Toyota Highlander 2015
By
pusahma dua
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Friday, May 18, 2018
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2015 Toyota Highlander
Toyota heard consumers while revamping the seven/eight-seat 2014 Highlander and also responded to needs for even more cabin as well as cargo area, dynamic designing as well as premium amenities. Ask for an extra dynamic driving experience needs to have been professionally disregarded, nevertheless, as the 2014's harsher ride is a tradeoff I do not assume lots of midsize SUV purchasers ought to need to live with in return for sportier handling.
Still, other renovations will most certainly attract consumers that had scraped the previous Highlander off their listing or a minimum of to those that don't consider a comfy ride an essential. The 2014 Highlander's increased freight room behind the typical third-row seat is a much-needed enhancement; plus, it's much easier to get right into the third row, which now sittings three as well as bumps standard seating capacity to 8.
toyota highlander 2015
With upgrades that cover the schedule of LE, LE Plus, XLE, Limited as well as Limited Platinum trim levels, the 2014 Highlander is now in far better form to take on the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2014 Ford Explorer as well as 2014 Honda Pilot.
I drove four-cylinder, six-cylinder as well as Hybrid 2014 Highlanders at a Toyota media event.
Outside & Designing
Toyota returned to the attracting board to revamp its aging as well as stylistically empty Highlander. Fast-forward to 2014, as well as you can not call the Highlander boring looking any kind of longer. The 2013's ho-hum look transforms into a hulking SUV with a beefier stance, protruding fenders and strong front designing. Its presence was big on the 2013 New York International Auto Show floor where it debuted, as well as it looks just as good rolling down the street.
How It Drives
The driving experience isn't really the auto's most attractive quality, despite having a selection of encouraging brand-new chassis as well as suspension modifications, so it excels the brand-new SUV does so numerous various other points well.
Toyota chose curved canyon as well as coastal roadways in California to demonstrate the Highlander's new handling chops. Driving a 2013 and also 2014 back to back, the 2014 does display greater degrees of road grip as well as a boosted steering reaction. It's more athletic when excavating right into a corner, though I would not call the Highlander enjoyable to drive. The 270-horsepower V-6 doesn't have an immediate punch of velocity in the hefty Highlander. It's a far cry from the lighter, 290-hp Hyundai Santa Fe, which is a "little" ball of excitement among other similar three-row SUVs. A six-cylinder Highlander LE with front-wheel drive is 4,244 extra pounds, while a V-6, front-wheel-drive Santa Fe GLS is 3,933 pounds.
A damaging result of the Highlander's newly found characteristics is a choppier ride over harsh roadways. After driving 2013 and 2014 versions, I might tell the 2014 transmits more road blemishes with the chassis and right into seats. Hey, Toyota: It's OK to have an aggressive layout and also flight like a couch; see the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.
On the benefit, the 2014 Highlander has an extra considerable feeling over rough roadways, with fewer rattles, squeaks and also framework flex. It's a matured experience with enhanced noise insulation, acoustic glass and a stiffer chassis helping maintain outside sound very little.
I quickly spent time in the four-cylinder Highlander with front-wheel drive, which Toyota anticipates to make up 5 to 10 percent of sales, and also in the all-new Highlander Crossbreed. Both the front-wheel-drive-only four-cylinder (20/25/22 mpg city/highway/combined) and also all-wheel-drive-only Hybrid V-6 (27/28/28 mpg) are a little rough around the edges as far as engine noise as well as resonances. The Crossbreed's gas mileage is fairly unchanged for 2014, down 1 mpg in city ratings to 27 mpg yet preserves its 28 mpg incorporated rating. The shift from electrical to when the engine fires up is obvious with raw sounds originating from under the hood, audible from across a parking lot. Resonances from the change are minimal, yet the sounds are loud enough to take notice.
An extra 353 extra pounds added to the crossbreed from three electrical motors-- 2 in the front and also one in the back-- and a nickel metal hydride battery is recognizable in just how the Crossbreed drives compared to the Restricted V-6 with four-wheel drive. It's a kicked back experience less excited concerning speeding up and dealing with despite having 280-hp integrated, as well as it likewise does not ride any smoother than the non-hybrid.
The Hybrid's uncommonly loud engine noises wouldn't be as much of a problem if the Highlander Hybrid weren't $48,160 with destination, $7,130 more than 2013-- a 2014 Lexus RX 450h is $47,320, however a lot smaller on the within. The Highlander Hybrid's luxury auto cost doesn't show luxury refinement since the feature-loaded Crossbreed Limited is the only Hybrid offered; the less-expensive variation obtained the axe for 2014.
The volume-seller V-6 is the most fine-tuned of the number, supplying smooth and predictable acceleration along with the very best handling with four-wheel drive. The V-6-powered Highlander's gas mileage of 19/25/21 mpg with front-wheel drive and also 18/24/20 mpg with all-wheel drive is likewise extra affordable than the outward bound 2013 thanks to a new six-speed transmission replacing a five-speed unit on V-6 models. The all-wheel-drive system, which is additionally new, aids add 2 mpg highway over the 2013 variation. All-wheel-drive Highlanders send torque to the back wheels when slippage is spotted, versus the previous system that always sent torque to four wheels.
Inside
Part of the 2014's makeover includes dialing up the interior styling with many soft-touch and accent-stitched interior panels that improve the classiness. The high quality is Toyota-Avalon good with a sewn control panel, guiding wheel and also soft-touch, high-grade materials in prominent places. Plastic areas that typically aren't textured, sewed or covered are still on the same level for the course. Also the base LE Highlander shows the practically luxurylike niceness of the higher-optioned Minimal trims.
Seating fits in the very first and 2nd rows with soft, broad pole positions and a very flexible second row that glides as well as reclines with 2 captain's chairs or the basic three-seat bench setup-- captain's chairs are available on the XLE as well as standard on the Limited. The rest of the Highlander might have been redone with dynamism in mind, but the seats talk to its comfort-focused origins. Many individuals on our team will miss the 2013's detachable second-row center seat. I won't, as it was uncomfortable and cumbersome to remove and replace with the facility table that kept under the center console.
In the 3rd row, Toyota boosted size and also added an added seat for an optimum ability of 8 residents in typical setup. A new, a lot more small back suspension released the extra room. The third row still doesn't fit adults with as much convenience as the larger Chevrolet Traverse, yet it readies in a pinch. There are additionally brand-new one-touch folding second-row seats on both sides. Previously, only the curbside seat folded up and moved ahead via the one-touch lever. Third-row cyclists also benefit from the second row's increased seat travel, which permits simple entry as well as departure.
Functional design & Electronic devices
Modern technology is a massive emphasis in the 2014 Highlander as well as done very well. Toyota's Entune multimedia system functions better compared to ever before compared with other Toyota automobiles in which I've used the system. Working the Entune system's voice commands goes over. The versions I checked detected the various voice commands I spoke.
Those with large phones or who frequently have their phone attached to the SUV will certainly value a gadget storage walk listed below the climate controls that provides a pass-through for USB cords. There need to disappear Medusa-like dangling of wires the equipment selector.
The typical Entune on base LE versions includes a 6.1-inch touch-screen with backup camera, USB port with iPod connection, auxiliary input, voice acknowledgment, Bluetooth phone connectivity and Bluetooth streaming audio. LE Plus trims have Entune Sound Plus with a higher-resolution 6.1-inch display, HD Radio as well as 90-day satellite radio subscription. The next step up is Entune Premium Sound with Navigating and also Application Collection on XLE versions with an 8-inch touch-screen and also app suite with Pandora, Yelp as well as Facebook integration with a smartphone and also accompanying Entune downloadable application. A JBL stereo is typical on Restricted trim levels.
The huge facility storage space container between the pole positions could devour anything plus-sized, like a purse, iPad or Blu-ray collection for the available rear-seat Blu-ray gamer. When you fail to remember that Blu-ray in your home, an interesting brand-new attribute called Easy Speak transfers the booming voice of a mad mommy or father with the rear stereo speakers through the Bluetooth microphone to maintain wild kids in check. How much a lot more family members concentrated can you get than offering a feature that enables parents to yell at youngsters?
Cargo, Towing & Storage
Freight space behind the 3rd row enhances over the previous Highlander's skimpy walk, which had a hard time bring grocery stores, let alone a stroller or golf bag. The cargo volume is now rated at 13.8 cubic feet, up from 10.3 cubic feet. It's not a massive improvement, yet a minimum of it makes the area useful. It's still small compared to others in the segment: The Traveler has 21 cubic feet and also the Pilot has 18 cubic feet behind the 3rd row. Toyota's trickery to enhance cargo room involved moving all 3 rows of seats forward, including size behind the rear wheels and using a more compact back suspension.
The power liftgate is an outstanding attribute to be standard on LE Plus trim levels and also above, and also has a dress up its sleeve: It adjusts to various heights, not just 1 or 2 established height settings. With the liftgate in motion, customers could quit the liftgate as well as program it to open to that established height the following time. The feature will certainly make much shorter motorists and proprietors of low garages really happy. (If eviction goes too expensive, shorter people could battle to reach the power-close button on its bottom side.) An additional one-of-a-kind attribute on the back is an oldie but a reward: On LE And also designs and above, the back home window opens up for very easy accessibility independent of the freight gate.
A 5,000-pound tow ranking on XLE and also Limited trim levels features a conventional towing plan that includes engine/transmission coolers and updated radiator as well as generator. Crossbreeds could tow 3,500 pounds, V-6 LE/LE And also could tow 2,000 extra pounds and also a four-cylinder LE is ranked at 1,500 pounds.
Safety
The 2014 Highlander hadn't been crash-tested at the time of this writing.
The 2014 Highlander offers lower supports as well as tethers on outboard second-row seats for child-safety seats, but only a tether support on the middle third-row seat.
Advanced safety functions are available, though just on the pricey Restricted trim degree where an unseen area monitoring system and also back car parking aid are common, and also pre-collision, flexible cruise ship control as well as lane departure warning are optional. Restricted trim degrees are likewise the only versions with a backup camera that utilizes anticipating standards to show the car's course-- a back-up video camera with fixed lines is standard on all various other trim degrees.
Value in Its Class
Toyota states prices is up around $1,500 usually throughout the 2014 trim levels, that include extra attributes over the 2013. Base pricing starts at $30,075 for a base four-cylinder LE with destination, while volume-seller XLE models with four-wheel drive are $38,360 as well as consist of leather seating with warmed pole positions, navigation, three-zone environment control, smart keyless entrance, second-row sunshades as well as even more. Rates for the XLE is really affordable to three-row midsize SUVs like the Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer as well as the Hyundai Santa Fe.
The 2013 Highlander was truly a midpack three-row SUV, hanging back in essential locations like indoor top quality, freight space and also technology. Rest assured, if you're a Highlander proprietor looking to update-- as long as you're unconcerned about flight high quality-- the 2014 is not just a compelling upgrade, yet likewise worthwhile of cross-shopping the sector's finest.