Next time when you’re driving around town, and look at all the SUVs out there, think of all those poor kids in the second row who have to deal with each other fighting over who’s taking up more room. Sure, having a full second row bench has its merits – among them, being able to actually carry three people in back. But kids will be kids, so that’s why Toyota offers a removable center section in the second row, effectively creating captain’s chairs – so the peace can be kept among those who require separate spaces. Oh, and there’s other cool stuff the Highlander does, too.
For those of you who don’t know, the Toyota Highlander has been the brand’s highly successful, midsized CUV, and it slots above the compact RAV-4 and larger, more capable 4Runner. Where the Highlander shines is in versatility and family-friendliness. The Highlander seats up to seven passengers, and unlike most vehicles with a third row, accessing the Highlander’s back row is relatively simple and doesn’t require a lot of movement of the second row seats. Instead of folding the seat halfway up, it just folds forward and slides very easily. Once you’re back there, just pull the seat back into position. It’s that easy.
Toyota offers the Highlander in a number of trims and variations so that you can pretty much get what you want on it without having to go all-out. And heck, if you want to go all-out and check all the boxes, you’ll wind up having one of the most luxurious, capable, and fuel-efficient midsize CUV’s on the road. The base Highlander comes standard with a 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine with 2WD (or optional 3.5-liter V6 in either 2WD or 4WD), projector headlights, a 50/50 split third row, 17-inch alloy wheels, and seven airbags. Step up to the SE, and the first and second row passengers will be treated to leather-trimmed seats, a power liftgate, power tilt/slide moonroof, and multi-stage heated front seats. Adding to the SE, the Limited trim gives you wood-grain style interior trim, a 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat, three-zone automatic climate control, and a Smart Key System for push-button start and lock/unlock functionality on the door handles. The 3.5-liter V6 is the only available engine on the Limited, and you still have your choice of 2WD or 4WD.
And then, there’s the Highlander Hybrid, which uses the 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor strapped to it for a total engine output figure of 280 horsepower, and comes in a 4WD configuration only. The Highlander Hybrid is available in a Hybrid trim level the Hybrid Limited trim, and the main differences between them content-wise is the same as the difference between the non-hybrid SE and Limited models.
For more information on the Highlander, please visit our website. We invite you to visit our dealership in beautiful, historic Alton, IL to see the Highlander for yourself. Until then, enjoy the high-resolution gallery below.
Source: Toyota
Image Credit – Toyota USA Newsroom
