The Highlander is not by chance one of the best sellers on the market. This has a long history of reliability, numerous safety features and comes with a variety of fuel efficient engine choices. Here are three 2023 Toyota Highlander driving pros and a crook.
One of the benefits of driving the 2023 Toyota Highlander is the style
While driving the 2023 Toyota Highlander this month, a few things stood out. It has all the modern design elements one might expect from a brand new SUV, but somehow doesn’t feel too modern. Maybe it’s because Toyota has slightly updated and improved the SUV’s looks over the years without going too far over the edge. Even 10-year-old Highlander SUVs don’t look too dated.
study looked at the potential lifespan of vehicles, and the Highlander made the list twice. The study found that the Highlander had the potential to last 218,075 miles or more with proper care and maintenance. He also found the Highlander Hybrid had the potential to last 244,994 miles or more.
It would make sense that the SUV didn’t take too many styling risks, so it doesn’t look outdated, even though it has more than 200,000 miles on the odometer.
Safety systems have made driving the 2023 Toyota Highlander easy
If you’ve been in a modern vehicle lately, all the driver assistance and safety systems can be overwhelming. The 2023 Highlander comes standard with Safety Sense 2.5+, which includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Full Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warning with Steering Assist .
These systems make driving the Toyota Highlander 2023 easier, but not in an intrusive way. The beep was minimal during everyday driving, and when the systems felt the need to kick in for one reason or another, it was helpful and not overbearing. Toyota’s Road Sign Assist was actually very helpful even in the pouring rain when entering a school zone.
The 2023 Toyota Highlander is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick Plus winner. It also received a five-star safety rating from the .
The hybrid powertrain option makes the Highlander even more fuel efficient
The 2023 Toyota Highlander has two engine choices: the 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and the hybrid. The 2.4L is all new for this year, with 256PS and 309Nm of torque. The combined 24 mpg is the same as last year, but Toyota says it’s much more environmentally friendly. It can also tow 5,000 pounds and starts at $36,420.
however, it is quite reasonably priced but offers much better fuel economy. Toyota offers the hybrid in four trim levels: LE ($40,220), XLE ($43,220), Limited ($47,475), and Platinum ($50,675). The hybrid powertrain combines a 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine and two electric motors. The Highlander gets 36 mpg combined with the hybrid and can tow 3,500 lbs.
Make sure there is sufficient cargo space before committing
The Highlander may not have enough space depending on how many seats you need on a regular basis. With the captain’s chairs, she can still seat seven passengers, but cargo space is compromised. All trim levels get 16.0 cubic feet of space behind the third row. Folding the split 60/40 third-row seatbacks brings up to 48.4 cubic feet, and folding the third seat brings the total cubic area to 84.3 cubic feet.
Sixteen cubic feet is enough for luggage and groceries, but may not be enough for seven people and groceries. Lowering the third row is easy, and the 60/40 split makes it a little more versatile.
At the end of the day, driving the 2023 Toyota Highlander was a pretty healthy experience. The pros outweigh the cons, but no car, truck, or SUV is perfect. Modern vehicles benefit from more features and technology, but these aren’t foolproof either. Comfort, versatility and safety are just some of the positives that follow the Highlander.
