Cars of the Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation are considered one of the most popular in the world. Cars of this brand are used to travel all over the planet. To meet such demand, it is necessary to establish production, and where these vehicles are most needed. And the Japanese plant alone clearly cannot cope here. Many people, when buying a car, are often interested in where this or that car is assembled, including the Toyota Highlander. Because sometimes the quality of an SUV depends on the assembly plant. For example, in Russia, domestically assembled crossovers are trusted with a stretch and when purchasing they give preference to SUVs from the same Kazakhstan. And it’s even better if the Toyota Highlander was assembled in Europe, the USA or in the brand’s home country – Japan.
Differences between Russian and American crossovers
The Highlander crossover is produced for Russia and the USA with the same 3.5 liter and 2.7 liter engines. In the American version of the crossover, you can see the difference in the separate seats in the back row. The Russian modification of the Toyota Highlander 2014-2015, starting with the “Lux” configuration, is assembled with a seven-seater cabin. Judging by the reviews of buyers from America, it is very difficult for them to find such a crossover option, moreover, its cost will be considerable. If you know where the Toyota Highlander is produced, you will see the difference yourself. In the top version of the crossover for Russians and Americans, there are differences in the electronic system of the car. The Russian Highlander does not have such an option as keeping the crossover in the road lane and there is no DVD system for rear passengers.
The crossover for the USA is equipped with an automatic braking system and active cruise control. Some modern domestic owners will be upset by the fact that the Russian Highlander, unlike the American one, does not have such an option as Internet access. For some unknown reason, the cost of the latest generation crossover in Russia increased by two hundred thousand rubles, while in America, at this time, a car with a large set of options went up in price by only $700. Regarding other changes, the Russian version of the crossover has a stiffer suspension, and the manufacturer has also adjusted the steering of the car. In other respects, the cars are almost identical.
How do Russian and American assemblies of the Toyota Highlander SUV differ?
For both America and Russia, Toyota Highlander is available with the same types of power units:
- 3.5 liters 295 horsepower;
- 3.7 liters 155 horsepower.
In the Western version, the rear passenger seats are different. They are separated, unlike the Russian version with a single sofa. Cars of 2014-2015 for the Russian market in the USA are assembled with seven- and eight-seater interiors. Moreover, the Americans admit that they lack such a modification, but they are not able to purchase it in their home country. If there is such an option with an increased number of seats, then they demand too much money for it.
The highest trim level of the crossover for the American and Russian markets differs in the number of electronic options and assistants. In Russia, there is no lane keeping function, and there is also no DVD multimedia system for passengers sitting in the rear row of seats.
The American version has an automatic braking system, as well as an active cruise control function (when the car independently accelerates to a set speed and slows down when necessary or obstacles arise, up to a complete stop).
The model for the Russian Federation was also deprived of the option of accessing the Internet, which is quite important not only for our country, but also for the modern world in general. The Russian version also has a stiffer suspension and less sensitive steering compared to its American counterpart. In other respects, the SUVs are identical.
Read here about what engines were installed on the Highlander.
Prices for Toyota Highlander
If you want to buy an American version of a crossover, then today there are a large number of offers from Americans for the sale of used cars. The cost of this “Japanese” model ranges from $30,000 to $48,000. But, if the car is driven from America, you will have to pay extra for this service. Now you know where the Toyota Highlander is produced and how much it will cost. In Russia, a new crossover will cost you 760,000 rubles. For that kind of money, the buyer will receive the Elegance package, equipped with a 2.7-liter gasoline engine. With a more powerful 3.5-liter engine, the same option will already cost 1,967,000 rubles.
Toyota brand cars today are familiar not only to every motorist, but also to children. The world's largest Japanese automobile manufacturing corporation, with a rich and almost century-old history that began with the production of looms, has grown to unprecedented proportions.
The country producing Toyota cars is Japan, but production is based not only in the homeland; the steady growth of the scale of the enterprise has necessitated the creation of factories around the world, where cars are produced under the Toyota brand for different markets.
The establishment of Toyota Motors Corporation is officially dated August 28, 1937. Until this time, since 1933, the line for the production of gasoline-powered cars was part of the Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, specializing in the creation of weaving machines. The founder of the corporation, Kiichiro Toyoda, having studied the automobile industry of the United States and Europe, was inspired by the idea of automobile manufacturing and, thanks to the support of his father, was able to successfully implement it. Despite the post-war crisis, the company still managed to stay afloat and flourish with renewed vigor, steadily increasing production rates every year. Toyota Motors suffered losses only in 2009, but the situation began to improve in the next year.
Toyota is one of the ten largest corporations in the world, and the scope of the company’s activities is not limited to the automotive industry, although this is the main direction, the business is also tied to other areas, providing financial services, etc. The brand has been invariably associated with cars for decades. in the line of which almost every model becomes a hit. Subsidiaries also play an important role in the development of Toyota Motors. Millions of cars of all classes and types under the brands Toyota, Lexus, Daihatsu, Scion, and Hino leave the assembly lines of the corporation's factories every year.
How to find out where Toyota Highlander was assembled
The easiest way to figure out which plant the vehicle was assembled at is by looking at the documents or looking at the body and finding the VIN code there. The locations of the latter in Toyota cars are as follows:
- on the dashboard in the left corner;
- on the right under the front passenger seat;
- on the driver's door.
You can understand in which country the car was assembled by the first three characters. They can be alphabetic, numeric or a combination. But there will always be no more than three characters.
So, if the car was assembled in the UK, the designation will be “SB1”. The symbols “AHT” and “ACU” are typical for South Africa. In France, this designation will only be alphabetic - “VNK”. Portugal produces Toyota SUVs and sedans with codes “TW0” and “TW1”. For Mexico it is typical “3RZ”, and for Australia – “6T1”. China produces with the code “LH1”, Malaysia – “PN4”. All US cars come with license plates "5TD", "5TE" or "5X0".
It would also be useful to look at the eleven-digit number. If the numbers go from 0 to 9, then the country of origin is Japan. If it just has the letter “C”, then the car was manufactured in Canada. If the VIN code contains the letters “M”, “S”, “U”, “X”, “Z”, then the car was assembled by American manufacturers.
The next numbers after the letters or numbers will be the serial number. Also, two separate numbers or letters, for example, “11”, “31” or “LB” and “LC”, will indicate in which body the car was manufactured:
- minivan;
- sedan;
- liftback;
- pickup;
- station wagon;
- hatchback;
- coupe;
- van;
- etc.
Latin letters indicate the version of the power unit, which is divided, in addition to volume and power, by type of installation into: diesel, gasoline and hybrid. In addition, the letters indicate the model line to which the machine belongs.
Finding out where the car was assembled is not difficult at all. The salesperson at the dealership will always tell you about this. And if the car is bought on the secondary market and the previous owner does not know where the car was assembled, this can always be found out by the VIN code, which is indicated not only in the documents, but is also in several places on the body of the Toyota Highlander.
Now all Toyota Highlander models for the Russian market are assembled in the USA. For some time, these SUVs were produced at a plant near St. Petersburg, however, such assembly did not last long. Largely due to the quality of their performance.
Here you will learn everything about Highlander.
Toyota car production
The corporation's main production facilities are located in Japan, but with the growth of sales volumes outside the homeland, the auto giant has significantly expanded its field of activity. Large factories are located in Thailand, Indonesia, as well as other Asian countries, Canada, the USA and Europe. Toyota cars come to Russia, assembled at factories in Japan, England, Turkey, France, but some models are also assembled in the Russian Federation. No matter where the brand's cars are produced, the requirements for the level of quality are the same.
Where is Toyota Corolla assembled?
The famous car model, the record holder for the number of sales worldwide and the flagship of the automaker, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021. Over its history, Corolla has undergone many reincarnations, without ever changing its name. Today the 12th generation of the legend is already on the assembly line.
Toyota Corolla
Motorists are always demanding about the issue of car reliability, and not least of all they are interested in where Toyota Corolla is assembled. Due to the enormous popularity of the model, production is carried out in different countries around the world. Thus, until the mid-90s, cars of various modifications were supplied to the European market from the Japanese factories Takaoka and Tsutsumi; for the American consumer, production is based in the USA.
Since 1994, the corporation acquired assembly shops in England and Turkey, so until 2006, Turkish-assembled cars were supplied to the Russian car market, as well as the CIS countries. With the increase in volumes, factories were also opened in Asia, South America, Canada, and Africa, where Corolla was also assembled.
Cars of the 10th generation, including restyled versions, were assembled for Russia only in Japan, while the automaker was closely involved in modernizing the assembly line in the city of Sakarya (Turkey). The quality of the Turkish assembly differed from the Japanese one not for the better, and the automaker, which produced millions of copies of the legendary model, could not allow the performance to deteriorate. After bringing production capacity to the appropriate level, the 11th generation Corolla has been produced at the Turkish plant since 2013.
Where is Toyota Camry assembled?
Another iconic car of the Japanese automaker, already in its eighth generation. Toyota Camry, winner of an impressive number of prizes and awards, is in great demand all over the world, and the model is also in demand among Russians. The main assembly line is located in Japan, but Camry is also produced in Russia, Australia, China, and the USA. In the Russian Federation, since 2007, a production process has been launched in Shushary near St. Petersburg, where cars of this model are still assembled. Moreover, starting from 2011, due to growing demand and the inability to cover it with the number of domestically assembled cars, supplies of cars from Japan were also organized.
The corporation's management strictly controls the car manufacturing process at all stages of production. The factories are equipped with modern equipment and use the same high-quality components as during assembly at home, so Russian assembly also meets quality standards. The difference between a Toyota Camry of Japanese and domestic production lies in the tires installed (for the Japanese it is Yokohama, for us it is Michelin) and the paintwork, which is more durable on Japanese models.
Toyota Camry
Where is Toyota Rav-4 assembled?
The compact crossover has been produced in Japan since 1994, and is already in its fifth generation of the famous model. The car is in great demand among motorists all over the world, including our compatriots. The assembly of Toyota Rav-4 for consumers from Europe is carried out at the Japanese factories Tahara and Takaoka, and since 2021, production has also been established at the domestic plant in Shushary, aimed not only at the Russian market, but also Kazakhstan and Belarus. For North America, cars are made in Canada (Ontario).
Toyota Rav-4
Where are Toyota Highlander cars assembled?
Another crossover from the Japanese auto giant, but already in a higher class than the Rav-4. This model is not intended for sale within Japan; it is aimed at the US consumer. The Toyota Highlander mid-size SUV is produced for Americans at Japanese factories, as well as in China. Cars are delivered to Russia from the USA, where they are assembled in Princeton, Indiana. The Russian modification, adapted to our operating conditions, differs, depending on the configuration, from the American version in interior variations, number of seats (the luxury version of the Highlander for Russia has a seven-seater interior), electronic equipment and additional systems. Unlike the American, our crossover does not have the option of automatic braking, DVD for rear seat passengers and Internet access.
Toyota Highlander
Where are Toyota Land Cruiser Prado/100/200 cars assembled?
Real SUVs, representing the pride of the automaker and stuffed with all sorts of “goodies” for overcoming off-road conditions, could not but please Russian motorists. All three Toyota Land Cruiser Prado/100/200 models come from Japan (they are made at the Tahara plant) both for sale within the country and abroad. It is noteworthy that right- and left-hand drive cars are manufactured on the same assembly line.
Production and assembly of Toyota cars
On the territory of the Russian Federation, car owners prefer Japanese-made Toyota cars. Many cars are not produced in Russia, which is why the demand for them is high, since cars from foreign assembly lines are considered to be of higher quality and more durable. Nevertheless, there are Toyota options that still come from the lines of factories built in our country, and where the vast majority of workers are Russians, including the quality control department.
In this regard, when purchasing a Toyota Highlander, many are interested in where it is assembled, and after receiving an answer to this question, they decide to purchase an SUV. Because doubts arise precisely in the quality of the assembly.
However, potential buyers of new Toyota Highlander SUVs need not worry about the work of Russian car assemblers. These crossovers are no longer assembled on the territory of the Russian Federation. For Russia, the Highlander model is produced in the USA in the city of Princeton in Indiana.
Moreover, cars directly for the American market come off assembly lines at factories in Japan and China. By the way, production in the Celestial Empire was established relatively recently. It was decided to expand production due to increased demand. And doing it in China was the most cost-effective way to do it.
Japanese and Chinese assemblies do not go to the Russian market, since cars are assembled in the USA with appropriate adaptations for Russian operating conditions.
ADDITIONALLY! The Japanese Toyota Highlander SUV is not supplied to the Japanese automobile market, despite the fact that it is produced there. All cars produced in the Land of the Rising Sun are exclusively for export.
It is worth noting that Toyota Highlander was still produced in Russia. The car began to be assembled in 2010 at the Shushary plant near St. Petersburg after the presentation of the second generation restyling at the motor show in Moscow. The crossover was produced only in two top trim levels: “Lux” and “Prestige”, with one type of engine: a 3.5-liter V-shaped “six” with a capacity of 295 horsepower.
Nevertheless, on the secondary market you can still find crossovers of this model with domestic assembly. However, a year later, it was decided to stop domestic production, leaving only the assembly of Toyota Camry.
What Toyota models are assembled in Russia
In the Russian Federation, the Toyota automobile concern is currently represented by two divisions - Toyota Motor RUS, an enterprise that is officially a representative of the brand, selling cars of any assembly, and the Toyota plant in Shushary (St. Petersburg), specializing in the production part. The assembly line was founded in 2005, and since 2007, it has been churning out Toyota Camry models for sales within the country, and now beyond its borders to Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Since 2021, after the completion of the construction of new workshops, the plant has launched production of the no less famous RAV-4. The production of Toyota cars in Russia is at a decent level, and there will be no significant differences in assembly, since the company controls production to maintain the proper quality of its cars.
In 2013, the Land Cruiser Prado began to roll off the production line in the Russian Far East, but two years later this idea was abandoned. The 2021 Toyota Prado continues to be sourced from Japan.
The success of a brand is made up of many factors and, although the company’s path to glory cannot be called thorny, it is still the fruit of great work. In many ways, the universal love of consumers from all over the world is the result of the automaker’s attentive attitude to the needs and priorities of motorists in different countries. An individual approach to the client always ensures a high level of sales, and the automobile business is no exception. Along with decent quality and improvement of models, Toyota creates cars that are relevant in modern realities, adapted to the operating conditions of specific regions, and careful control in production allows them to maintain their position, despite the fact that many models are not “purebred” Japanese at all.
When some Russian drivers are eager to transport a Toyota Highlander from America, they do not always understand that they can simply go to the nearest Toyota dealership and purchase an “American” Toyota Highlander Limited there. “Where is the point?” - you ask. Since 2013, the supply of American-made Toyota Highlander has been officially opened in Russia. The supply statement was published at the beginning of 2014. The main sales market is considered to be the CIS countries (Kazakhstan, Ukraine). These cars will also go to the markets of New Zealand and Australia.
Comparison of American and Russian models
Firstly, the car is produced with the same power plants - 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter gasoline engines. As for the Hybrid version, we have a dedicated article for this. If we talk about the version for Americans, the differences are noticeable only in the separate seats in the back row. Also, the Russian version of the Toyota Highlander 2014-2015 initially (starting with the Luxury configuration) comes with a 7-seater cabin. An American does not have such goods. As reviews from drivers from the States say, you need to work hard to find a 7-seater option, and the price will increase significantly.
The top-end assembly of the Toyota Highlander will also differ, namely the electronic systems. Unfortunately, the Russian assembly of the Toyota Highlander does not provide options such as keeping the crossover on the road, nor does it have a DVD system for rear passengers. Also in the American version there are automatic braking systems, which include active cruise control . Modern Russian drivers may also be upset that their top-end Highlander will not receive an Internet access point, although American motorists have such a function even on the mid-spec. At the same time, for some reason, the price of the latest generation Toyota Highlander with the previous version of the engine has increased by 200 thousand rubles. While in the USA, an assembly with a large set of options added only $700 to the price.
As for other changes, the “Russian” Highlander has a stiffer suspension, because the manufacturer knew about one of the problems of our country. The steering has also been adjusted to suit our realities. Otherwise the cars are almost identical. But the suspension can be a deciding factor, because the American is really designed for better roads. Although reviews from Russian drivers who received cars from America indicate that the car is not lacking in comfort.
In addition, the car is also assembled in Japan, but there the plant produces the Toyota Highlander 2014-2015 for the domestic market, as well as for some EU countries. The Toyota Highlander is not assembled on our mainland; there is no information about the launch of production yet; if it appears, you will be the first to know about it.
