I drove a $55,000 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. These 19 features show why it's one of America's best-selling family SUVs

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Aggressive styling

The fourth-generation Highlander's styling, which is defined by its sculpted and diversion curves, has remained comparatively unchanged since its motorboat successful 2020. Although not universally beloved, Highlander's looks are surely bold and eye-catching.

Efficient hybrid powertrain

The hybrid Highlander has a 2.5-liter, 186 horsepower, people aspirated four-cylinder mated to a brace of electrical motors. All-wheel-drive models person an further electrical centrifugal mounted to nan rear axle. The ICE motor and electrical motors harvester to nutrient 243 full portion horsepower.

Instead of a lithium-ion artillery pack, nan Highlander has a accepted nickel-metal hydride battery.

My all-wheel-drive Highlander Hybrid Platinum boasted EPA fuel-economy figures of 35 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined.

That's 10 mpg higher than a non-hybrid all-wheel-drive Highlander.

Even aft being driven successful a spirited mode pinch immoderate generous applications of nan throttle, I was capable to scope 31 mpg successful mixed driving, truthful nan EPA ratings should beryllium easy achievable.

Well-designed cabin

The Highlander's compartment is simply a thoroughly enjoyable spot to be. It's stylish and thoughtfully designed pinch plentifulness of useful retention nooks and conveniently placed charging plugs.

What's astir awesome is nan worldly and build quality. The integrative interior trim pieces felt substantial, and nan full compartment felt impeccably screwed together.

Comfortable beforehand seats

The beforehand seats of my trial car were upholstered successful soft, rich, perforated tan leather that felt fresh for a Lexus. The heated and ventilated seats were supportive and offered bully adjustability.

Base LE trim Highlanders person cloth seats, while mid-grade models are trimmed successful SofTex synthetic leather. Only XLE and Platinum people models, for illustration my tester, get leather upholstery.

Second-row captain's chairs

The Highlander's second-row seats connection 38.7 inches of legroom, somewhat trailing nan Honda Pilot and Hyundai Palisade.

Despite not being nan roomiest successful nan segment, nan heated leather captain's chairs successful my trial car were excellent. They were supportive and comfortable.

Captain's chairs are disposable connected each trim levels isolated from nan guidelines LE and LE Nightshade trims, which travel only pinch a chair seat.

The Highlander's second-row passengers besides get dedicated ambiance controls, charging plugs, and a brace of cup holders.

Panoramic solid roof

A ample panoramic solid tile is disposable exclusively connected nan Platinum trim. A accepted moonroof is disposable connected little trim level Highlanders.

Standard information and driver's assistance tech

The Highlander Hybrid comes modular pinch Toyota's Safety Sense 2.5+ suite of driver's assistance tech, which includes pre-collision informing pinch pedestrian detection, move radar cruise control, lane departure alert pinch steering assist, lane tracing assist, roadworthy motion assist, and automatic precocious beams.

Premium audio system

The Platinum trim comes pinch an upgraded JBL sound that sounded terrific. The 11-speaker, 1,200-watt JBL premium audio strategy is modular connected nan Limited and Platinum trims.

Flexible cargo compartment

Open nan rear liftgate, and you'll find 16-cubic-foot cargo compartment down nan 3rd row. That falls short of nan Palisade's 18 cubic feet and nan Pilot's 18.6 cubic feet.

With nan third-row seats folded, nan Highlander's cargo capacity expands to 48.4 cubic. In total, nan Highlander boasts 84.3 cubic feet of cargo abstraction down its beforehand row, trailing nan Palisade and Pilot by 2 and 3.2 cubic feet, respectively.

Drive modes

The hybrid strategy offers 3 superior thrust modes: Normal, Eco, and Sport. Normal mode is for mundane driving, Eco is designed to maximize substance economy, and Sport mode quickens throttle consequence for peppier acceleration.

There's besides an EV Mode that allows for short periods of all-electric driving astatine debased speeds. Trail mode apportions further powerfulness to nan rear centrifugal to amended off-road traction.

Large infotainment screen

The focal constituent of nan Highlander's beforehand dash is its 12.3-inch touchscreen. Lower trim levels travel pinch a smaller 8-inch unit.

The touchscreen is highly responsive, and nan image value is excellent. The eight-inch and 12.3-inch screens person wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

Toyota's built-in navigation strategy is available, but requires a paid subscription.

Surround position camera

The Highlander Platinum comes pinch a surround-view camera system, which gives nan driver a unrecorded rotating 360-degree position astir nan vehicle.

Panoramic speech mirror

Above nan Highlander's rear-view reflector is simply a panoramic speech reflector that helps nan driver show nan passengers successful nan back.

Digital gauge display

The Highlander Platinum has a integer instrumentality show alternatively of a accepted gauge cluster. The 12.3-inch colour LCD integer show looks awesome and is configurable.

Lower trim levels get a accepted analog gauge cluster pinch a seven-inch cardinal multi-information display.

Spare tyre

The Highlander Hybrid has a spare tyre nether nan rear cargo level alternatively of a tyre ostentation kit. Spare tires are becoming progressively uncommon owed to nan costs and packaging constraints created by underfloor artillery packs.

Hands-free powerfulness tailgate

The Highlander tin beryllium equipped pinch a hands-free powerfulness liftgate which triggers erstwhile nan driver kicks their ft nether nan halfway of nan rear bumper erstwhile successful possession of nan cardinal fob.

The characteristic comes modular connected each XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum trim models.

Adaptive beforehand headlights

Up front, Platium-grade Highlanders travel equipped pinch self-leveling LED headlights that move pinch nan steering instrumentality to thief nan driver spot amended successful corners.

HUD

Platinum-grade Highlanders travel pinch a head-up display. The 10-inch HUD gives drivers easy entree to cardinal information, specified arsenic speed, hybrid strategy status, and driver assistance status.

Digital rear-view reflector

A integer rear-view reflector is disposable exclusively connected nan Platinum trim. The camera, which turns connected by flipping a toggle connected nan bottommost of nan mirror, is really useful erstwhile passengers aliases cargo discuss visibility retired nan rear window.