The Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a lot to offer, from comfortable room for up to 8 passengers to better gas mileage than you’d expect from a midsize SUV. What it doesn’t offer, though, is much chance to stand out. If you want a Highlander but want to drive something unique and noticeable, you’re out of luck. But Toyota has a plan to change that.
The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition will do the trick.
The Bronze Edition goes on sale “later this year,” Toyota says. It will be priced between the Hybrid XLE (MSRP $41,535, plus a $1,175 delivery fee) and the Hybrid Limited ($45,490).
It carries all the same equipment as the XLE, complete with wireless phone charging and SofTex-trimmed, heated seats. It adds a hands-free power liftgate, rain-sensing wipers, digital rearview mirror, 10-way-adjustable power driver’s seat, and new ambient lighting.
But few will buy this one for the wipers or the lighting. The Bronze Edition is visually distinctive, with bronze-colored accents on the exterior and interior, 18-inch bronze wheels, bronze interior stitching, and illuminated bronze door sills. To draw focus to the bronze, paint comes in two glossy but neutral shades — Cement and Wind Chill Pearl. The people who name colors for Toyota worked overtime on those.
Inside, it features what Toyota calls “mid-century modern-inspired SofTex-trimmed seats with fabric insert and bronze stitching.” The soft surfaces have thicker padding than what’s usually found in a Highlander, with diamond stitching for a more tailored look.
The Bronze Edition will be available in front- or all-wheel-drive. The 2022 Highlander Hybrid includes free factory-scheduled maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles.
