First Glance
Larger photos: Front RearThough hybrid packages are notoriously costly, I wasn't quite prepared for the sticker shock of the 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Highlander Hybrids start at $32,490, but equipped with the Limited package, a rear seat entertainment and audio system ($1,770), touch-screen DVD navigation ($2,000), and an Extra Value Package with heated leather front seats and a power moonroof ($2,390), the total price hit an astonishing $42,280.
The 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid's exterior styling tends to elicit mixed reactions, and critical voices might be more approving of the '08 model's refreshed looks. The '07 model is characterized by creased character lines and generally crisp styling cues, and in the context of its crossover SUV class, the 2007 Highlander's relatively tall and narrow silhouette visually leans it away from the mid-size sedan influence and more towards the SUV side of the equation. As is typical with Toyotas, exterior fit and finish is excellent, and its quality of construction is about what you would expect for its price point. While its doors don't shut with quite the heft of other, more substantial feeling sport utes, the Highlander nonetheless comes across as a well-made piece of machinery.
So, how does this mid-sized SUV feel on the inside?
Continued below...
In the Driver's Seat
Climb aboard the Highlander Hybrid, and you're treated to a wood and leather-trimmed cabin that offers an elevated view of the road. High quality audio fills the interior courtesy of a JBL Premium stereo, and the rear entertainment system features a flip-down DVD screen that pacifies tots but also blocks rear visibility. Instrumentation incorporates the electro-luminescent "Optitron" display pioneered by Lexus, and in addition to the dashboard power meter that indicates kilowatts produced by the electric motor, the navigation screen also conjures up the famous graphical energy flow chart found in the Prius.
Though the interior is luxuriously -- if a bit garishly -- trimmed, a few ergonomic issues vex the driver. The shifter, which sits high in the center panel close to the dash, can easily be knocked into neutral if the driver has the unfortunate habit of folding one leg under the other while driving (like I do.) Also, small air conditioning vents suffer from less than ideal placement, directly hitting the driver's hands.
Rear cabin space is decent, and while an optional third row of seating allows for a seven-passenger capacity, space is at a premium in this modestly sized SUV. However, my impulsive purchase of two minibikes proved the Highlander's utility: though vertical space was a bit impaired, a wide liftgate aperture and folding rear seats made the potentially regrettable purchase feasible.
All in all -- ergonomic annoyances aside -- the Highlander Hybrid's cabin is a pleasant space to occupy for extended periods of time.
On the Road
The Highlander's relatively tall and narrow stance combined with soft suspension translates to a top-heavy road demeanor. Ride quality is good and road irregularities are absorbed well by the four-wheel independent suspension, but it wallows and undulates during turns, and those dynamics are exacerbated by the added mass of the hybrid's batteries. Four-wheel drive doesn't aid agility either (and, incidentally, also hurts fuel economy), but provides added traction under snowy or rainy conditions. Brake feel is wooden, a symptom of the regenerative system which harvests dissipated heat to charge the nickel metal-hydride batteries.If the Highlander Hybrid's handling and braking feedback are less than ideal, its powertrain compensates in spades. The combination of its 3.3 liter V6 and an electric motor produces oodles of power, peaking with an impressive 268 horsepower. Torque is also plentiful (especially at lower speeds, since electric motors produce maximum torque at zero rpm), and power is transferred via a smooth, electronically controlled variable transmission. Power is so plentiful that driving this hybrid presents an odd conundrum: in spite of its high-minded environmental goals, the Highlander's hearty acceleration begs for heavy-footed throttle on open stretches of road. Conversely, being stuck in traffic in a hybrid becomes an actual joy. The cone of silence created by the absence of a running internal combustion engine gives a peaceful, easy feeling during traffic addled commutes.
Journey's End
However, considering the price of entry ($42,280), the premium for the hybrid system makes it less desirable. There are other crossover hybrid SUV options out there, including the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, which offers better fuel economy numbers -- 34 mpg city, 30 mpg highway -- at a lower price. What the Ford lacks in high-end interior polish and seating capacity, it makes up for with its unpretentious and simple design.
So while the Highlander Hybrid offers a powerful engine, an upscale interior, and considerable refinement, it also comes at a steep price. Whether or not the Highlander Hybrid is for you depends on your willingness to enjoy luxury and acceleration at the expense of value, while gaining minimal improvements in fuel economy.
