2006 Toyota Highlander Review

Specifications

A Lighter Shade of Green

Toyota sensibility just got a whole lot more sensible thanks to the availability of hybrid technology in the mid-size Highlander SUV. Having previously tested Fords Escape hybrid compact ute and the Lexus RX400h hybrid sport utility I am becoming quite a fan of this technology, which seamlessly combines gas and electrical power sources. Provided the sophisticated technology proves to be reliable and sustainable - and early indicators are favorable - hybrid systems may be the best option available today to maximize fuel economy while minimizing emissions.

Gas/electric hybrid vehicles, such as those just mentioned, dont need to be plugged into an external power source to recharge their batteries, as is needed with purely electric vehicles. And dont overlook the fact that most household electricity is coal-fire or hydro generated, the former which produces acid rain plus other environmental contaminants while the latter floods immense tracks of forest, so recharging millions of cars by simply plugging them in is no solution at all - at least not at this point.

What about fuel cell powered vehicles, you ask? Well they hold some future promise, but unfortunately they require hydrogen, and hydrogen production has issues of its own starting with the need to consume electrical power in order to convert it into a useful fuel. And even if we could cleanly convert hydrogen, how do we begin building and paying for the complex infrastructure needed to ensure its availability nationwide? Sadly the truth is that completely “green” full-scale production vehicles remain a dream that may be realized sometime in the distant future - which leaves the hybrid as the only real, mass producible “alternative means” option.

Put simply, hybrid technology improves a vehicles fuel efficiency by combining sustainable electrical power with the power of a traditional, low emissions internal combustion engine. Less fossil fuel burned means less harmful emissions. To date the hybrid partnership has been a safe and dependable one. In fact, Toyotas Prius hybrid sedan is fast becoming a
favorite among taxi owners due to its durability and thriftiness. If there is a down side to hybrid, its predicting the batterys longevity in every possible usage scenario. In addition to lifespan, ensuring that batteries used in hybrid vehicles are safely and responsibly disposed of is logistically mind-boggling. But this isnt a critique on battery recycling programs. Its a review of the hybrid 06 Toyota Highlander, so lets get on with it.

Toyota has equipped the hybrid Highlander with the same cutting-edge technology that powers its Lexus luxury divisions RX 400h. This is a “full hybrid” design, which means it is capable of operating exclusively in gasoline or electric modes, as well as a combination of both. As with the RX400h, the Highlander hybrids core powerplant is a 3.3-liter (202 cu in) 24-valve, DOHC V6, featuring Toyotas Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i). The effective output of the combined gas/electric arrangement is an impressive 268 horsepower. Toyota markets its performance as being comparable to that of a V8 engine SUV, while delivering the economy of a four-banger. Regardless of how its characterized, the punch of Toyotas hybrid Highlander is in deed impressive. Toyota touts a 0 to 60 mph time of only 7.3 seconds, and I believe it. The mid-size SUV may not snap necks off-the-line the way a HEMI-powered Grand Cherokee might, but look out, once its rolling it doesnt hold back. Passing power is also impressive for an SUV, and thanks to an electronically controlled, continuously variable transmission (E-CVT) the Highlanders gas engine remains in its sweet spot throughout a run for the roses.

Although the hybrid powerplant is very civilized and well refined operationally, I didnt find it quite as smooth and quiet in the Highlander as I did in the Lexus. It functions identically in both vehicles, but the added sound deadening materials and higher quality carpets, plastics, etc, give the Lexus a little more polish. In the Highlander, the 3.3-liter V6 announces its presence with slightly more growl when asked to kick out a dose of grunt. A little more road noise is evident in the Highlander as well, but again thats to be expected - the extra greenbacks needed for Lexus ownership buy more than just an upscale nameplate.

To ensure the gasoline engine in the Highlander hybrid is as efficient as possible, Toyota removed from it the parasitic equipment typically driven by a vehicles engine, such as the power steering pump and air conditioning unit. This equipment is now electrically powered, thus reducing drag on the internal combustion engine and enabling it to shut down, when it switches to idle mode or full electrical drive power, without the loss of power steering or air conditioning functionality.

Im not sure if the unnatural steering feel I detected was due to the unconventionality of its design or not, but steering resistance when turning felt manufactured and disconnected from the roadway; something I didnt notice when road testing a conventional Highlander. Nevertheless, maneuvering around in the hybrid version was easy. The vehicle is remarkably nimble in and out of parking lots and secure and stable during high speed cornering. Should things inadvertently get out of hand, Toyotas Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM) system, which orchestrates key electronic aids to work in unison, such as stability control, traction control, ABS brakes, EBD, BA, etc, will keep the SUV between the lines of the road.

Hopefully such intervention will never be needed, but given that the Highlander hybrid is available with 4-wheel-drive (4WD) some off-roading excursions are to be anticipated, and here is where the hybrid technology gets most interesting. The Highlanders gas engine powers its front wheels - nothing unusual about that. When slippage is detected up front, Toyotas on-demand, Intelligent 4WD system applies traction control to the slipping wheels while directing power to the rear wheels. But have a look under the hybrid Highlander and youll ask how thats possible given the absence of a driveshaft (okay not all of you will, just mechanical geeks like me will).

The rear wheels in Toyotas hybrid setup are powered by a separate electric motor generating up to 96 pound-feet of torque. This fragment of brilliance dispenses with the weight of the additional drive components needed to spin the rear wheels the conventional way. It also allows for a flat floor inside the vehicle. Although my time behind the wheel of this weeks tester didnt afford me an opportunity to overtly challenge the Highlanders off-road ability, I did what I could on wet pavement to assure myself that rear wheels were helping launch the hybrid forward with confidence on the slipperiest of road surfaces. This said it was easy to overwhelm the front wheels and invoke the traction control program - remember, they are not mechanically connected to the rear wheels as in more typical 4WD arrangements.

After adapting to the fact that turning the key in the Highlander Hybrid readies it for driving without necessarily firing up its combustion engine, the vehicle becomes a tremendous pleasure to drive. With or without the engine quietly idling, an illuminated “ready” indicator will activate in the instrument panel advising drivers that the Highlander is armed and prepared for road action. A slight step on the throttle isnt likely to initiate the gas engine, mind you. At slow speeds and with a gentle right foot, the vehicle can be nursed around side streets under battery power alone; its like driving for free. A further dip into the throttle instantly and unobtrusively pulls the conventional powerplant into the equation and the Highlander scoots away with plenty of vigor. A small LED display in the instrument cluster depicts which power source, or sources are in use, and whether the hybrids 288 volt, DC nickel metal hydride battery is being recharged by regenerative braking or depleted by electric motor use.

This thin, wafer-shaped battery resides under the rear seat and is, for all intents and purposes, nonexistent. Negligible passenger or cargo space is lost to the batterys presence, making the hybrid Highlander effectively indistinguishable from its conventional sibling, except for badging and a cooling slot cut into the upper portion of the front bumper. If not by appearance, the hybrid version is sure to distinguish itself at the pumps, or should I say, “not at the pumps,” because it wont be there as often. At 31 and 29 mpg in the city and on the highway respectively, Toyota claims some pretty impressive fuel economy ratings. Realizing anything close to these figures would be a major reward considering they apply to a 7-passenger, mid-size SUV capable of putting 268 horsepower to the tarmac.

My tester was the Limited version, which means that it was well stocked with comfort and convenience amenities in addition to a third row seat - although squeezing adults into the third row would be an act of carpool desperation. Despite its constrained third row facility, I have always liked the Highlander for its modest size, enjoyable ride and all-weather practicality, not to mention Toyota quality. The addition of hybrid technology catapults the Highlander to the head of the class in the mid-sized, mid-priced SUV segment. Although there may be some extra risk in buying a hybrid SUV due to the absence of hard data on long-term performance, which can only be generated by recording years of use, Toyota seems prepared to stand behind its product. The hybrid components, including the HV battery are warranted for 8-years or 100,000 miles.

As well as carefully weighing the pros and cons of hybrid technology, potential buyers ought to research whether such a purchase would entitle them to government-sponsored incentives.

While hybrid technology may not be the panacea for all our transportation ills, it will certainly reduce the symptoms. And in the case of the Highlander it will do so while continuing to provide families with all the benefits associated with owning a high quality, mid-size SUV, less some of the guilt that comes with owning a sport utility vehicle, I suppose. Call it a lighter shade of green, but green nonetheless.