It seems that Toyota
is planning on releasing the 2023 Toyota Highlander, considering that they are expanding their crossover range. For the 2023 model, the company is focusing on Grand Highlander, that will sit between the already existing Highlander and the bigger Sequoia. What is Toyota’s purpose with this variant?
The Upcoming Redesigned Planning
Toyota seems to be merging all the good features of Highlander and Sequoia. The new 2023 model will still be incorporating the three-row construction while adopting the bigger (and roomier) Sequoia. As a result, the 2023 model will have more room and space for the back occupants. It will definitely improve the comfort and convenience. The previous Sequoia was complained for having tight space on the third row. But if Toyota is able to pull everything off, such a matter won’t be an issue anymore. Be ready to welcome the bigger, taller, and wider Highlander – with its ‘Grand’ moniker.
Engine and Performance
The current Highlander is coming with V6 unit with 3.5 liter capacity that delivers 295 hp and 263 Nm of torque. The hybrid model comes with four cylinder unit with 2.5 liter capacity that churns out 243 hp and 175 Nm of torque. When we are talking about the 2023 Toyota Highlander, it’s likely that the engine would be more powerful than the current variant. Because we still don’t know it, we can only expect. Moreover, it is expected that the new Grand Highlander may have higher towing ability. The current one is able to tow up to 5,000 pounds, so it’s only logical if everyone expects the Grand Highlander to have higher ability; let’s say around 6,000 to 7,000 pounds.
Interior Cabin Luxury?
There is a thought whether the new Grand Highlander would be set as a luxurious option. Is Toyota ready to make a choice between making it a practice vehicle or a luxurious one? But considering that the ride gets a longer (and more spacious) wheelbase, it will definitely affect the comfort inside the cabin. In the end, it will result in smoother driving experience too.
Toyota already has its Land Cruiser as the luxury SUV, but since the 2022 model isn’t available in American auto market, it’s possible that Grand Highlander 2023 would be set as the replacement.
Price and Release Date
It is expected that the Grand Highlander may be close to Grand Cherokee L (from Jeep). Considering that it is set for around $37,000, the price for Grand Highlander won’t be too far away from the range. Moreover, the 2021 Highlander model is sold for around $35,100. It may feel high and costly, but it isn’t luxuriously high. If you combine the fact about Highlander 2021 model and the Grand Cherokee from Jeep, you get the idea about the price tag.
In the end, the new Highlander is coming. Hopefully, there would be a hybrid option, along with more space on the interior cabin. But then again, we can’t be really sure about the overall performance (it means that we don’t know about the power and the luxury aspect). We don’t even know about the exact release date either, but it is likely be available in 2022 (as the 2023 model), so we can only wait for further update about 2023 Toyota Highlander.