Four-cylinder Toyota Highlander priced at $25,705

Toyota has just announced pricing on the 2009 Highlander SUV with its new 4-cylinder engine. The latest entry-level model in the Highlander lineup will arrive at the dealership with a base MSRP of $25,705. That figure cleanly undercuts the price of the Highlander V6 FWD ($27,600) and the Highlander Hybrid ($34,700). The new 4-cylinder engine displaces 2.7-liters and is rated at 187 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. Mated to an all-new 6-speed electronically-controlled automatic, it's enough motivation to get the SUV to 60 mph in a claimed 9.7 seconds, yet still return an EPA estimated 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway (22 MPG combined). For comparison, the Highlander V6 is rated at 18/24 and the Hybrid at 27/25... yes, the new gasoline-fed inline-4 is more efficient than the hybrid on the highway. Look for the new four-cylinder Highlander at Toyota dealers in January.