyota out of the in-car display stone ages I hope.

Lesser Highlanders (there can not, contrary to popular belief, Only Be One,) get eight-inch screens.

I’m pretty tepid on the new 2020 Highlander’s looks. It seems like it’s caught in an awkward adolescent stage somewhere on a transition from “truck” to “station wagon,” but I’m excited at the idea of a large seven or eight-passenger car hanging out with mpgs in the mid-30s.

If parents are going to keep insisting on getting substantial SUVs and crossovers for their families’ convenience, at least their fuel consumption and driving costs can be curtailed a bit.

In the Toyota world, the XSE badge signals a drive on the sporty side with specially tuned handling suspension, unique exterior styling, and exclusive interior trim. For 2021, and for the first time in its 20-year history, the Highlander family SUV gets the XSE treatment. The fourth-generation Highlander, just introduced for 2020 and built on the Toyota New Global Architecture, offers the ideal platform for an athletic transformation.

Designed for people who need SUV practicality but really miss driving sport sedans, the Highlander XSE combines bold exterior design with more agile driving reflexes. Positioned between the XLE and Limited grades, the 2021 Highlander XSE is briskly motivated by a 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 that's teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It's available with either front-wheel drive or Dynamic Torque Vectoring All-Wheel Drive.

In addition to being able to send up to 50 percent of torque to the rear wheels, this advanced AWD system can control the left/right torque distribution to the rear wheels for a more engaging driving experience. In addition, the Multi-Terrain Select feature, controlled by a dial on the center console, allows the driver to adjust drivetrain responses to prevailing road and weather conditions.

The Toyota Highlander XSE handles curves as well as its design takes compliments. In addition to exclusive machined-faced 20-inch wheels with black accents, the XSE model is equipped with higher-rate springs and rear stabilizer bar, and the shock absorbers have been re-tuned for lower friction. Electric power steering has also been re-tuned for a sportier steering feel. These carefully calibrated new parts boost handling agility for the XSE while preserving Highlander's renowned ride comfort.

To make the XSE grade, Highlander received a bumper-to-bumper style makeover. The front fascia, grille, and lower spoiler are exclusive to this model and impart a more aggressive stance. The restyled upper grille joins a much larger lower air intake integrated into the new bumper, with a spoiler below that. Unique headlamps feature black accents and light-strip DRLs.

In profile, unique rocker panels add an edgy accent to the Toyota Highlander XSE's sculpted lines. Around back, there's a shocker: the first-ever exposed dual-tip exhaust on a Highlander - and chromed, no less. Black roof rails, mirror caps, and window moldings dial up the subtle cool factor.

Inside, the Toyota Highlander XSE rocks black Softex-trimmed seats with fabric inserts, while ambient lighting and carbon-fiber finish on the instrument panel sets the mood. A striking two-tone red and black leather-trimmed interior with red-stitched instrument panel is available and is sure to incite a bit of carpool envy.,

The 2021 Highlander XSE comes ready to take on all devices with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa compatibility, as well as five USB ports and an all access 3-month trail of SiriusXM®.

The Toyota Highlander XSE will also offer an available Premium Audio 1200-Watt, 11-speaker JBL sound system with dynamic navigation, breathing new life into old hair bands.

Toyota anticipates that about 12 percent of Highlander buyers will opt for this edgier family hauler.

Toyota has announced a recall for select 2020 Toyota Highlanders. On models with a 3.5.-liter V6 engine, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) might have an error that could cut off the fuel supply during start-stop. The recall, which affects up to 38,810 vehicles, is expected to start April 24, 2020.

Toyota filed an official Defect Information Report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on March 19, 2020, declaring an issue with the ECU on certain 2020 Highlanders. These Highlanders have a start-stop feature that shuts the engine down and restarts it while a vehicle is temporarily stopped. Due to a programming error in the ECU, the fuel system might malfunction during start-stop, and the gas might not make it to engine.

No fuel means no go, so Toyota issued a safety recall due to the risk of the vehicle stalling out while in use. Toyota states, "Whether the issue in each case will lead to a vehicle stall while driving at higher speeds depends on the driving patterns and vehicle conditions." Should this occur, the Highlander will make an audible chime, and many warning indicators will show up on the dash.

Lucky for Toyota, the fix does not require any physical part replacement. Toyota will notify affected customers and will reflash the ECU to remove the error. For more information, visit NHTSA Campaign No. 20V162000.

Designed for people who need SUV practicality but really miss driving sport sedans, the Highlander XSE combines bold exterior design with more agile driving reflexes.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander arrives with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to replace the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6. The new engine makes 265 horsepower (198 kilowatts) and 309 pound-feet (419 Newton-meters) of torque, versus 295 hp (220 kW) and 263 lb-ft (357 Nm) from the outgoing powerplant.

Toyota notes that the fuel economy for the Highlander with the new turbo engine remains the same as the V6 engine but with lower NOx, NMOG, and CO2 emissions. The 5,000-pound (2,268-kilogram) also carries over from the six-cylinder mill.

The Limited and Platinum grades of the 2023 Highlander now have a pair of 12.3-inch displays. Previously, there was a 7.0-inch screen in the instrument cluster. The tech supports dual Bluetooth phone connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto. These trim levels also receive standard power-folding side mirrors.

The larger displays are optional on the XLE and XSE trim levels. These models come with a 7.0-inch display in the instrument cluster and an 8.0-inch monitor for the infotainment. These trim levels now offer an optional hands-free power liftgate.

For the L and LE grades, the 7.0-inch screen for the instruments replaces the previous 4.2-inch monitor there.

The revised interior also has a re-located wireless charging pad that's now on a shelf in front of the infotainment screen.

The Highlander Hybrid has no powertrain changes. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder and two motor-generators make a total of 243 horsepower (181 kilowatts). It returns 36 miles per gallon combined fuel economy and can tow up to 3,500 pounds (1,588 kilograms).

The Highlander comes with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ system. It includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, road sign assist, and automatic high beams. The LE grade and above have blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The Limited and Platinum have front and rear parking assist with automatic braking. A 360-degree camera system is optional for the Limited and standard on the Platinum model.

Toyota isn't yet offering any pricing info for the 2023 Highlander.