2020 Toyota Highlander Appears Ahead of New York Debut

by Steph Willems

Published: April 9th, 2019

2020 toyota highlander appears ahead of new york debut

Not content with releasing a high contrast, nearly blacked-out photo or rendering of its upcoming fourth-generation Highlander, Toyota decided to go all artsy-fartsy. In place of a single image, Toyota commissioned an artist to create a 3D art installation made up of 200 individual panels.

Buyers, however, will be more interested in the actual, physical vehicle, which makes its debut on April 17th at the New York Auto Show. A sales stud, Toyota’s three-row midsizer promises a new platform and slightly sexier flanks.

It’s certainly not hard to make the Highlander sexier. Toyota’s boring-but-safe styling kept buyers in an emotional Goldilocks Zone for years — just what the automaker needed to reap major sales.

Last revamped for the 2014 model year, the Highlander is the midsizer to beat in a market consumed with lust for the bodystyle. U.S. sales rose from a recession-era low of 83,118 vehicles in 2009 to 244,511 in 2018. Despite its advancing age, the Highlander continues to sell in great numbers, even in a first quarter that saw overall Toyota sales drop 5 percent and the industry as a whole cool off significantly. Highlander volume fell just 0.5 percent over the first three months of 2019.

For 2020, the Highlander smoothes out the creases, adding some muscularity via fender bulges. Added style comes from a beltline that swings upward to meet the D-pillar. Beneath the crossover, Toyota’s K platform disappears, replaced by the stiffer TNGA architecture popping up throughout the brand’s unibody stable.

As Toyota didn’t have additional details to share of its midsize moneymaker, we’ll have to wait until the New York show to find out more.

[Images: Toyota]

#Crossovers #Highlander #NYIAS #ProductPlanning #Toyota #ToyotaHighlander

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6 of 16 comments

Lightspeed on Apr 09, 2019

The original might be the single most boring thing on the planet, never mind most boring car. The current one, actually looks pretty good.

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Jimmyy on Apr 09, 2019

Before 2015, the Highlander was a looker. The 2015 to 2019 is a styling disaster. I am surprised it sells as well as it does. This 2020 model seems to be a huge improvement. Rumor is it looks like the Rav4, which is a great looking vehicle. If that is true, Toyota has a winner. The 2020 Explorer pictures also look good. 2020 will be interesting.

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- PrincipalDan on Apr 09, 2019
  
  I don't know if I would call the 2nd gen a "looker" - it is fairly anonymous and I own one. It would be a nice blank canvas to build a "Wagon Queen Family Truckster, Mark II".
  
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- Dave M. on Apr 09, 2019
  
  I have to respectfully disagree. I loved Gen 1 as well as the current model; the Gen 2 was really bland to my eyes.
  
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- Slavuta on Apr 09, 2019
  
  @PrincipalDan I like the 1st iteration of gen 2. when they went with these sticking out lights, it ruined it. I like wheels and rear lights in gen2.1 better also.
  
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- Slavuta on Apr 10, 2019
  
  @Dave M. I think, gen2.1 was very cohesive design, and I have pictures to prove it
  
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