Yahoo Autos 2023 Toyota Highlander Replaces V-6 with 2.4L Turbo-Four
The 2023 Toyota Highlander is updated with a new 265-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four engine.
The interior also gets updates including a larger infotainment screen and digital gauge cluster, both optional.
The 2023 Highlander will go on sale this month, and pricing starts at $37,755 for the nonhybrid and $41,555 for the hybrid.
UPDATE 10/6/22: Toyota has announced pricing for the updated 2023 Highlander. The base model with its new turbocharged engine starts at $37,755 for the L trim and ranges up to $50,410 for the Platinum; prices are up several hundred dollars for all trims, and all-wheel drive is a $1600 option. The hybrid starts at $41,555, and a loaded Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD costs $53,760.
It appears that Toyota has begun to phase out its tried-and-true 3.5-liter V-6 engine. The 2023 Highlander three-row SUV swaps out that naturally aspirated motor for a new turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four that produces 265 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque—a drop of 30 hp from the V-6 but an increase of 46 pound-feet of torque. Toyota claims that the four-cylinder will achieve the same 24 mpg combined as the V-6 in terms of its EPA ratings.
The new gas engine will again pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission and either front- or all-wheel drive. The Lexus NX350 also uses a version of this engine; in that application it makes 275 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque. Towing capacity for the Highlander will be unchanged at 5000 pounds. The Highlander's hybrid powertrain won't change for the new model year and should achieve the same EPA ratings of up to 36 mpg combined for the front-wheel-drive model.
Other updates include a newly optional 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster that's offered on the Limited and Platinum trim levels. Power folding mirrors are newly standard on all models, and the XLE and XSE trims gain a power liftgate as standard. The wireless smartphone charger is moved to a more convenient spot on the dashboard, and there are some slight interior trim changes and a new green exterior color called Cypress.
This story was originally published May 11, 2022.
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