New York

2017 Toyota Highlander: New Powerplants and a Facelift

by Frédérick Boucher-Gaulin
Toyota Highlander
Photo: Toyota Canada Inc.

The Toyota Highlander may not be the most popular vehicle on the road–especially if you compare it to its smaller brother the RAV4, or its rival the Ford Explorer–but the Toyota Highlander has a very dedicated fan base.

This year, these people will be happy to learn that their favorite midsize SUV will be modernized. It keeps the same platform, but gets a slew of little updates that are designed to help it stay relevant for a few more years.

If you see a 2017 Highlander on the opposite side of the highway, you’ll recognize it by its new grille and headlights. If you are following one, it will be much harder to recognise: there have been very little changes at the rear compared to last year’s version.

Under the hood, you can spot more new features such as the all-new 3.5 litre V6. It is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which replaces the outgoing six-speed unit. A 2.7-litre, four-cylinder engine is also available, but only in the United States.

If you want to see the 2017 Toyota Highlander, it will be shown at the New York Auto Show. If you can’t make it there, you’ll have to wait until next winter for the truck to arrive in dealerships.

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