The 2014 Toyota Highlander Hybrid made its debut at the 2013 New York Auto Show.

This a new generation of the Toyota Highlander crossover, it is bigger and bolder than the model it replaces, now looking much more like a full-blown SUV than a crossover. It will be available in 2014 with the choice of three separate powertrains, including a 2.7-liter four-cylinder base option, a 3.5-liter V-6 as the mid-level option, and another 3.5-liter V-6, this time teamed with an electric drive system.

We have also learned that the non-hybrid models get a standard six-speed automatic and the choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive, while the Highlander Hybrid comes exclusively with a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and all-wheel drive.

‘’The hybrid’s all-wheel-drive system is based on a through-the-road setup where the gasoline engine powers the front wheels and the electric drive system is used for the rear wheels. A nickel-metal-hydride battery is stored at the rear.’’