For the 2023 Toyota Highlander, the V6 is dead. Toyota has replaced it with the 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder from the Lexus NX and RX. Power levels are good, and since it’s a Toyota it should be reliable. But, was the swap worth it and will the Toyota faithful accept a boosted engine in their next family hauler?
Exterior
The Highlander’s exterior remains largely unchanged for 2023. The only notable changes are the addition of power-folding mirrors to the Limited and Platinum trims, while a hands-free power liftgate is now available on more grades.
Interior
The interior of the Highlander receives minor updates for 2023, including the addition of Toyota’s latest Audio Multimedia infotainment system. The overall design of the dashboard remains the same, but the availability of the larger 12.3″ main screen has been increased to more trim levels like the sporty XSE. Toyota has improved the location of the wireless charger in the dash and reconfigured the layout of the physical climate controls below the mains screen. The instrument cluster on upper trims is now the larger 12.3″ format found on Tundra and Sequoia. The UX is more in line with what you’ll find on the brand-new Toyota Crown, but it is missing that model’s small map display. The Tundra and Sequoia are also missing this feature, strangely.
Powertrain
The reason we are all here. The long-running Toyota 2GR-FE naturally-aspirated V6 is gone, replaced by the company’s new T24A-FTS 2.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder. The previous 8-speed automatic and front- or all-wheel drive configurations are available, but this is now the first Toyota model to ditch the V6 for a turbo, and this is likely only just the beginning. It is widely expected that the next Camry and Tacoma, who both utilize the same old V6, will follow suit.
Power output is now at 265 horsepower and 309 lb.-ft. of torque, a respective drop and boost over the V6’s numbers. That torque is more usable around town, allowing the transmission to hold higher gears for longer periods of time while also providing more consistent power delivery across wider ranges of elevation. Combined fuel economy remains the same at 24 mpg, as does the maximum towing capacity – 5000 pounds.
The Drive
Out on the road, do we miss the lost horsepower? Absolutely not. When you floor the 2023 Highlander, it goes from 0-60 mph supposedly a little quicker than the outgoing model, though we expect it’s a pretty minor difference. Maybe around one tenth of a second. What you are going to notice, however, is the extra torque. The transmission shifts a lot earlier during soft acceleration. This engine doesn’t really rev up to 3000 RPM like the outgoing one. Sometimes that may make things feel a little bit less smooth than the V6, but it’s going to improve your fuel economy. The other thing you’ll notice is at higher speeds of travel, digging a little bit shallower into the accelerator pedal doesn’t prompt the 8-speed to downshift at all because we have access to all of that low end torque. The next thing you’ll notice is that it’s a bit rougher sounding and feeling than the smooth V6. This affects cabin noise and overall refinement, two areas where the old engine excelled. We are honestly surprised that Toyota chose not to put extra sound deadening between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment.
If you’re shopping for the new Highlander, we strongly recommend getting the optional all-wheel drive system. There is so much accessible low-end torque that you will definitely feel some torque steer. You’ll experience it in both configurations, but the front-wheel drive models will also have drastic front wheel spin. It’s a different feel from the naturally-aspirated Palisade or the Telluride, but closer to a 2.5L turbo Kia Sorento. This even reminds us a little bit of the Mazda CX-9, a competitor whose turbocharged engine is fantastic and loved my pretty much everybody who drives it.
Most likely, 60-0 braking and handling scores are going to be exactly the same as before because the rest of the structure of the 2023 Highlander is unchanged for this model year. Fuel economy is a little bit tricky to talk about, however. Toyota says that the fuel economy numbers are essentially the same as the outgoing Highlander, but in real-world driving, you’ll probably get slightly better fuel economy. We did average about 24 mpg during our drive with the car, which seems to be better than our real-world evaluation of the old car. You’ll just have to wait until we can get one of these at home and run it through the usual drive cycle to really have an accurate number for comparison.
Although the move to a turbocharged engine is likely going to offend some Toyota traditionalists, we suspect the vast majority of Highlander shoppers are going to be happy with this swap because the engine doesn’t feel like it’s underwhelmed as much as the V6 would at times. It feels more powerful and substantial this time, and that’s probably more important for the average shopper, depending on what you’re going to do with the vehicle.
The 2023 Highlander with the turbo is heading to dealerships right now for a starting price of $36,420 for the base L trim in front-wheel drive form. The sporty XSE trim starts at $43,415, while the range-topping Platinum trim is priced out at $49,275 (LE, XLE and Limited trims are also still available). The Hybrid model also continues on with slight price increases over last year (LE, XLE, Limited and Platinum trims are available).
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