By The current generation of Toyota’s mid-size crossover has been around for a couple of years and despite the excellent sales results, it looks like the company prepares a mid-cycle refresh. If we can trust the latest reports, the 2023 Toyota Highlander will be the one to receive a facelift. The officials are still quiet but experts believe that this could be a perfect time for novelties, which would keep this SUV highly competitive. Some sources also speculate about a long-wheelbase version, which would come as the Grand Highlander.
You may count on an SUV that has a lot of great things to offer. This is a comfortable SUV, with a well-designed cabin and a long list of standard equipment. Moreover, whether you pick the gasoline or hybrid version, you may count on solid driving dynamics as well. The hybrid model also offers a pretty impressive fuel economy.
We expect that the 2023 Toyota Highlander will hit the market sometime in the second half of the year.
2023 Toyota Highlander Design
AS we’ve just mentioned, the 2023 Toyota Highlander could receive a facelift, if we can trust unofficial reports. We presume that the focus would be on the styling. The front end would come with a couple of revisions, such as a new grille and bumper, which would make the SUV more appealing. Naturally,we would also expect to see new colors, new wheels and similar things.
On the other hand, the mechanical aspect would remain the same, including suspension and chassis setup. The Highlander definitely isn’t the most exciting SUV to drive but on the other hand, it offers a comfortable and relaxed ride.
Some sources also speculate about the Grand Highlander. This would be a stretched version of the SUV, with a longer wheelbase, where the main benefit would be additional passenger space. At this point, we are still waiting for the officials to hear more about this version.
Interior
When it comes to interior design, we might see a few changes as well. However, these things would be minimal, in terms of new color schemes and materials. On the other hand, most of the cabin will remain the same, which is not a bad thing at all. The current interior looks very nice and offers good overall quality. The materials are fine, while the build quality is very good. Even the sound insulation is better than you would expect from a typical Toyota.
The seating configuration includes three rows of seats and a capacity for seven passengers. The front seats are massive and supportive, while the second row accommodates adults with ease. On the other hand, the third row is typically tight for the segment and adults won’t find much use from them. The cargo area offers around 16 cubic feet behind the third row 48.4 cubic feet behind the second and 84.3 cubic feet of the total cargo volume. That’s about average for the segment.
Features
We have no doubt that the potential 2023 Toyota Highlander facelift would bring some novelties regarding new standard and available equipment. Still, keep in mind that the current model stands pretty well in this aspect, so changes probably won’t be numerous.
For reference, the current model comes standard with things like tri-zone climate control 8-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, a six-speaker stereo, Bluetooth, satellite radio, five USB ports, and a Wi-Fi hot spot. Among upgrades, you can find goodies like a 7-inch digital instrument cluster display, a 12.3-inch touch screen, navigation, an 11-speaker JBL premium stereo, wireless device charging, a moonroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a universal garage door opener, ambient interior lighting, a household-style power outlet, a panoramic moonroof and many more.
2023 Toyota Highlander Engines
On the other hand, we don’t expect to see changes under the hood. Standard models will continue with a good-old 3.5-liter V6, which puts out around 295 horsepower and offers solid driving dynamics. The engine comes in pair with an 8-speed automatic transmission, which is smooth and refined. Besides good performances, you may count on pretty good fuel economy, which goes around 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway.
On the other hand, the hybrid version uses a well-known system based on a 2.5-liter inline-four, which puts out around 243 horsepower. It comes with a CVT gearbox and offers surprisingly good performance. What’s not a surprise is excellent fuel economy, which goes around 36 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway.
2023 Toyota Highlander Release Date and Price
We believe that the 2023 Toyota Highlander will arrive sometime in the second half of the year, with a starting price of around 36.000 dollars. The hybrid should feature starting price of around 39.000 dollars. Key competitors are models like Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse, Honda Pilot etc.
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