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2017 Toyota Highlander V6 Updated With 8-Speed Automatic Transmission

Whenever Toyota claims that its 3.5-liter V6 is “new,” take that with a grain of salt. In the case of the 2017 Highlander, the six-cylinder powerplant is a very similar unit to the one powering the 2016 Highlander. Be that as it may, the engine is now more efficient, sending power to the wheels via an eight-speed auto.
2017 Toyota Highlander 11 photos
Photo: Toyota
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With 295 horsepower and 263 lb-ft at your right foot’s disposal, the 3.5 D-4S V6 powerplant is 25 horsepower and 15 lb-ft more potent than the 2GR-FKS engine in the 2016 Toyota Highlander. Featuring Dual VVT-i technology, the revised V6 is now the base engine for the Highlander Hybrid. The Direct Shift 8AT transmission ramped up the AWD Highlander’s fuel economy to 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway compared to the old model’s 18 mpg and 24 mpg.

Excluding the base LE, all V6 models feature stop and start. Also new for 2017 is that the Highlander Hybrid can be had in LE and XLE flavors. At the lower end of the spectrum, the 2017 Toyota Highlander LE 2WD 2.7 continues to use a six-speeder. Priced from $30,630 to $47,880 for the range-topping grade, the updated Highlander will roll into dealers later this month.

On the XLE trim level and above, the Highlander ships with Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The Limited Platinum, on the other hand, arrives with a standard-issue bird’s eye 360-degree camera system. Toyota Safety Sense P driver-assist tech is on the menu as well, being capable of mitigating or avoiding collisions in certain conditions. As ever, the mid-size sport utility vehicle manufactured in Princeton, Indiana, can seat up to eight passengers.

Other highlights brought by the 2017 Toyota Highlander include standard LED taillights, three new exterior colors (Celestial Silver Metallic, Salsa Red Pearl, Toasted Walnut Pearl), and a total of five USB ports. The latter update makes charging a breeze, coming in handy especially on long family trips.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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