2020 Toyota Highlander breaks cover at 2019 New York Auto Show

MANILA: Stepping out in the world is the 2020 Toyota Highlander. SUVs and crossovers are all the rage in today’s world and Toyota has gifted the world with another one. In its fourth generation now, the Toyota Highlander has gone under a heavy hammer, portray the updated looks of the crossover.

Just like the Camry, Corolla, and RAV4, the 2020 Highlander is also underpinned by the TNGA platform. However, the platform laying the foundation for the Highlander is slightly modified in order to accommodate a hybrid setup.

On the design front, we see some radical changes on the crossover. Up front, a huge blacked-out grille is flanked by a pair of sensual upswept LED headlamps. At the rear, the wraparound taillights are also all-LED and contribute to the dashing design of the 2020 Highlander. The pillars are also blacked-out and provide the roof with a floating appearance. Moreover, there is also a tailgate integrated spoiler along with a stoplight in the centre.

Hop inside the 2020 Toyota Highlander and the changes here are as drastic as the outside of the crossover. The most impressive update is the addition of a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. However, this huge touchscreen is only available with the top-of-the-line variant and the lower trims get a smaller 8-inch unit. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are part of the infotainment system irrespective of the size of the touchscreen.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander gets its power from a 3.5-litre naturally-aspirated V6 motor that generates 299 PS of maximum power and a peak torque of 357 Nm. The power delivery duties are assigned to an 8-speed automatic transmission unit. Moving to the hybrid model,

the crossover houses a 2.5-litre inline-four internal combustion engine that works in conjunction with two electric motors. Available in both 2WD and AWD forms, this hybrid setup can produce a maximum power of 240 PS.

Irrespective of the variant, the 2020 Toyota Highlander features Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 as standard. The presence of safety features like Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS),

Smart Stop Technology (SST), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), and Traction Control (TRAC) make the 2020 Toyota Highlander as safe as a house. Sales of the fourth generation Toyota Highlander will commence from the month of December, later this year.

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