2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Reviews
The Highlander Hybrid had a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)-We drove the standard Highlander over more than 2,000 of roads, primarily highway on long trips. The Hybrid, on the other hand, we used for around-town driving, where the economy of the hybrid technology is supposed to shine--We averaged 23.8 mpg in the conventional Highlander; 21.6 in the hybrid.
The flaw is that Toyota (and Lexus with the R400h) simply adds the electric motor to the normal gasoline engine. Ford does the same thing with the Escape Hybrid. The electric motor provides excellent low-speed acceleration, because that motor develops its best torque at low speeds. The Highlander is a heck of a vehicle. The standard Highlander is a bit noisy - engine noise and wind noise. We didn't notice this noise with the Hybrid because we were traveling for the most part at lower speeds. Toyota quotes a cargo area of 80.6 cubic feet. This is with the rear seat folded flat. In the Hybrid, the left-side tachometer is replaced by a power gauge. The Highlander's seats were comfortable, and we could have driven even longer. Rear seat comfort was good, and rear seat legroom was excellent for a smaller vehicle.
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid was priced at $36,964, with $1,969 in options and the same delivery charge. The Hybrid carries a higher price tag. I was disappointed in the Hybrid because of its lower fuel economy, but liked its silence
The Highlander Hybrid fits perfectly into Toyota's plan for leadership in the emerging hybrid category. Combined with two electric motors, the "Highlander Hybrid's "V-6 engine delivers power and fuel economy, all in a spacious and comfortable SUV. Port-installed tube steps ($459), an emergency-assistance kit ($70), a Valor exhaust tip ($64), and a $109 hood protector brought the MSRP to $42,983, placing the Highlander Hybrid between the Ford Escape Hybrid.
Navigation shares the center LCD screen with Toyota's power-flow animation, also seen in the Prius
The big front seats are supportive, heated, and power adjustable.
Power at a discount
For technology consumers, there's a lot to like under the "Highlander Hybrid's hood". Toyota's full hybrid system allows the gas engine, the electric motor, or both to power the SUV. In four-wheel-drive models, an additional 50-kilowatt electric motor powers the rear wheels when needed. Dual-stage smart air bags and seat-mounted side air bags provide collision security for the driver and the front passenger. Perhaps more important is "Toyota's unique combination" of vehicle-stability control, antilock brakes with brake assist, and brake-force distribution. The Highlander Hybrid is available in two trim levels: standard and Limited, both available with front-wheel- or four-wheel-drive systems.
At the first deep probe of the throttle on an introductory drive of the Highlander Hybrid 4WD, my passenger said to me with eyes wide, "Geez, this thing's fast." As Highlanders go, the hybrid's a bullet. Has Toyota's Highlander hotline really been flooded with demands for C2-snapping acceleration?
Technically, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a solid demonstration of Toyota's deftness at teaching its innovative engine/motor pairing to dance to an up-tempo beat. Employing most of the Highlander's existing 3.3-liter V-6 architecture (this is a traditional Otto-cycle engine unlike the Prius's hydrocarbon-stingy Atkinson cycle) means its displacement is 2.2 times the 1.5-liter in the Prius.
