2021 Toyota Highlander

The 2021 Highlander lineup gained the XSE trim, which will come with a more aggressive look thanks to its athletic stance, a larger lower air intake, sharper-angled headlights, and a chrome dual-tip exhaust. Big 20-inch wheels add to this new variant's curb appeal, while most trims ride on stock 18-inch wheels.

In addition to the new trim, Toyota offers this popular family hauler in five other configurations, including L, LE, XLE, Limited, and Platinum. Highlander is a big crossover that cuts through the wind with a shapely snout and attractive rising body line. The tall tail section makes this family-friendly crossover look cocked and ready to spring into action, and its small, trapezoidal grille attractively fills out the Highlander's nose.

Highlander's 3.5-liter V-6 churns out 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. This powerhouse comes standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It's a particularly entertaining drive with plenty of punch to get up to speed on the highway and dash through rush hour traffic when you're late picking up the kids.

The new XSE edition touts Toyota's re-tuned suspension that comes with stiffer springs and dampers, sportier steering, and a rear anti-roll bar. Every Highlander is available with front-wheel drive, or you can get the added performance and traction of all-wheel drive. This system will shuttle power to the rear wheels if the fronts slip, and on the Limited, Platinum, and XSE models, it conveniently shuttles power from side to side thanks to a mechanical torque vectoring system. When suitably equipped, this big crossover can tug a trailer or boat up to 5,000 pounds all the way to Grandma's lake house and over the occasional dusty trail!

Starting with the base Highlander, the well-built cabin features comfortable cloth upholstery, a power-adjustable driver's seat, an 8-inch touchscreen with smartphone compatibility, a multi-tiered dash with plenty of small-item storage. Stretch out with seating for eight passengers and more than 40 inches of legroom in the first two rows, plus get easy access to the third-row for the kiddos.

Upper trims near luxury-limo like status and include leather upholstery, a premium audio system, and a gigantic 12.3-inch touchscreen display. You'll also get the added comfort of heated second-row captain's chairs. With this posh setup, there is no road trip too long for your family. Don't worry about the luggage room either. The Highlander offers 16.0 cubic feet of space - or stow both rows of back seats, and your SUV can hold more than 84 cubic feet gear!

Every Highlander in the lineup comes factory equipped with loads of standard safety features. Parents will appreciate the added protection of adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and automatic emergency braking. It's all part of Toyota's Safety Sense bundle of driver assistance features!