2017 TOYOTA Highlander Review
Channel: Auto Today
Date: 2017-01-07

2017 TOYOTA Highlander Review. If the automobile market were a neighborhood potluck, Toyota would always be invited. It may not always serve the spiciest or most interesting dishes, but what Toyota brings to the party usually satisfies the masses. And the refreshed 2017 Highlander and Highlander hybrid are the baked chicken and mashed potatoes of the automotive world. For 2017, however, Toyota has added a bit more spice to the recipe in the form of more powerful and efficient V-6 and hybrid powertrains, while also updating the popular SUV’s styling. It even cooked up a new variation in the form of the Highlander SE.

Big Primpin’

The Highlander’s newfound style starts with a redesigned front end, with rearranged headlamp innards (including curved LED accents on SE, Limited, and Limited Platinum models) and perhaps the widest grille outside of a Peterbilt. All Highlanders use new LED taillamps, while Limited and Platinum models add chrome-ringed reflectors to their bumpers. The SE model looks more sinister (well, as sinister as a Highlander can look), with darkened body accents for the grille, headlamp surrounds, and roof rails, along with 19-inch wheels.

Interior changes are less obvious. All models now have a 4.2-inch color display between the gauges as well as a slew of USB ports—three in front and two in back, enough to satiate numerous smartphones and tablets. Top-shelf Limited Platinum models sport new faux-wood trim, while SE models instead use accents with a dark “technical pattern.” All models except for the SE now can be ordered with eight-passenger seating (meaning a second-row bench); the SE must make do with seven seats, its leather-covered captain’s chairs adorned with a striped “ribbon” in the cushions.

At least as appealing to the Highlander’s family-totin’ clientele, we suspect, will be the standard fitment of the Toyota Safety Sense driver-assistance features on all versions. This includes adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection and automated emergency braking, lane-departure alert, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high-beams. Blind-spot monitoring comes on all but the base LE.

Better Six

The other news for the 2017 Highlander involves its engine, Toyota’s port-and-direct-injected V-6—known by engine-code geeks as 2GR-FKS. It brings an extra helping of horsepower and improved fuel economy to both V-6 and hybrid models. The V-6, now common to hybrid and nonhybrid models, is capable of running the Atkinson cycle, although the hybrid uses the more efficient engine cycle more frequently. All produce the same 295 horsepower at 6600 rpm and 263 lb-ft of torque at 4700 rpm, increases of 25 horsepower and 15 lb-ft of torque over the previous V-6. The hybrid’s front and rear electric motors bring its total system output to 306 horsepower, versus the previous 280; the availability of the hybrid also is expanded to the LE and XLE in addition to the pricier Limited and Limited Platinum trims.

Backsound credit by bensound.com