2023 Toyota Highlander ditches V6 for 2.4-litre turbo-four

For six consecutive years, the Toyota Highlander has been the top-selling midsize crossover in America, and a major redesign is coming for 2023.

An all-new 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine replaces the previous 3.5-litre V6 engine under the hood. There is a loss of 30PS, but a gain of 62Nm in torque with a 269PS and 418Nm engine. The new gas engine will be paired with either a front- or all-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission. A different version of the same engine is also used by the Lexus NX350. As for the hybrid powertrain, it will remain the same for the new model year. It will boast the same EPA ratings of up to 15.31kmpl combined for the front-wheel-drive model.

Toyota said the four-cylinder is more environmentally friendly as it offers “more than a 50% reduction in NOx and NMOG [emissions> as well as an improvement in CO2 emissions compared to the outgoing V6 engine.”

The all-new Toyota Highlander will feature a larger 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, but only on the Limited and Platinum variants. While power folding mirrors are now standard across the range, the XLE and XSE trims also benefit from a power liftgate. There’s a new spot for the wireless smartphone charger, which now sits at a more convenient spot on the dashboard.

The Toyota Audio Multimedia system, which made its debut on the 2022 Tundra, is now standard across the lineup. Features such as cloud-based navigation, over-the-air updates, and an intelligent assistant that responds to the “Hey Toyota” wake word are offered by the high-tech modern-day multimedia system. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with integrated Apple Music and Amazon Music streaming with the available Wi-Fi Connect subscription, is also onboard.

Additionally, a brand new Cypress paint job is complemented by updated Harvest Beige and Glazed Caramel interiors, which swap Noble Brown accents for Black ones. In addition, the 2023 Highlander XSE gains new 20-inch wheels with a black finish.

It is unknown how much the updated Highlander will cost, but we expect it to cost slightly more than the 2022 model.

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