2022 Toyota Highlander Bronze Edition Debuts With Colorful Upgrades

The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition arrives to give the crossover more style. Buyers can get the tweaked model with front- or all-wheel-drive layouts. The model goes on sale later this year, and pricing isn't yet available.

The Bronze Edition is available with the exclusive color Cement grey or Wind Chill Pearl, which is a new shade for the 2022 Highlander range. Regardless of the exterior hue, the crossover gets 18-inch wheels with a five-spoke design and a bronze finish.

There are bigger changes on the inside. The cabin has bronze-colored stitching, and there are illuminated door sill plates in a matching color. The seats feature textured inserts in the center, which Toyota says is inspired by mid-century-modern style, but seeing that styling motif seems like a stretch to us. The floor and cargo mats get a bronze logo.

The Bronze Edition comes standard with equipment that usually only comes on higher trim levels of the Highlander Hybrid. There's a hands-free power hatchback, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a digital rearview mirror, a 1,500-watt power outlet, puddle lamps showing the Highlander logo, in-dash ambient interior lighting, and a 10-way power driver's seat.

The 2022 Highlander XLE grade and above have a few upgrades, and they also appear on the Bronze Edition. The tweaks include the passenger seat now having power-actuated height and tilt adjustments.

The special edition doesn't affect the powertrain. It features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with hybrid assistance that makes a total of 243 horsepower (181 kilowatts). The system gets 36 miles per gallon combined fuel economy with the front-wheel-drive layout. Opting for all-wheel drive only drops the mileage to 35 mpg combined, which isn't much of a compromise for people who want the extra traction.