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NEW YORK – Forget Lexus, this month of December will be a memorable event for Toyota Highlander fans, as the all-new model unveiled at the New York International Auto Show is on sale.
The three-row Highlander is built on Toyota's latest vehicle architecture, which is common to its best selling vehicles, the Rav4 and the Camry, and promises to bring a new level of sophistication to the big SUV.
The 2020 model is two inches longer than the one it replaces, and this entire length is meant to increase the size of the cargo area to help the Highlander compete better with its rival, the giant Honda Pilot.
The Highlander will be offered with seating for seven or eight people and the choice of a conventional V6 engine or a hybrid powertrain.
The 3.5-liter V6 develops 295 hp and comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission. It can tow up to 5,000 lbs and is available with an all-wheel drive system that can improve handling through a torque vectoring feature that shifts power from one side to the other when cornering. It offers several optimized driving modes for various surfaces, including: mud and sand.
There is also a hybrid model that will follow in February and it is very different from the outgoing model. The powertrain combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a pair of coaxially mounted engines in the transaxle. One helps propel the car and both circuits to recharge the battery during braking and when extra power is produced.
According to Toyota, front-wheel drive models are expected to achieve a combined EPA rating of 34 mpg, an increase of 29 mpg for the current Highlander Hybrid. An AWD hybrid adds a third electric motor that drives only the rear wheels, a setting similar to that of the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid.
Toyota's Safety Sense 2.0 semi-autonomous driver assistance package is standard on all models and includes automatic emergency brakes and adaptive cruise control, while a blind spot alert and automatic parking sonar assistance are optional.
The interior has been improved with smoother surfaces, and the Platinum premium trim includes a 1200-watt 11-speaker audio system, a 360-degree camera and a 12.3-inch touch screen. inches for the infotainment system equipped with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a WiFi access point.
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