We’ve loved the Highlander for many years and it’s become one of those iconic vehicles on the road. This is an SUV that offers you the safety you want, the space you need and the ability to carry you and your family to any grand adventure you want. This SUV has a new suite of standard safety systems to give you the items you want like active cruise control and automatic collision avoidance while providing you with a living space that can be turned into a cargo space easily. This is still one of the best SUVs you can buy on the market, as it has been for many years.
Adding the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating to this SUV makes for a vehicle that has more of what you want when you add this to the economic ride, the reliability that comes with the Toyota brand and the resale value that will make this the SUV you want to enjoy. The new 2017 Highlander offers a new look up front and a more powerful V6 engine under the hood. This new engine is attached to a new transmission and you already know about the new safety features you’ll love. The Hybrid model now has more trim levels than before and is more affordable than ever.
The Toyota Highlander has been a family friendly vehicle for many years and has been trusted to provide the features we need for everyday life. When you need to be able to talk to the kids in the rear of an eight passenger vehicle, your voice can barely be heard in most vehicles. With the Driver Easy Speak System, your voice will be broadcast over the intercom system in the vehicle and make it heard loud and clear throughout the cabin to make sure everyone can year you. There is also a flip up rear hatch window to make it easy for you to reach an item in the rear without opening the entire hatch; this can be a serious cargo saver.
You have three engine choices for the Toyota Highlander starting with a base 2.7-liter four-cylinder that puts out 185 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine uses a six-speed automatic transmission to give you decent fuel mileage and is the engine you want if you’re on a tight budget for this vehicle.
The second engine is a 3.5-liter V6 which provides you with 295 horsepower and 263 lb.-ft. of torque which uses the new eight-speed automatic transmission for the smooth shifting you want. This is the engine most used and it can be set up to give you the ride and fuel mileage you want at every trim level. The Highlander Hybrid uses a 3.5-liter V6 plus an AC 650-volt permanent magnet motor system. This brings you overall system horsepower to 306 and provides you with more fuel mileage than you have in the non-hybrid models.
You already know the safety system comes standard, but other standard items include seating for eight passengers, a rearview camera, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, three 12-volt power ports, a 6.1-inch touch screen display for the Entune infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity and voice recognition. It’s easy to upgrade the Highlander to have what you want including adding a tri-zone automatic climate control system, an eight-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, faux-leather upholstery, a navigation system, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an around view camera, a panoramic moonroof, a rear seat entertainment cent with a Blu-ray player, the Easy Speak system and upgraded powertrains to make this an SUV you’ll love the drive.
The Toyota Highlander has been one of the most impressive SUVs we’ve ever seen on the market and it makes for an amazing vehicle to drive. You’ll love the way this vehicle performs and how it gives you everything you need on the road. Isn’t it time you had an SUV that offered you the equipment and performance you needed and desires wherever you drove? The Toyota Highlander can be that vehicle for you, stop by your nearby Toyota dealer and take a test drive today.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.