Toyota has released pricing details on the redesigned 2020 Toyota Highlander, an all-new version of its family friendly staple midsize crossover. The new model isis priced from $35,720, making it more expensive than key competitors when you compare base configurations. That price also represents an increase of $2,770 over the base 2019 Toyota Highlander, which came with a 2.7-liter inline-four that’s no longer available on the new-generation Highlander. Compared to a 2019 Toyota Highlander LE with the 3.5-liter V-6, the 2020 Highlander’s starting price is only up $720, it’s worth noting.
The new Highlander’s starting price is much higher than those of the 2020 Honda Pilot ($32,645), 2020 Nissan Pathfinder ($32,775), and 2020 Ford Explorer ($32,765). The Chevrolet Traverse, Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and others also populate the list of SUVs with lower starting prices. All-wheel-drive Highlanders start at $37,320.
The good news is once you look past the simple numbers, the Highlander boasts plenty of standard features to go along with the price tag. These include an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, three-zone automatic climate control, eight cupholders, four bottle holders, an eight-way power adjustable driver seat, and a four-way power adjustable front passenger seat. The base model has eight seats, but the next-level-up LE trim comes standard with seven seats, with the extra seat optional, for $37,920.
The standard engine is a 3.5-liter V-6 with 295 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque. Hybrid models combine a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors for an excellent 36 mpg in combined city and highway driving, but those begin at $39,320. This gets you the base Highlander Hybrid LE model; AWD starts at $40,920.
XLE models sit in the middle of the lineup, priced from $40,720. For standard leather-trimmed seats, you’ll have to opt for at least the Limited grade. This model, priced from $44,770, also boasts heated and ventilated front seats as well as a heated steering wheel, ambient interior LED lighting, an 11-speaker sound system, and other upgrades. Add the hybrid powertrain, and you’re looking at a minimum of $46,170. But Platinum models sit at the top of the lineup, with a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen, a silver-painted front bumper and rear fascia, and unique 20-inch wheels. Platinum prices start at $47,970, but skyrocket to $51,320 on the most expensive hybrid AWD version.
The top-trim Pilot is similarly expensive, albeit without an available hybrid powertrain, getting into the $50,000 range. Although the top Nissan Pathfinder stays in the $40,000s, the Explorer can cost a pretty penny. The Explorer Limited Hybrid goes for $53,475, while the very top-trim Explorer Platinum is an eye-watering $59,445.
The 2020 Toyota Highlander goes on sale this month, and the Highlander Hybrid arrives in February.
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The post The 2020 Toyota Highlander Starts $2,770 Higher Than Before appeared first on Automobile Magazine.