2023 Toyota Highlander turbo-4 replaces old reliable V-6

The V-6 is useless. Lengthy are living the turbo-4.

The 2023 Toyota Highlander mid-sizing crossover will no longer come with the 3.5-liter V-6 engine that suburban families all more than North America expect in their three-row SUV. This year, the top rated engine is a new 265-hp 2.4-liter turbo-4 developing 310 lb-ft of torque. It is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission powering the front wheels, or all four.

The Highlander’s presented a V-6 given that its launch in 2001, but more and more stiff corporate common gas financial state and tailpipe-emission regulations have considered it as well thirsty. The gain in EPA merged gas efficiency rating is only 1 or 2 miles for each gallon, from 23 mpg in 2022 for the V-6 with both front- or all-wheel generate to 24 mpg this year for the new turbo-4 paired with AWD, or 25 mpg in base FWD form. The 36-mpg Highlander Hybrid proceeds basically unchanged.

However it’s down 30 horsepower on the V-6, which was rated at 295 hp, Toyota states the maximum torque from the turbo-4 is up 17 p.c from 263 lb-ft of torque. Even with the more compact motor, Toyota stresses the Highlander’s towing capability of up to 5,000 lb is unchanged—an essential spec for potential buyers, it states. The Hybrid can tow up to 3,500 lb.

Not a lot else has altered in the Highlander this year: 2023 styles now incorporate two 12.3-inch screens: 1 for the instrument cluster, changing a 7.7-inch electronic display screen, the other a central touchscreen for multimedia. Those people trims now also have ability folding exterior mirrors as conventional. The much larger electronic cluster is optional on XLE and XSE grades, when the very low-conclusion L and LE styles up grade to the 7.7-inch cluster from final year’s 4.2-inch variation. For 2023, the base FWD Highlander starts at $37,755 and the Highlander Hybrid at $41,555 equally prices consist of a necessary $1,335 supply cost.

2023 Toyota Highlander

Do not mess with good results

To be flawlessly truthful, lots of purchasers of the 2023 Highlander may well never know they’ve shed the V-6 unless of course they ask—which they most likely will not. The new turbo-4 is pleasantly responsive higher than about 3,000 rpm, nevertheless only normal down below that. In other words and phrases, parents who preserve their foot in it can shift their youngsters amongst soon after-university occasions expeditiously.

They’ll discover the turbo Toyota Highlander gets noisy previously mentioned 4,000 rpm, however. At least in element, this is a end result of the excellent strides lots of automakers, like Toyota, have designed in suppressing sounds, vibration, and harshness at decreased engine speeds. The variation concerning an all-but-silent idle and a entire-on acceleration operate is significantly greater than it was 10 yrs ago. That is a disincentive to generate the Highlander hard, which if very little else must hold the powerful fuel mileage up. 

Toyota estimates acceleration from to 60 mph for our AWD 2023 exam vehicle at 8.1 seconds, or .3 sec slower than previous year’s V-6. The distinction for the FWD design is even lesser, at just .1 seconds more time than past year’s 7.6 seconds. Surprisingly, the turbo-4’s highest torque comes at a considerably reduced motor velocity this yr: 3,600 rpm vs final year’s 4,700 rpm for the V-6. We did not experience it had a lot of torque down below 2,000 rpm, but drivers will get made use of to the new motor.

The company now builds around a quarter of a million Highlanders a calendar year in Indiana and exports them all over the environment. It knows the SUV’s marketplace, and we’re very self-assured this new engine will not upset prospective buyers or ripple the demand curve.

Our check automobile was a 2023 Toyota Highlander XSE AWD in a wealthy metallic white identified as Wind Chill Pearl, with a Cockpit Pink interior. As the leading design in the Highlander SE/XSE “sporty appearance” line of trims, it incorporated 20-inch machined alloy wheels, tons of electric power equipment, and an optional 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment interface with a JBL Audio system powering 11 speakers. The base line on our car was $48,075, which includes the supply fee. Dealers throughout the country are now adding significant surcharges to suggested sticker selling prices, so store with warning.

Toyota furnished airfare, lodging, and foods to help The Automobile Connection to provide you this check drive assessment.