2020 Toyota Highlander: Time for Adventures

If you were a fan of the previous generation Toyota Highlander, you’re definitely going to want to check out this all-new updated version of one of the first three-row SUVs to hit the automotive market.

Toyota has a history of sticking to what it does best, and the Highlander is one of those products. From the beginning it seemed they had a winner, and as the years have progressed and the generations have evolved – nearly 20 years now – Toyota has continued to improve on a good thing.

In this latest fourth generation Toyota Highlander, the Japanese automaker have taken all the good things about SUVs and put them into one attractive, easy to drive package.

For starters, the exterior design of the 2020 Toyota Highlander has matured nicely, featuring an updated front grille that’s both commanding and classic without being too edge-y. There’s a definite family resemblance within the Toyota family lineup now, and the 2020 Toyota Highlander wears the look well. An aggressively styled rear wheel arch that drags down below the passenger doors gives the Highlander a muscular stance, and one that’s decidedly sporty.

Inside, the 2020 Toyota Highlander features a host of technological upgrades that include Apply CarPlay, Android Auto and even Amazon Alexa integration and Waze app control. All models come standard with an 8” touchscreen, save for the Platinum, which comes standard with a 12.3” screen for navigation and multimedia.

Those who like to keep an organized car and front seating area need not fear, Toyota kept the mid-dash shelf that was oh-so popular in the previous generation, only this time they split it into two sections. Even the largest smartphones on the market today will fit, and that’s where you’ll also find the three front USB ports – so everyone’s phones stay plugged in but away from hands and distracted driving.

When it comes to power, the 2020 Toyota Highlander has two available powertrains. The first is the standard 3.5L V6 that produces 295 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque. At the moment, this is the most powerful standard output in the segment. And this power is coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

There are also two available AWD drive system, one that favours the front wheels until slippage is detected, when it can then send power to the rear. And when it comes to the higher trim levels, they feature something called Dynamic Torque Vectoring which works as a FWD platform until it detects the wheels slipping and then it can send power to each rear wheel individually for ultimate grip.

There is also a hybrid version of the 2020 Toyota Highlander, which features a 2.5L 4-cylinder paired with a team of electric motors that power the front wheels, unless you opt for an AWD Hybrid in which case you get a third electric motor to help power all four wheels. The total power output on the Hybrid Highlander is 240 horsepower.

To find out more about the 2020 Toyota Highlander before it hits the showroom floor, head down to your local Laking Toyota dealer to speak to one of our experts.