What makes the Toyota Highlander Hybrid a good family SUV

It does not come as a surprise that many families these days prefer to buy an SUV over a traditional sedan or station wagon. The large physical size, high ground clearance, and the perceived higher safety standards of these vehicles are often cited as the primary reasons for buyers choosing these vehicles. Toyota Motor Corporation is world-renowned for its sport utility vehicles, which include some of the most famous models such as the Land Cruiser, 4Runner, and Fortuner, among many others.

The Toyota Kluger was unveiled at the 2000 New York International Auto Show, with the Toyota Highlander debuting in the U.S. in 2001. The first-generation Highlander was based on the Toyota K platform, lasting up to 2006. Next year, the second-gen model lasted between 2007 and 2012, which is where the fourth-generation Toyota Highlander comes in. Not only was the Highlander a well-liked car over the years, but Toyota’s stellar reputation continued to attract tons of new customers.

How does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid look?

Many modern-day SUVs or crossovers almost always look quite similar – though automakers don’t like agreeing on this. While the fourth-gen Toyota Highlander is not a departure from this trend, its styling is not just modern and urbane. The new Highlander possesses enough design flair that make this family car look like a pretty convincing urban SUV. That said, this Toyota SUV is nowhere near as tough and rugged-looking as the Land Cruiser or the Fortuner.

The front end of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid gets a wide grille that features the brand’s recognizable blue halo logo & chrome garnish, an aggressively styled front bumper, a sculpted hood, and double-barrel LED headlamps with LED DRLs. While the front of the Highlander is sharp enough, the side profile’s styling looks familiar to several other crossover SUVs in the market. There’s a rising beltline, flared fenders, squared wheel arches with black plastic cladding, and shiny 20-inch alloy wheels.

The rear of the Toyota Highlander comes with sleek LED taillights, a svelte roof spoiler, a license plate area that looks similar to the main grille, Toyota’s hybrid-based logos & branding, and a chiseled rear bumper section. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid measures over 4.9 meters in length, 1.75 meters in width, and 1.93 meters in height.

Is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid’s interior family-friendly?

Being an SUV that has been built specifically with families in mind, the interior of the new Toyota Highlander is a pretty nice place to be. Given the nearly 5-meter-long body, the cabin of this Toyota SUV feels spacious almost across the board. Of course, the third row of the Highlander can accommodate adults with a decent amount of space. The Highlander Hybrid boasts a cabin that sports comfortable and ergonomically designed seats, a decent number of soft-touch materials, and an almost flat floor.

The Toyota Highlander’s cargo space is large enough even with all three rows of seats in place, leaving nearly 330 liters of space to stow luggage. When it comes to the interior of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, it has a well-contoured dashboard and door panels. There are quite a lot of storage spaces in this cabin, which includes a space underneath the center air-con vents, two cupholders near the gear lever, and a deep center console storage area.

Adding to the comfort levels of the occupants, the Toyota Highlander comes with an optional rear-seat entertainment system, rear roof-mounted air vents, coat hangers, and even a tri-zone automatic climate control system. While the infotainment screen works well, its design does come across as quite a bit archaic. Also, the multi-function steering wheel not only feels good to hold, but it is also light enough while driving in heavy traffic.

How is the features list of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

The new Toyota Highlander Hybrid comes with keyless entry with push-button start, automatic LED headlamps, remote engine start via Toyota Connect App, a panoramic sunroof, auto-retractable door mirrors with memory function, ambient cabin lighting, powered & ventilated front seats, 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, an 11-speaker JBL sound system, a 12.3-inch touchscreen info-media display with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, and an electronic parking brake with auto-hold function.

If you think Toyota has only considered fancy convenience tech on the new Highlander Hybrid, you would be wrong. The Highlander Hybrid can be had with Automatic High Beam (AHB), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control System (DRCC), Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert, Lane Trace Assist (LTA), Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), front & rear parking sensors with Panoramic View Monitor, Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC), and 7 airbags.

What powers the Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder petrol/hybrid engine that utilizes a small 1.6 kWh battery pack and twin-electric motors. The combined output of the Highlander Hybrid comes to 240 hp, which can drive all four wheels with Toyota’s ‘E-Four’ AWD technology, via an eCVT gearbox.

Even though the hybrid version of the Toyota Highlander is not designed for performance, it can do 0-100 km/h in 8.3 seconds and reach a top whack of 180 km/h. The driver can select from four different modes: EV, Eco, Sport, Normal. Of course, buyers go for the Highlander Hybrid for its better fuel economy when compared to the standard model – you will be rewarded with up to 20 km/l (5 L/100 km).

How much does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid cost?

The 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is available in two variants in the UAE – GXR and VXR. The entry-level GXR starts from AED 169,900, while the top VXR trim costs AED 199,900. If you want a reliable, spacious, comfortable, efficient, and decent-looking crossover SUV, then the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is definitely a worthy family SUV for you to consider.

FAQs

How much can the Toyota Highlander tow?

A: The Toyota Highlander can tow 5,000 lbs or 2,268 kg.

How does the Toyota Highlander compare to other SUVs in its class?

A: The Toyota Highlander is similar to other SUVs like the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, and Nissan Pathfinder.

What is the fuel efficiency of the Toyota Highlander?

A: The Toyota Highlander has a fuel efficiency of up to 20 km/l (5 L/100 km).

Can you tell me about the safety features of the Toyota Highlander?

A: The safety features of the Toyota Highlander include Dynamic Radar Cruise Control System (DRCC), Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert, Lane Trace Assist (LTA), Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and 7 airbags.

What are the available trim levels for the Toyota Highlander?

A: The Toyota Highlander is available in two trim levels in the UAE, which include the GXR and VXR trims.