



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.

Share and Enjoy: