The Toyota Highlander: 2020’s Best Family Vehicle

A must-have for any family, the 2020 Toyota Highlander has improved safety features, a spacious interior, an upgraded Infotainment system, and a lot lot more. This celebrated family vehicle is the perfect ride for you and yours, especially for those long road trips. 

If, like many of us, you are not yet ready to make the move to a minivan, but need the roominess the family van provides, look no further than the 2020 Toyota Highlander. With the Highlander, you have the choice of seven- or eight-passenger configurations. The second-row seats easily collapse and slide out of the way to make in and out traffic simpler.

The look to the new 2020 Toyota Highlander is deceiving: the exterior’s rugged, truck-like appearance shows off a little muscle and gives the idea this machine can drive through just about any terrain—which it pretty much can. But inside, there is an entirely different feel. Thick acoustic glass muffles outside sounds, while extra cushion and insulation on the floor dampen out suspension chatter. Throughout the inside, there are trays and cubbies perfectly laid out to store and hold. The front dash is covered with soft-touch materials and attractive trim. And with the Toyota Highlander’s deceptively large size, there is room for everyone in the family to stretch and play and relax.

The Interior 
Seasoned crossover SUV drivers are sure to notice how well the 2020 Toyota Highlander is built. Often, crossovers can seem as though they’ve had corners cut and cheap materials used. But not the all-new Highlander. Take the seats, for instance. Each is tightly fastened to the vehicle’s frame, and each is made with quality spring and foam to create extra comfort that lasts. This is true luxury.
Precisely, the all-new Highlander stretches to a full 194.9 inches in length, is 76 inches wide, and operates on a 112.2-inch wheelbase. True for each trim level, the most space to stretch and relax is found in the front row. Here the seats are wide and are configured to hold all sorts of body types and sizes. All the seats come standard in cloth that has extra grip and strength, but there are options for synthetic or real leather upholstery in more expensive trim levels.

This year, Toyota has added heated and cooled seats to the higher trim levels, but most models come with a power passenger seat.  

Safety Features 
The most important aspect of family road trips is safety. And though the 2020 Toyota Highlander has not been crash-tested yet, we have high expectations in this area. As a matter of fact, if the Highlander simply keeps the same safety features from last year’s model, it will still impress drivers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave last year’s model top safety ratings, and at Mount Airy Toyota, we feel this year’s will be even better.

So what makes the Highlander so safe? The Toyota Safety Sense P suite. This innovative safety suite comes with forward collision warning, with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with lane departure prevention, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. That’s a lot!

The Highlander's size makes it one of the most sought after SUVs on the market. It's not too big that it gets in the way, and it's not too small so that it cannot stow, pull, or haul as a sport utility vehicle should. On the road, it conserves gas, maintains an incredibly quiet ride, and its many compartments and excess space allow for premium stowage. And one of its best qualities, the Conversation Mirror, allows for the driver to see what's taking place anywhere in the vehicle, even the very back.

Specs
Here are a few quick features we found impressive about the all-new Toyota Highlander:

• 12.3-inch touch-screen display
• Split-level in-dash storage trays
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Panoramic moonroof
• Third-row seating
• Center console with Qi wireless charging
• 20-inch wheels
• Hands-free power rear liftgate
• LED headlights
• Apple CarPlay compatibility
• Wi-Fi connectivity and five USB ports
• Sirius XM All-Access three month trial
• JBL audio system
• Digital rearview mirror
• Dynamic navigation

We are confident the 2020 Toyota Highlander will be just as safe, tough, fun, and ready to take you and your family on the next road trip as ever before. Stop into Mount Airy Toyota today and test drive the all-new Highlander.

CCP Web Design Writer,

Mount Airy Toyota Contributor,

Andrae Bergeron

The 2020 Toyota Supra: The Summer of the Sports Car

For most of us, this summer’s vacation has turned into more of a staycation, which means we will find ourselves in our vehicles a lot more than usual. So why not enjoy what you are driving? The all-new, 2020 Toyota Supra is a great summer ride: it’s fast, sexy, affordable, and a great way to make your staycation feel more like a vacation.

The Toyota Supra was always destined for fame. When it was first exported to the States back in 1979 it was hit due to its notably high-performance levels production quality. Drivers were amazed at the Supra’s stylish and cool interior, the advanced technology. And even though Toyota discontinued the Supra in 1998, everyone knew it would be back.

And, well…it’s back! And what a perfect time to resurrect such a venerated and fun machine. Last year it was made official: the Supra is coming back and this time it’s even more impressive. With a six-cylinder, turbocharged engine and 335 horsepower, the new Toyota Supra is a force to be reckoned with.

The 2020 Toyota Supra is here, and it’s the car of the summer.

It’s Worth the Hype
The 2020 GR Supra is beautiful. It’s almost as fun to look at as it is to drive, and oh just wait until you get behind the wheel of this wondrous creation.

Looking over the color schemes alone makes you want to pull up a seat and gander at the car like it’s a piece of fine art. “Nocturnal,” which is a pitch-black exterior with a bright sheen and thoughtful highlights of red on the side mirrors and brakes, draws you close to the car to touch it and make sure it’s real. There’s also the “Phantom,” a gun-metal grey that highlights each curve and bending of metal as if they are brushstrokes left by the artist.

There are eleven color options in all, and each has its singular impact, making the car something unique—not only amongst its own kind but also among any other vehicle on the road.
Let’s have a closer look at the 2020 Toyota Supra:

Highlights
To reintroduce the Supra, Toyota knew they needed to go big. And they did. They began by working closely with BMW to begin production on a new racer and grand touring car. What they ended up with is a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo 16 engine. From here, the two car companies split paths, each to perfect and refine the engine as they wanted.

Toyota decided, rather than go the hard-core performance route, they would create a high-performing sport’s car that was more approachable by the public and introduce it as the new Supra, something
fun and affordable and perfect for summer drives anywhere.

The Toyota Supra’s engine is powerful enough to snap your head back when you hit the peddle, but it also has the smooth ride and control of a classy sports car. 335 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque get the 2020 Supra going from zero to sixty in 4.1 seconds. Oh, and it has a top speed of 155mph, so keep an eye on the speedometer.

What helps make the Supra’s engine a high-flyer is its 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters behind the wheel, for those who prefer the control that comes with driving a manual transmission. That said, Toyota does not offer a complete manual transmission in the new Supra.
As far as control of the road, the Supra has it. The Brembos brakes with 13.7-inch 4-piston discs up front and an electronic rear differential and launch control system give it complete control over itself on rough or smooth terrain. It handles curves with ease and speed and it stops on a dime. This extreme performance all rests beautifully on four 19-inch Michelin performance-rated tires.

The Interior
Inside the 2020 Supra is a digital wonderland. There’s the JBL sound system, the wireless phone charger, an 8.8-inch high-resolution display of the Supra’s gauge pod. The car will even remind you not to forget your phone as you arrive at your destination.

The ultra-comfortable sport seats come in leather and, along with the dash and steering wheel, are accentuated with precise stitching. Each seat is designed to hold the passenger comfortably by providing extra support for the sides, back, and hips. The driver’s seat has memory settings and both front seats have the option to come heated.

From the outside, it feels like the interior would have about as much roominess as a Porsche—that is to say not much at all, but the 2020 Supra is full of surprises. The cockpit, though compact, is quite roomy. There’s plenty of headroom, legroom, etc. You might not be able to lay out and have a nap, but you can absolutely stretch and relax and enjoy the ride.

As far as cargo space goes, it’s what you would expect. I wouldn’t plan on hauling large objects, but the 10.2 cubic feet of room goes a long way and is perfect for storing groceries, luggage, and the like.
One of the biggest highlights to the new Supra is the great gas mileage. For operating with 335 horses, the Supra rates at 24 mpg city and 31 mpg highway—not bad at all for the amount of power and weight this thing has.

Safety
As much time and effort Toyota spent on making the new Supra sporty and fun was also spent making sure it is safe.

The 2020 Supra comes packed with safety features:

• Rain-sensing windshield wipers
• Automatic high-beam headlights
• Pre-collision system with pedestrian detection and lane departure warning
• Driver Assist Package with dynamic cruise control, a blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alter, parking sensors, and emergency braking.

Drivers can also opt for the Premium model, which comes with quite a few extra features not offered on the standard models:

• 12-speaker JBL sound system with a 500-watt amp
• Wireless charger
• Color head-up display
• Supra Connect Communications System
• Apple CarPlay
• An 8.8-inch touchscreen (standard models come with a 6.5-inch touch screen).

Quick Breakdown:
At Mount Airy Toyota we like the 2020 Supra’s sporty look, its impressive power, handling, and braking; we like the zippiness to “sport” mode, the heated-leather sport seats that immediately put you at ease; we also really like the wireless charger, the JBL sound system, and the plethora of safety features.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the Supra’s specs:

• Engine:0-liter twin-turbo I6, 335 horsepower
• Transmission:8-speed automatic with paddles
• Weight: 3,397 pounds
• Length:5 inches
• Wheelbase:2 inches
• Cargo:2 cubic feet
• MPG:24/31, 23.4 average  
• Base Price:$54,920
• Other Options: Carpet cargo mat, Driver Assist Package (dynamic radar cruise control, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, parking sensors with emergency braking)

Pricing
Starting at around $50,000, including destination fee, the Supra ends up being much less expensive than its competitors.

The Premium model begins at $54,920 (including delivery fee), and it has the option to add a carpeted cargo mat package that ends up somewhere around $56,000.

There’s also the Launch Edition is a bit fancier and comes with matte black wheels and costs $56,180—only 1,500 Launch Edition models were made.

Compare these prices vehicles with similar engines, such as the Chevy Corvette with an automatic transmission or the Jaguar F-Type or the Porsche Cayman, and you will spend anywhere from $9,000 to $20,000 more.

So now that the trees are in bloom, what could be more beautiful than a drive through Mount Airy on down to Wrightsville beach, or even the Outer Banks? The Supra is perfect for a quick, fun beach trip. Or maybe this year you are feeling the pull of the mountains instead—steep inclines and beautiful open sky. But a trip up the Blue Ridge Parkway just isn’t as fun without the opportunity to take those curves with speed. Take this scenic drive in style with the brand new Supra and let the road open up before you.

Happy Father's Day!