2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Reviews
The 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a terrific family vehicle, but not the sort that inspires driving enthusiasts.
For 2011, the Highlander Hybrid has an all-new face, with a sleeker profile and fewer bulges, as well as lighting that differentiates it from the gas-powered Highlander.
The 2011 Highlander Hybird is quite an improvement over past Highlanders in the looks department. A second electric motor powers the rear wheels when in all-wheel drive. The gas-powered front-wheel-drive Highlander has a four-cylinder engine and gets 20/25 mpg.
Reviewers seem to like the new look of the Highlander Hybrid. Despite the increase in engine size and power, the 2011 Highlander Hybrid manages to achieve better gas mileage than the 2010 model.
The Highlander Hybrid is restyled for 2011 and benefits from some trim changes. All Highlander’s, including the Hybrid, benefit from standard third-row seating for 2011.
The Highlander is available in two trim levels; base and Limited. The base Highlander Hybrid comes standard with Bluetooth, a backup camera, a power driver’s seat and keyless entry.
When the Highlander Hybrid debuted in 2005 as a 2006 model, it was the first mid-sized hybrid SUV ever sold in the North American market. For even greater emphasis on efficiency, Toyota has outfitted the Highlander Hybrid with both "EV" and "Econ" driving modes. Though the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, it is not well suited for harsh road or weather conditions. It usually operates in front-drive mode, and is configured much differently than the all-wheel-drive version of the non-hybrid Highlander, which favors more power to the rear wheels. The hybrid model has about one inch less ground clearance than the standard all-wheel drive Highlander SUV, making entry and exit more like a minivan. The Highlander Hybrid offers a wonderful 40/20/40-split second-row bench seat. With all rear seats stowed away, the Highlander Hybrid allows for a voluminous 94 cubic feet of storage area.
What’s the driving experience in this new hybrid? The Highlander Hybrid is available in both base and Limited trim levels. Base models come well equipped with seven-passenger seating, air-conditioning with rear climate control, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and eight-way power driver’s seat. The Limited model adds leather interior with a 10-way power driver’s seat and four-way power front passenger seat that are both heated, power moonroof and three-zone climate control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not tested the 2011 Highlander.
With fuel economy of 28 city/28 highway, the "Highlander Hybrid" is the most efficient seven-seater vehicle on the road. The Highlander Hybrid has a base MSRP that ranges from $37,290 to $42,945 plus $810 destination charges. That’s approximately $3,000 to $7,700 more than the conventional gas-powered Highlander, depending on model comparison. When comparing the Highlander to the popular Ford Escape Hybrid, there is a similar price difference. The Highlander is about $5,500 more expensive. The Highlander Hybrid offers 280 horsepower and can tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the Ford Escape Hybrid rates at a much less useful 153 horsepower, with a towing capacity of only 1,000 pounds. The Escape hybrid does, however, edge the Highlander out in fuel efficiency, by about five to 10 percent, depending on model comparisons.
For 2011, the Highlander Hybrid has an all-new face, with a sleeker profile and fewer bulges, as well as lighting that differentiates it from the gas-powered Highlander.
The 2011 Highlander Hybird is quite an improvement over past Highlanders in the looks department. A second electric motor powers the rear wheels when in all-wheel drive. The gas-powered front-wheel-drive Highlander has a four-cylinder engine and gets 20/25 mpg.
Reviewers seem to like the new look of the Highlander Hybrid. Despite the increase in engine size and power, the 2011 Highlander Hybrid manages to achieve better gas mileage than the 2010 model.
The Highlander Hybrid is restyled for 2011 and benefits from some trim changes. All Highlander’s, including the Hybrid, benefit from standard third-row seating for 2011.
The Highlander is available in two trim levels; base and Limited. The base Highlander Hybrid comes standard with Bluetooth, a backup camera, a power driver’s seat and keyless entry.
When the Highlander Hybrid debuted in 2005 as a 2006 model, it was the first mid-sized hybrid SUV ever sold in the North American market. For even greater emphasis on efficiency, Toyota has outfitted the Highlander Hybrid with both "EV" and "Econ" driving modes. Though the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a four-wheel-drive vehicle, it is not well suited for harsh road or weather conditions. It usually operates in front-drive mode, and is configured much differently than the all-wheel-drive version of the non-hybrid Highlander, which favors more power to the rear wheels. The hybrid model has about one inch less ground clearance than the standard all-wheel drive Highlander SUV, making entry and exit more like a minivan. The Highlander Hybrid offers a wonderful 40/20/40-split second-row bench seat. With all rear seats stowed away, the Highlander Hybrid allows for a voluminous 94 cubic feet of storage area.
What’s the driving experience in this new hybrid? The Highlander Hybrid is available in both base and Limited trim levels. Base models come well equipped with seven-passenger seating, air-conditioning with rear climate control, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and eight-way power driver’s seat. The Limited model adds leather interior with a 10-way power driver’s seat and four-way power front passenger seat that are both heated, power moonroof and three-zone climate control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not tested the 2011 Highlander.
With fuel economy of 28 city/28 highway, the "Highlander Hybrid" is the most efficient seven-seater vehicle on the road. The Highlander Hybrid has a base MSRP that ranges from $37,290 to $42,945 plus $810 destination charges. That’s approximately $3,000 to $7,700 more than the conventional gas-powered Highlander, depending on model comparison. When comparing the Highlander to the popular Ford Escape Hybrid, there is a similar price difference. The Highlander is about $5,500 more expensive. The Highlander Hybrid offers 280 horsepower and can tow up to 3,500 pounds, while the Ford Escape Hybrid rates at a much less useful 153 horsepower, with a towing capacity of only 1,000 pounds. The Escape hybrid does, however, edge the Highlander out in fuel efficiency, by about five to 10 percent, depending on model comparisons.
