The first Toyota Highlander 2017 arrives in Vietnam before Tet

The upgraded SUV model appeared in a private car dealership in Hanoi, using a new engine and adding safety equipment.

The most noticeable changes on the 2017 Highlander are the new grille and headlights. The Japanese automaker added a newly developed 8-speed automatic transmission, replacing the old 6-speed, and a new 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 gasoline engine. Toyota still retains the original 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine combined with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The first Toyota Highlander 2017 arrived in Hanoi. Photo: Luong Dung

The first 2017 Highlander to arrive in Vietnam is the US-imported version. The interior has been slightly changed with a new brown leather color, optional on the Limited Platinum version. According to information released in the US in March at the 2016 New York Auto Show, the upgraded Highlander has an additional second-row seat option with a 3-person bench seat or individual seats on the Limited version.

Additional safety features for the 2017 Highlander include automatic braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control.

Toyota Highlander 2017 is manufactured at a factory in Indiana (USA), competing with rivals Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, Ford Explorer.

In the US, the 2017 Toyota Highlander starts at $31,600.

The new SUV model has a redesigned grille. Photo: Luong Dung

Highlander 2017 upgraded safety features. Photo: Luong Dung

According to VNE