The Toyota Highlander gets a facelift to become a much better vehicle when it comes to the mileage and the overall design aesthetics. We got our hands on the top variant of the vehicle which is going to cost you around USD 49,990 which is around USD 5850 more costly than the lowest variant. What do we get for this massive price you ask? Well, for one thing the massive improvement in the mileage as the company claims that it is going to shoot up to somewhere between 27 to 28 mpg. However, we drove it for longer distances across the highways, the busy traffic and the harder terrains and we got the mileage of about 25 which is still very good compared to other vehicles in the segment and also the fact that the vehicle weighs around 4,861 pounds. That is quite unbelievable for a midsized, 7 seater crossover vehicle that is 4861 pounds heavy. The only drawback owing to the amazing fuel efficiency, apart from the added cost of around USD 6000, is the fall in the towing capacity of the low torque hybrid vehicle. It stands at 3500 pounds, which is a big 1500 less than the standard version of the Highlander.
One interesting element to consider about the crossover is the fact that it accelerates at an even rate as the lighter gas version which can go up to 0 to 60 miles per hour in a very short period of 7.5 seconds. The cargo space remains the same with a very cool placement of the battery pack.
The vehicle got facelifted for the year 2014 and remains basically unchanged this year. However, the 2016 version of the Highlander which will be available for sales by the end of this year, will go through a number of transformations such as a new grille will be placed along with some changes to the electrical drivetrain.
The vehicle we tested looks extremely stylish, much better than its older sibling which had more of a Boxy design which looked quite unattractive. This new change does very good justice to the speculations that finally Toyota is working on the exteriors of its vehicle to give them a sleek and edgy look. The interior is also very noteworthy and remarkable. With a big number of cup holders (I lost the count after 10), with a very handy shelf below the beautiful dashboard and a very large storage compartment for console big enough to house your pet dog. The dash design is very much eye pleasing and useful at the same time.
All in all, driving this one hell of a Hybrid vehicle is a pleasant experience to say the least. The leather trimmed seats makes one feel like floating on the cloud and placed at a perfectly suitable height with adjustment options.
Coming to the powertrain, the 3.5 litres v6 engine which has been mated with two electric motors for the optimum performance churns out a maximum power of 280 horses.
Finally, thumbs up from our side. Well worth your hard earned money.
