Toyota Highlander 2022

The Highlander is a very classic SUV owned by Toyota. Now the latest Toyota Highlander on sale is the 2022 model, with a guide price of 268,800-348,800 yuan.

The latest Highlander makes boring time zero. Its supercharged style leans toward big, bulging fenders and many angular breaks around the hood, not to mention a bunch of ribs on the XSE's grille. It's big and it's not shy. Even in the version with the large 12.3-inch touchscreen and jazzy trim, the interior is more sedate and minimalist.

Most Highlanders roll off the line with the intelligent response of a 295-horsepower V-6 and an 8-speed automatic powering the front or all four wheels. The Highlander has a dynamic balance of response and handling, the sturdiest XSE tune probably not what most shoppers of this family hauler are after. The Hybrid is our pick because of its 36 mpg city EPA rating, which is excellent for an eight-passenger SUV.

Highlander drivers aren't necessarily focused on driving; we get it. We also get the feature advantage the minivan has over a large three-row SUV like this, but the Highlander does everything it can to steer you away from the related Sienna. It's big and comfortable, and its third-row seats—though too small for tall people—can be easily accessed by sliding the middle seat forward. With more than 84 cubic feet of space behind the front seats, there's plenty of room for hours of pure eight-person "joy" on a two-person off-road camping or family vacation.

The Highlander is recognized by the NHTSA and IIHS with the highest crash-test scores, while Toyota, a pioneer in standard safety equipment, equips each with automatic emergency braking, active lane control, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitors.

In this generation, the Highlander has skipped its past and headed straight for the digital French curve in the designer's virtual toolkit. On the XSE model, the shape of the nose changes from a simpler base model to a Predator-style bite. The arches don't look as swollen as they are, they are grafted onto simple stamped door panels. The roofline tapers to the rear without much drama. It all blends into a disjointed but sporty look that's a far cry from the analog minivan shapes of yesteryear.

Inside, layered dashes smooth out the first impression the body makes. It comes with lots of storage space for small items, as well as controls and touchscreens that don't face the driver. The base version has an 8.0-inch display; a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen dominates the dash, but doesn't overwhelm the tasteful trim options that flank it.

How fast is the Toyota Highlander?

The V-6 delivers strong acceleration. A 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive delivers 0-60 mph in the seven-second range. In high-spec models, the Highlander weighs anywhere from about 4,100 pounds to over 4,400 pounds, but it still slicks off the line, passes with snappy response, and pulls trailers up to 5,000 pounds.

Is the Toyota Highlander a 4WD?

All-wheel drive is available in three flavors to replace the standard front-wheel drive. The low-spec version has a simple setting that can distribute up to 50 percent of the power to the rear wheels when it detects slip. Higher-spec non-hybrid models offer a system with rear-axle torque vectoring; it splits power front and rear, then left and right across the rear wheels for more useful traction.

The hybrid crossover has a third system. Its 243-horsepower, 2.5-liter inline-four and electric motor are backed by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack that works with the electric motor on the rear wheels to provide all-wheel drive, which means the motor only works for the rear when the front wheels are slipping Wheels provide power.