Having been around the world for quite some time now, the fully imported, third-generation Toyota Highlander is now available in Japan at Toyota Mobility Tokyo for 8,600,000 Japanese Yen plus additional costs.
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| 2026 Toyota Highlander |
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| 2026 Toyota Highlander |
The official arrival of the fourth-generation Toyota Highlander in Japan marks the return of a popular crossover that has been absent from the market for over two decades. Toyota ceased selling its predecessor, the Kluger, in 2007. While the Highlander has been available in the Americas, through the Belt and Road Initiative, and in Oceania for some time, its late introduction into the Japanese market means there is a lot of catching up to do.
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| 2026 Toyota Highlander interior |
Starting with the exterior design, the Highlander features a robust and muscular style that makes both the Harrier and the Crown Estate appear quite timid. This contrast is notable even though all three vehicles are built on the same GA-K platform, which was used for the now-discontinued Camry, set to return to the Japanese market soon as a US import.
The Highlander can comfortably seat up to seven people and is equipped with a panoramic roof, a head-up display, and a JBL premium sound system. In terms of cargo space, it offers up to 241 liters with the rear seats in place and up to 1,909 liters when the rear seats are folded down. However, it has less cargo capacity than its main competitor, the Mazda CX-80, which is the most spacious seven-seater crossover offered by Toyota.
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| 2026 Toyota Highlander |
The Highlander is available exclusively in the Limited ZR Hybrid trim. It features a full-hybrid powertrain that combines a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle Hybrid Dynamic Force petrol engine with both front and rear electric motors. The rear motor provides the SUV with AWD-i (All-Wheel Drive intelligent). Additionally, it has a powerful Nickel-Metal Hydride battery located under the second row of seats. With a total system output of 248PS, the Highlander Hybrid can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 8.3 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 180 km/h.
The Highlander, while somewhat bulky for Japanese driving conditions, offers a surprisingly luxurious and comfortable driving experience, even on rough terrain. This is primarily due to its all-wheel-drive system and the TNGA-K platform, which features Ride Control along with Torque Demand, Pitch Body, and Acceleration Pitch control systems, among others.
In terms of safety, the Highlander comes equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense package, which includes a Pre-Collision System (PCS) with pedestrian detection for both day and night, as well as daytime bicyclist detection. Additional safety features include Full Range Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Road Sign Assist (RSA), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Lane Departure Alert (LDA), Automatic High Beam (AHB), and Road Sign Assist (RSA).