2014 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD

Toyota's enveloped its tremendous-marketing crossover SUV in more-angular sheet metal designed to pull in more men, so for 2014. There's also a bolder grille that's somewhat reminiscent of the snout of the full size Tundra pick-up, in addition to outstanding chrome eyebrows, which seem like something Girl Gaga desires she had but are actually a lot more The wheels are larger, also, with all the foundation rollers heading from 1 7 to 18-inches, plus they sit under more-muscular wheel flares.

Indoors, the Highlander's inside has been "Avalonized" with more soft touch substances to the dashboard and doors. Toyota discloses to toothandnail opposition from Korean nameplates invading the lower-end of the mid size crossover section, hence the has company Japanese roused in more characteristics and refinement to maneuver the Highlander somewhat Toyota additionally says it stiffened the Highlander's physique, specially in the roof and Bpillar region. Eventually, it states it created a spot of creating the 2014 version quieter, including a fresh acoustic guitar windshield, a thicker front dashboard-panel silencer, and under-carpeting sound deadening.

2014 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD

Newfound Stash Space

From the incredibly useful yet additionally supremely uninteresting section comes a brand new dash "ledge" above the glove-box running in the passenger's door to only over the driver's correct knee. It's useful for stashing mobiles, parking/toll tickets, handcuffs, as well as other detritus. The brand new tambour-top-front games console is a deep, 24.5-liter properly that's competent, as Toyota presented, of carrying 38 12-oz cans of your preferred drink. The HVAC controls are simplified, and there's a heated steering wheel in addition to a fresh discretionary panoramic sunroof and warmed-and-cooled front seats. A new eighth air bag resides--hopefully forever--in the leading passenger-seat pillow, and there's a lengthy listing of new nanny-design technology including car high beams and blindspot, back cross-visitors, pre-crash, and lane-departure warning methods.

The Highlander now includes a motorist info display involving the tach and speedo together with touch screen controls for the Entune infotainment program in the middle stack. The panel there actions 6.1 inches on-base versions and 8.0 inches on XLE trimmings and above. Typical around the versions --so XLE on upwards--is Motorist Simple Address, an one way PA program to the loudspeakers in the rear of the The point will be to enable you to holler at your children in the back two rows more efficiently. Or, if you're mad, bark in the pallet of Oreos you purchased at Costco.

2014 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD

Eighth Guy Outside

Discussing of small-fry, Toyota's upped the brand new Highlander's passenger capability to 8. Even though a 2nd-row seat that slides fore-and-aft does permit one to more attentively parse outside leg room involving the rear-most rows, the 3rd row nevertheless isn't a spot you'd assign to anybody you enjoy. And Toyota stays the sole carmaker that still supplies a rear lift gate with alone opening glass.

A 185-hp, 2.7-liter four-cylinder is common in the purchase price-leader LE version, but most Highlanders is likely to be sold with all the 270-hp 3.5-liter v6. The typical six-speed automatic characteristics a Snow mode, manual handle, and hill -start support. Additionally standard is Eco style, which flattens throttle reaction and strengths earlier component-throttle up-shifts to suck less gas. Towing capability remains at 5000 lbs for v 6 versions. Elective for v6 versions simply is ondemand that works in front drive A mode is typical, though.

2014 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD

More Gumption, Less Float

After on the street, the steps Toyota has had to calm the Highlander's cabin are instantly obvious. A sense of structural fortitude and also the hushed manner are main takeaways. The newest trailing arm double-wishbone rear suspension is largely a room-conserving layout, but that organization's enhanced camber manage in concert with decreased friction in the vehicle's varying-boost electrical steering gear provides linear result at submit and weights up pretty nicely at freeway speeds. (In layperson's conditions, that signifies it's more precise to put in parking lots and around township while needing less steering corrections in the highway.) The Highlander feels rather secure at speed. Torque lead still raises its hideous head at wide open-throttle down-shifts on front drive Highlanders, and comments in the steering wheel is minimum. Additionally, the Highlander's brakes, while simple to modulate, absence top-of-pedal crispness. The good thing is the 2014 version's body movements are better managed and trip frequencies are a little shorter in amplitude, offering a significant sharp contrast to the floatier sense of earlier versions. Great opportunities to undertake twisty back-roads were non existent throughout the press function in historical Charleston, South Carolina, therefore we're getting excited about flogging one mercilessly on our house jurisdiction shortly.

While the brand new Highlander does use some fancier duds, eventually it stays the handy minivan surrogate that it's consistently been, and that Toyota wants it to be. Want more evidence?

2014 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD Start Up, Review, Exhaust, & Quick Test Drive - video