Toyota revealed the new generation 2014 Highlander SUV at the 2013 New York International Auto Show. The Japanese carmaker announced that the 2014 Toyota Highlander is going to be available in showrooms starting from early next year. However, they did not disclose its price list yet. Toyota has designed a new exterior and interior for the 2014 Highlander. The new version of the 4x4 is sleek and dynamic and it promises to offer a premium interior. The new Toyota Highlander (2014) is going to be available with a choice between three engines. The entry level 2014 Highlander is powered by a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine with variable intake manifold and dual Variable-Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i), that's mated to a 6-speed electronically controlled automatic gearbox.
If you're looking for a more powerful Highlander (2014), you can get a 3.5-liter V6, which comes with an ECT transmission and selectable manual sequential shifting. The 2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine and an electric motor. Since Toyota did not disclose the output of these engines, we assume they've be carried from the current generation of the model.
For the 2014 Highlander, Toyota is offering the new Dynamic Torque Control All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system, and an optimized electric power steering system.
The new AWD system of the Highlander shifts automatically from FWD to all-wheel-drive when accelerating or when sensors detect wheel slippage. The system is able to monitor and control the torque transfer between the 4x4's axels via an electromagnetically controlled coupling positioned in the rear differential. The torque distribution can vary from 100:0 to 50:50.
The 2014 Toyota Highlander comes with a MacPherson strut front suspension, double-wishbone rear suspension. The SUV's spring rates and the shock absorbers have been revised. At high speeds the new Highlander (2014) uses an interactive management system that coordinates the AWD, the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and the Electric Power Steering (EPS) systems.
The new Highlander (2014) comes with a third row of seats, which means it can carry up to eight passengers (including the driver). It promises to offer more cargo space than its predecessor, more comfort and increased utility.
The changes in terms of exterior and interior design are obvious when looking at the images. What's not so obvious is the fact that the 2014 Highlander is more aerodynamic than its predecessor thanks to a lower roofline. The SUV comes with a newly rear lift-gate with one-touch power open/close and driver selectable memory height settings. Thanks to 30% more insulation, the 2014 Highlander comes with less cabin noise. Its panoramic moonroof is also working on reducing the noise inside the vehicle.
At the interior, the 2014 Toyota Highlander comes with a soft-touch instrument panel and such materials as silver-painted, satin, chrome, leather and wood. It features a new roll-top center console box and an in-meter-cluster Multi-Information Display.
2014 Toyota Highlander equipment list:
- Automatic High Beam System
- Auto Cruise Control
- Smart Key
- driver's seat memory
- heated and ventilated front seats
- heated second-row captain's seats
- heated steering wheel
- Entune multimedia system
- Display Audio system with a 6.1-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth and voice recognition
- 8-inch touchscreen system
- 12 JBL speakers
- Rear Seat Entertainment system with an RCA coaxial input terminal for connecting gaming systems.
2014 Toyota Highlander safety systems
- Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control
- Traction Control
- Electronic Brake-force Distribution
- Brake Assist
- Anti-lock Braking System
- Smart Stop Technology
- backup camera
- Hill-start Assist Control
- AWD LOCK switch.
- rear parking sonar
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Lane Departure Alert
- Rear Cross Traffic Alert
- Pre-collision System.
2014 Toyota Highlander presentation video:
