2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid to start at $46,370

Between the sexy Jaguar F-Type Coupe and the SLS AMG Final Edition reveals at the LA Auto Show, Toyota took the wraps off its 2014 Highlander Hybrid SUV. And, like the Christopher Lambert classic, there can be only one. For 2014, the hybrid will get a small bump in price from $46,370 to $47,300, not including destination.

The Highlander gets a light refresh for 2014, especially in the front fascia where the headlights are elongated, the grille gets wider and the fog lights get lower. In the back, the taillights extend farther onto the sides of the vehicle, the window is more rounded and the lower lights go from rectangles to circles. All the changes do wonders to improve the car’s looks compared to the 2013 model.

The 3.5-liter V6 remains in Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system, and all hybrid models are equipped with electronic on-demand all-wheel drive. Enhancements have also been made to the suspension and power steering. MacPherson struts do work in the front; the back gets a double wishbone setup.

An SUV this big needs to have a decent amount of entertainment for the passengers. The Highlander comes with Toyota’s Entune JBL Audio sound system with navigation and an app suite. It also gets an 8-inch touchscreen and an available Blu-Ray player with RCA inputs. Also inside, the seven-passenger SUV has perforated leather seats in the first two rows, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, second row captain’s chairs and a 60/40 split third row.

The Highlander Hybrid Platinum model adds a moonroof, heated steering wheel and heated second row for a price of $49,790. The new hybrid will be in showrooms in February 2014.

By Jake Lingeman