My wife and I have been looking to buy a Toyota Highlander. We decided to wait until 2023 though because of the high prices and lack of availability. But now it turns out the 2023 Highlander won't offer a V-6 anymore, only a turbocharged V-4 or a V-4 hybrid. We want a Toyota for the reliability. We want a car that will last us 15 or 20 years. I figured we'd get that with the V-6, I'm not so confident of that in a turbocharged V-4. Am I worrying over nothing or is buying a turbocharged V-4 crossover a suckers bet?
Since when did Toyota start making V4 engines?
In any event, as others have said both turbocharging and hybrid systems add additional complexity and cost, meaning more breakdowns and repairs over time. At a minimum you'd be looking at replacing the turbocharger ($$$$) or hybrid battery pack ($$$$) in the future, and possibly other costly repairs associated with those technologies.
If you only intend keeping the vehicle for a few years it would probably be OK. However if looking at long term ownership a normally-aspirated engine would be better, as long as it does not use cylinder deactivation that cannot be disabled.
Am I worrying over nothing or is buying a turbocharged V-4 crossover a suckers bet?
Why be a guinea pig for Toyota? Since you intend to keep 15-20 years, I would buy the final model year of the Toyota Highlander with the naturally aspirated engine. Even that vehicle is not guaranteed to last as long as the older Toyotas. Realize Toyota is past peak reliability and even the current generation of Highlanders - no one knows the long term reliability of them. So buying one is still a gamble, but you have better odds than from another manufacturer.
I would get a 2022 V6 Highlander because any turbocharged engines and hybrid engines generally don't last long compared to naturally aspirated engines.
If someone wants to buy turbocharged I would say Toyota or Honda are the good options but if you want to keep the car for 15-20 years I wouldn't suggest buying a turbocharged version since the long term reliability isn't known yet. Prices and the car market aren't going to change and go back to where they were before, so if you can still find a 2022 at msrp buy it without even thinking twice (you won't be able to buy the 2023 below msrp either unless a drastic change in the market happens).
This is my personal opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.
I wouldn't trust any modern new car nowadays, especially one with a turbo or supercharger, to last for 15 or 20 years without at least a single significant re-investment on it...
Maybe some Japanese and Korean cars with natural aspiration, that are not 3 cylinders, are still up for such a feat.
Toyota is building turbocharged Tundra as a turbocharged V6 instead of V-8. Lexus also may have models with turbocharged four cylinder models. I know that the popular SUV RX series is going turbocharged four cylnder. Any comments about turbocharged Toyotas?
Toyota is building turbocharged Tundra as a turbocharged V6 instead of V-8. Lexus also may have models with turbocharged four cylinder models. I know that the popular SUV RX series is going turbocharged four cylnder. Any comments about turbocharged Toyotas?
Toyota is building turbocharged Tundra as a turbocharged V6 instead of V-8. Lexus also may have models with turbocharged four cylinder models. I know that the popular SUV RX series is going turbocharged four cylnder. Any comments about turbocharged Toyotas?
Toyota is building turbocharged Tundra as a turbocharged V6 instead of V-8. Lexus also may have models with turbocharged four cylinder models. I know that the popular SUV RX series is going turbocharged four cylnder. Any comments about turbocharged Toyotas?