



By N2H

Examining The Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV

January 9th, 2009 by Shenron

There are certain car makers that people turn to when looking for certain traits and specifics in a new car. When car buyers look for reliability and performance, as well as good gas mileage, they often turn to Toyota. Toyota has been in business in one form or another for more than seventy years, and for the last thirty or more have developed a lasting reputation as a fine maker of economical automobiles that perform well and last a great deal of time. The company has also been successful at recognizing and staying ahead of trends, always willing to change their car making strategy in order to give car buyers what they really want. This was true in the 1970s when they were the first to market small pickup trucks, in the early 1980s when they turned their attention to fuel efficient economy cars as well as the 1990s when they moved into the luxury and high end performance vehicle marketplace. Toyota is at the forefront of automobile technology again, being one of the first and best automobile manufacturers to build and sell hybrid vehicles. Building on the amazing success of the Toyota Prius hybrid car, Toyota has undertaken the large task of creating a hybrid SUV that still exhibits all the traits of a Toyota vehicle that customers have come to count on over the years. Their attempt at just such a vehicle is available, and it goes by the name of the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

The Highlander Hybrid was first introduced in 2006, but not widely marketed until 2008, and was received rather well by the car buying public. The 2009 model is again a four-door SUV with room for up to seven passengers. Good gas mileage for an SUV is achievable in the Highlander Hybrid with the 3.3 liter, V-6 hybrid engine normally achieving 25-29 miles per gallon depending on driving conditions. While the vehicle doesn’t achieve the amazing gas mileage of many alternative fuel powered vehicles, it does quite well for a sport utility vehicle.

The interior of the Highlander Hybrid is up to par in terms of the kind of ride and comfort that Toyota has become known for. Most drivers of the vehicle rave about the roominess of the interior, especially in terms of leg room for the driver. The Highlander Hybrid is perfectly made to haul both adults or children on everything from a business trip to a multi-day driving vacation. The front bucket seats are designed to fit a driver and passenger of any size and are adjustable in a number of different directions. The driver will love the on board trip computer that comes standard on the Highlander Hybrid as it displays not only the average speed and average fuel consumption, but also approximately how many miles the vehicle has to go before it needs to be refueled and a great deal of other information. It also comes with a six speaker AM/FM Radio with CD/MP3 capable stereo system standard in all models.

Safety was a big concern with the Highlander Hybrid, and Toyota’s engineers spared nothing on designing an overly safe vehicle. Along with a large number of airbags designed to protect everyone in the vehicle regardless of where they are seated, the Highlander comes with side guard door beams, a rear facing video camera and three point seatbelts for passengers sitting in either the front or rear of the vehicle.

As far as extra options that a buyer can add on to their Highlander Hybrid, Toyota has come up with a number of them too. For those looking at climate control options, there are front dual zone automatic climate control and both manual and automatic rear air conditioner options available. There is also an option available for a factory installed vehicle anti-theft alarm and immobilizer for those concerned about protecting their new vehicle. A number of other first class options are available in different packages as well.

Overall, anyone looking to take the step to a hybrid vehicle who doesn’t want to leave the comfort and size of a sport utility vehicle behind would be well served in jumping behind the wheel of a Highlander Hybrid. When considering comfort, available space for people and cargo, fuel efficiency, environmental impact, not to mention the overall look and feel of an SUV, a car buyer simply can’t go wrong if they are looking at purchasing the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The vehicle simply offers everything anyone wants from an SUV, plus the added bonuses and benefits of a reliable Toyota built automobile and modern hybrid technology.

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2009 GMC Yukon Hybrid

December 28th, 2008 by Justin

One of the legendary GMC vehicles has been the Yukon. The Yukon which is a huge SUV, is actually the smaller, sister version of the Suburban. And while the Yukon offers plenty of room, capability and functionality, one of the downsides of this vehicle is the poor fuel efficiency. However, over the years with advances in hybrid technology, the Yukon has been given a hybrid version from GM. It should be noted that while the Yukon has a hybrid engine, power and performance definitely do not lack. It should also be noted that fuel efficiency while not great, is much better than the normal gas version vehicle.

What’s Under the Hood of the 2009 GMC Yukon Hybrid
With the Yukon Hybrid, you should know that you don’t have to skimp on performance. This baby still offers a huge engine to handle almost any workload or family for that matter. It has a 6.0 liter engine that is a V8 and offers 332 horsepower- quite nice for a hybrid. The hybrid portion of the vehicle is GM’s advanced 2 mode hybrid system. It offers an electrically variable transmission and a 300 volt storage system. It should also be noted that there is an active fuel management system on board that makes sure this baby sips gas when advantageous- such as on the highway. Other tech specs requiring the hybrid system include a nickel metal hydride (NIMH) battery and a nice warranty that covers the engine and hybrid components for 8 years or 100K miles.

Regarding fuel efficiency, the Yukon Hybrid offers 20-21 mpg in city driving and 20-22 mpg on the highway. Not good, but also not that bad. The price for the 2009 Yukon Hybrid ranges from about $50K to $54K and it should be noted that the 2009 model is a carryover from 2008.

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Dodge Durango Hemi Hybrid

December 5th, 2008 by Justin

With large SUV’s getting massacred in the market, more and more car companies are moving in the direction of hybrids and fuel efficient vehicles. One of the more appealing vehicles now coming to market is the Dodge Durango Hemi Hybrid. While the word hybrid sticks out, for true 4×4 enthusiasts, you should know that besides offering the fuel efficiency of a hybrid, this vehicle is largely unchanged and offers plenty of power which includes a great Hemi engine and about 350 horsepower- which means you not only save on fuel and are greener, but still get some great thrills and utility.

The Engine and Transmission of the Dodge Durango Hemi Hybrid
Under the hood of the Dodge Durango Hemi Hybrid, you will find a great engine that sports a 5.7 liter V8 with a 90 degree DOHC. This powerful engine produces about 345 horsepower and 380 lb ft of torque giving you plenty of power when you need it. Matched with this engine is a very decent 4 speed automatic CVT transmission. Regarding the hybrid part of this vehicle, the Durango has a 2 mode hybrid system. It uses a pair of electric motors that are housed inside the transmission to provide fuel efficiency at speeds that reach up to 40 mph. This system works with the Hemi’s multi displacement system which offers lots of power whether the vehicle is working on 4 cylinders or 8.

All in all this vehicle offers plenty a nice gain in fuel efficiency. While not a spectacular gain, you will usually get about 20 mpg which is pretty good for a SUV of the size and power of the Durango. Regarding price, the Durango Hemi Hybrid is a little expensive with a base price of about $45K.

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Two Hybrid SUV Vehicles That You Should Avoid

October 4th, 2008 by Justin

One type of car or SUV that consistently gets good press are hybrids. How can you not like hybrid vehicles, they are good for the environment, better on gas mileage and good for technology. While there are plenty of bright spots with hybrid SUV’s not every vehicle is a winner- even if it is a hybrid. These two vehicles are actually losers when it comes to gas mileage and cost.

Lexus GS450H
For those looking for a hybrid SUV, but don’t want to give up on luxury, the Lexus GS450H may look attractive. After all, the exterior is sophisticated and the interior is filled with breathless luxuries. Unfortunately, the one reason many people purchase a hybrid (fuel economy) comes up short. For instance, compared to a gasoline Lexus GS 450 you only get about 3 more miles to the gallon driving the hybrid around. Add in the extra cost to purchase and maintain the vehicle and you actually lose in the end (by about $5,500). All in all the Lexus GS 450H while socially responsible is not really practical even for very wealthy drivers.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid
The Toyota Highlander has an excellent past and is one of the best 4×4 vehicles ever to hit the trails, however it’s hybrid version leaves little to the imagination and is not quite the most economical. While Toyota does get points for trying to put a hybrid engine into a behemoth size SUV, ultimately, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid fails to be economical or practical. With an average fuel economy of 24 mpg, you don’t save enough on fuel efficiency to make up for the extra cost of the hybrid technology. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a sticker price of $43,835, ultimately realizing a loss of about $1,250 over a five year period.

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2009 Ford Escape Hybrid

October 2nd, 2008 by Justin

For those that love the practicality of a SUV, but are having a difficult time swallowing the incredibly high gas prices, one SUV that has become popular is the Ford Escape Hybrid. The Ford Escape Hybrid offers plenty of function, great styling and an environmentally friendly hybrid engine. The Escape is back as a hybrid for the 2009 year and even though Ford has been having difficulty in this terrible market, expect to see much more of the Ford Escape Hybrid in the coming months.

The 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid comes in four flavors, a 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive and a limited trim edition which also comes in a 2 or 4 wheel drive model. While the limited edition adds additional features and badging, it should be noted that the engines in all 4 of these models are the same. Equipped with a 4 cylinder 2.5 liter, hybrid engine that offers satisfactory performance at 94 hp. While you shouldn’t expect whip lash performance, this SUV is perfect for many commuters that require added functionality with very good gas mileage, plus the escape can be great for some tame off roading- especially with the 4 wheel drive models.

Gas mileage is very nice for an SUV. The 2 wheel drive models (both standard and trim) get a very nice 34 mpg on the highway and 31 in the city. However, you lose some gas mileage with the 4 wheel drive versions- 29 mpg highway and 27 in the city.

For those that are looking for an affordable hybrid SUV, the 2009 Ford Escape definitely impresses. For those on a budget, you can find a 2 wheel standard model for about 27K, however the 4 wheel drive limited will top out at about 35K.

Check out AmericanTrucks.com and their large selection of Ford Truck Parts.

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