#Toyota #Highlander #Hybrid
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The toyota highlander has been the choice for reliability focused responsible parents for over 2 decades now
Last year saw an all new generation of highlander for only the 4th time
But what i have with me here is the highlander hybrid in limited trim. Let’s take it for a spin
So I’m going to level with you guys here - I always film my own b-roll for these reviews but that always takes at minimum 2 hours - and it’s been snowing and single digits all week so i apologize, but I’m going to use toyota footage
However, this cold gives us a good opportunity to do some snow and cold weather testing.
First I want to say I’m thankful for the heated seats which are level adjusted to the interior temp of the car
The heated steering wheel which i started feeling through my mittens
And the powerful, yet quiet multi zone climate control
So once I was all cozy - I finally set off to get some driving impressions
Yesterday I took this to Costco in an actual snowstorm. And immediately I started making comparisons between this and my 4runner
This highlander and my 4 runner are essentailyl the same size, but with a few very significant differences
First, this Highlander is built on a unibody architecture so it handles more like a car
The steering is infinitely better
The body control is so much better
You just feel more in control of the car
Another thing is the differences in AWD vs 4WD
My 4runner is a selectable 4wd or 4x4 and without getting too technical the Highlander is “full” time AWD in the sense that you dont have to shift the transfer case yourself
The transfer case on the highlander is built into the trans and the on-board computer decides when it needs to send power to the back axle
This more sophisticated system results in a smarter and better traction on the roads with a sacrifice in offroad durability and ruggedness.
Not that any rational person would ever demand anything more than a leisurely jaunt through a field for a county fair from their highlander still the distinction needed to be made.
So this excellent traction instills a lot of confidence which means i can unleash ALL 243 HP from the might 2.5 4cyl
These numbers dont really indicate supercar, but there’s also 2 electric motors that provide immediate electric torque making this feel pretty peppy
I’m not going to tell you this powertrain is exactly inspiring, but I actually love the weird sound this thing makes - like a sad wookie
PLus combined 36 mpg is pretty spectacular
Which reminds me I should mention EV mode……*
So ultimately, the Highlander hybrid is incredibly comfortable, especially in the winter, the visibility is excellent, the dynamics are competent if not a little numb, the powertrain has some character and manages to get over 35 mpg….in something that’s so big and spacious it hardly fits in my garage
Now driving a car is one thing, but occasionally you’ll have to look at it sitting your driveway and while I preferred the design philosophy of the previous generation, this new one has grown on me in my week with it...namely the depth to the red paint.
Talk about specific exterior trimmings and transition to the interior
The cabin on the highlander in limited trim is great.
The dash is short so it feels very spacious
The a pillars are skinny for added visibility and light
The leather seats are tan making it feel bigger as well
But in a family SUV like this it’s almost more important what happens behind the driver
Talk about space and amenities*
So with that, the only thing left to discuss is price and where it fits.
The Highlander hybrid starts at 38,500
And this limited trim is just over 45,000
If you can do without some of the bells and whistles go for a lower trim package, but my spoiled self would pony up the extra cash
Over 45k sounds like a lot of money but when you consider that there’s really no other hybrid competitor, this hybrid starts to make a lot of sense