The totally redesigned 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is impressive on many levels, the fact it is a hybrid is not the least of those special features but there is plenty to like about this SUV. While you prepare to be wide-eyed with the fuel economy and size, hold on tight when you see the final price -- especially if you add on some compelling optional features.
The all-new 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid will impress you with its outward looks and growing dimensions. I was not a fan of the previous exterior style, which felt boxy and far too conservative. This new look delivers sleek, swooping lines and larger interior spaces.
Oh, did I mention, it is a hybrid.
A mid-size SUV, the Highlander Hybrid is actually 4 inches longer, 3 inches wider and sports a wheelbase 3 inches longer than the previous model. All of this extra space is pushed to the limits by Toyota engineers, who take advantage of every inch to try to make this hybrid look and feel like its non-hybrid brethren.
While the real story still rests under the hood and in the drivetrain that offers an electric-only mode, the exterior of the Highlander Hybrid is worth mentioning, not something you can say about every one of Toyota's vehicles. I like the exterior style of this SUV. There is an abundance of glass that presents a more refined attitude at first glance. I think the standard 19-inch alloy rims really are the difference maker for me. They give the stance a more pronounced off-road feel, even though it will likely never leave the pavement.
Non-hybrid models have a standard 3.5-liter V6 engine while the hybrid version has a 3.3-liter V6. Surprisingly, and thanks to the batteries in the hybrid model, both deliver 270 horsepower.Non-hybrids are mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission and my tester had the standard continuously variable transmission (CVT) in the hybrids.
Hybrid Highlanders only come as 4-wheel-drive models, with the rear wheels driven by a separate electric motor. My tester felt sure-footed in all driving situations. The CVT delivers seamless shifts and outstanding power on demand.
It is still a thrill for me every time I get in a hybrid and experience just how far along they have come with their drivetrains. That virtually undetectable sensation when the highlander was in hybrid mode transitions flawlessly when power is called for by the accelerator.
Toyota has an electric assistance power steering system and it is responsive but almost too smooth with little road feedback. It's hard not to like something that separates you from annoying shakes on the road, but you forget how much that actually enhances the driver's feeling of being in control.
Inside the Highlander you get Toyota quality and fit and finish. Like so many of the mid-size SUVs, this cabin feels, even with the 19-inch rims hoisting you up a few inches, like you are driving in a sedan, not a truck. Sightlines are excellent with no blind spots and lots of glass to enhance driver's view.
The dash has a convenient layout, intuitive with clean gauge presentation and larger-sized buttons. There is a window that sits atop the IP, presenting tire pressure, mpg, compass reading, ambient temperature, back-up camera, clock and more. Having all these extra bits of information at hand in one space is an advantage.
Three rows of seats, only the first two should be expected to seat adults, have ample legroom and headroom. Front row seating had appreciated power adjustments to get the perfect setting for long trips. |
