The 2015 Toyota Highlander is a great crossover SUV for the family. It is slightly larger than the Toyota RAV4 with more room and can seat up to 8 people. 2015 Toyota Highlander is not a major redesign, but continues with the bold and futuristic design introduced in the third generation.
The Toyota Highlander is a midsize crossover that was first introduced back in 2000. Compared to the Toyota RAV4 and the Toyota Harrier, the Highlander is a slightly larger model, and is available in five and seven seat options. Throughout its fifteen year life, the Highlander has registered consistent sales and has been one of the most prolific models in Toyota’s lineup.
As Toyota continued to expand across the global markets, the Highlander continued to garner rave reviews and praises from reviewers. The 2015 Toyota Highlander is a stunning feat of automobile engineering and modern technology, combining a comfortable and luxurious experience with a smooth, powerful drive.
This is the third generation of the Toyota Highlander, which was introduced back in 2013. The company has stuck to its roots with the latest iteration, and created the finest model in the Highlander’s history. Here’s a brief review of what the 2015 Toyota Highlander has to offer:
The Exterior
The 2015 Toyota Highlander’s exterior has not changed a lot since the third generation was introduced in 2013. The third generation introduced a significant departure from the standard, sub-par design of the previous models. The car has a bold, vibrant outlook.
There is a beautifully imposing grille in the front of the car, while the flanks have been polished and chiseled to provide better aerodynamic capabilities.
This is as far from a standard family wagon as it gets. The car has a futuristic design, and introduces a very sharp take on the conventional family wagon. The 2015 Toyota Highlander displays a lot of machismo, but that is mainly due to the fact that Toyota is trying hard to attract more male drivers for the Highlander line.
Given the fact that the Highlander is competing in the midsize SUV market that is mainly populated with the Ford Explorer, the Honda Pilot and the Nissan Pathfinder, the 2015 Toyota Highlander provides a welcome, stylish iteration in this category.
The car has a stylish, athletic design and an adjustable power liftgate in the rear. Toyota has ditched the rear mounted spare tire, and for good reason also. The spare tire is now mounted underneath the cargo bay.
The 19 inch chrome Chromtec wheels are machined face (5 spokes) look gorgeous. While there are not many additions to the car’s outlook as compared to the previous model, the 2015 Toyota Highlander introduces slight variations which are likely to leave a major impression on Toyota’s faithful customers.
The Interior
The Toyota Highlander is designed to be a family car, and the interior reflects that from every angle. The 2015 Toyota Highlander provides seating for up to 8 people. It also features reclining third row seats that provides maximum comfort and relaxation to passengers.
The second row captain’s chairs (optional) allow for the seating space to be expanded to seven, offering additional versatility and relaxation. You can opt for heated front row seats as well with the Platinum Package.
The cargo space within the 2015 Toyota Highlander has been enhanced as well. The third row seats have a 60/ 40 split which allows you to fold flat and recline accordingly. This allows for maximum cargo space and storage convenience.
There are many other subtle additions in the car, such as increased silencing insulation which makes the interior quieter. The acoustic type glass (windshield and side windows) also prevents noise from entering the cabin. The 2015 Toyota Highlander also offers a panoramic moon roof, a stylish conversation mirror as well as added rear seat entertainment options.
Technologically, the 2015 Toyota Highlander is right on par with the competition. You can choose the available Blu Ray disc entertainment system that comes with two 9 inch screens for maximum rear seat entertainment. The Toyota Highlander comes equipped with the company’s standard Entune Audio with Intelligent Touch controls system.
The system connects via Bluetooth and has Sirius XM All Access Radio, HD Radio as well as a choice of 6.1 or 8.1 inch touch screen. The Toyota Highlander comes with the available Entune App Suite, which allows you a number of additional options such as buy movie tickets and make reservations for restaurants. You can also search for gas prices or get access to a lot of information right from your fingertips, such as weather news, traffic, sports and weather.
A number of technological enhancements are present in the 2015 Toyota Highlander, such as turn by turn navigation, a tri- zone automatic climate control as well as standard backup camera with a projected path display. A blind spot monitor is also fitted with a rear cross- traffic alert and an optional Lane Departure Alert System.
Safety
Safety- wise, the 2015 Toyota Highlander is easily one of the best vehicles in the market. The car is fitted with the Star Safety System which comes with a suite of numerous safety features such as enhanced stability control, brake assist features, traction control, smart stop technology, anti- lock brake system as well as many other features.
The 2015 Toyota Highlander has an advanced airbag system that protects the passengers as well as the drivers with dual stage airbags, seat- mounted side airbags as well as roll- sensing side curtain airbags. There is also an enhanced child safety restraint system which includes lower anchors and tethers on the outboard second- row seats.
A tire pressure monitor system is also installed in the car that allows for maximum stability and control while on the road. The system monitors tire pressure at all times and makes sure that the driver remains completely alert of the vehicle on the road.
Performance
2015 Toyota Highlander LE trim has a 2.7-litre 4 cylinder engine that provides unparalleled fuel economy. The powertrain produces 185 horsepower as well as 185 lb. ft. of torque. Despite its powerful engine, the car provides an EPA estimated 20 mpg city and 25 mpg on a highway.
All other 2015 Toyota Highlander models (including the Highlander LE) offers a 3.5-litre V6 engine that generates 270 hp and 248 lb. ft. of torque and available with forward wheel drive (FWD) or all wheel drive (AWD). All in all, the Toyota Highlander is easily one of the Japanese company’s finest vehicles, and provides a comfortable drive at a very reasonable price.
Pricing and availability
The 2015 Toyota Highlander is not yet available in Nigeria, though a few sellers have it for sale. When officially available, you can buy at Toyota Dealer outlets near you. 2015 Toyota Highlander price in Nigeria is expected to range from N7,500,000 to 15,000,000 NGN.
2015 Toyota Highlander Specs
Here are a few specs of the 2015 Toyota Highlander SUV:
Exterior
- Beam Headlights: Projector Beam Halogen Headlights, LE Plus, XLE & Limited models add integrated fog lights
- Power Mirrors: Yes (with folding feature & turn signal indicators)
- Power Moonroof: Yes (except for LE and LE Plus trims)
- Power Liftgates: Yes (except for Highlander LE) with jam protection
- Steel Wheels: No
- Alloy Wheels: Yes, 18-inch Wheel
- HSEA Glass: Yes, with UV reduction
- Rear spoiler: Yes
- Chrome-tipped exhaust: –
- Grille: Yes (only XLE and Limited models)
- Roof Rails: Yes (only XLE and Limited)
Interior
- Air Conditioning: Yes, but LE Plus, XLE and Limited trims offer Automatic Climate Control
- Media Player: Yes, AM/FM CD player, MP3/WMA playback
- Speakers: 6 Speaker System, 12 JBL Speaker System optional for Limited trims
- USB Ports: Yes
- Audio Jack: Yes
- USB Port: Yes, with iPod connectivity
- Voice Recognition: Yes
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Wireless Charging: No
- Display: 6.1-inch Touchscreen, 8-inch Touchscreen for Limited and XLE
- Info Display: 3.5-inch LCD, 4-inch LCD for Limited and XLE
- Blu-Ray Disc System: Optional for Limited and XLE (for rear seat entertainment)
- Backup Camera: Yes (with projected path), Limited trims add dynamic gridlines
- Satelite Radio: Yes (except for LE trims)
- Run Apps: Yes Entune App Suite (XLE and Limited)
- Remote Keyless Entry System: Yes
- Fabric Seats: Yes (LE and to some extent LE Plus)
- Leather Seats: Yes (Sythetic Leather – SofTex) for LE Plus, Natural Leather for Limited and XLE
- 60/40 split fold-down: Yes
- Cruise Control: Yes
- Steering Wheel: Yes Power Steering (Tilt/Telescopic), Leather for LE Plus, XLE, Limited
- Power Doors: Yes
- Power Windows: Yes, with jam protection
Safety
- Vehicle Stability Control (VSC): Yes
- Traction Control (TRAC): Yes
- Anti-lock Brake System (ABS): Yes
- Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD): Yes
- Brake Assist (BA): Yes
- Smart Stop Technology (SST): Yes
- Airbags: Yes, multiple Airbags
- Seatbelts: Yes, 3-point seatbelt for all seats and LATCH for kids
- Side-impact door beams: Yes
- Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS): Yes
- Engine Immobilizer: Yes
- Anti-theft System with alarm: Yes (only XLE and Limited trims)
Engine System
- Engine Type: 2.7-Litre 4-Cylinder DOHC 16-Valve with Dual VVT-i (only the LE trim), 3.5-Liter V6 Double Overhead Cam (DOHC) 24-Valve with Dual VVT-i
- Engine Power: 185 hp @ 6000 rpm (4-cylinder), 270 hp @ 6200 rpm (V6 engine)
- Engine Torque: 184 lb.-ft. @ 4200 rpm (4-cylinder), 248 ib.ft. @ 4700 rpm (V6)
- Ignition System: Electronic with TDI
- Transmission: 6-speed Automatic Transmission
- Drivetrain: Front Wheel Drive or Dynamic touque control 4-wheel drive
- Brakes: Disc Brakes
- Mileage estimates (mpg city/highway): 19/25 mpg (V6 FWD), 18/24 mpg (V6 AWD) 20/25 mpg (4-cylinder)
- Emmission Rating: Yes, Ultra Low Emission Vehicle II (ULEV-II)
Exterior Measurement
- Width: 75.8 Inches
- Length: 191.1 Inches
- Height: 68.1 Inches
- Wheelbase: 109.8 Inches
- Ground Clearance: 8.0 Inches
Interior Measurement
- Shoulder Room (Front/Middle/Rear): 59.3/59.6/55.0 Inches
- Hip Room (Front/Middle/Rear): 57.2/57.1/45.6 Inches
- Leg Room (Front/Middle/Rear): 44.2/38.4/27.7 Inches
- Head Room (Front/Middle/Rear): 39.5/39.6/35.9 Inches
Weight & Capacity
- Curb Weight: 1875 to 2044 kg
- EPA Passenger Volume (front/second/third row): 1.747/1.495/0.860 cubic-metre
- Cargo Room (behind front/second-row/third-row seats): 2.370/1.197/0.390 cubic-metre
- Fuel Tank: 72.6 Litres
- Seating Capacity: 7 or 8
- Towing Capacity: 680 kg, 907 kg for LE Plus and LE (AWD), 2268 kg XLE and Limited AWD
The above features and specs are based on the US models of the 2015 Totota Highlander and may not be exactly the same as models and trims available in your country.
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