Members of our team recently had the opportunity to test-drive the Toyota hybrid SUV Highlander. The hybrid rental vehicle was no more expensive than non-hybrid options in the same category so we took the opportunity to review this SUV hybrid. Following are our observations.

Looks

The Highlander SUV looks like any other non-hybrid vehicle, so Toyota has been faithful to the brand and the Highlander style. The truck is fairly compact looking, although roomy and comfortable on the interior. The finishings on the inside of our test vehicle were moderately upscale, with leather seating, power everything and silver and wood accents.

Functionality

As with many new hybrid vehicles, the starter mechanism takes some getting used to, as does the noise level of the engine. First of all you’ll find you have a key fob rather than a traditional key, and just a button to push in order to start the engine. Upon starting the Toyota hybrid engine is so silent you almost have to double-check that it’s running by giving the gas pedal a little push. This quietness, while initially disconcerting, makes for a very smooth and comfortable passenger experience.

On the road, the Toyota SUV hybrid drives liek a breeze. It has decent, although not fantastic, pick-up from stopped position, and is nicely maneuverable on the highway as well as for city driving. It’s size makes it fairly easy to park and yet it has ample rear hatch space for storage of luggage, golf clubs., etc.

Hybrid Gas Mileage

After four days of driving, during which we drove approximately 300 km (approx. 140 miles) on both highways and city streets, we found we had burned less than a tank of fuel, which impressed us. The hybrid technology in this  SUV works off an attached battery, which in turns re-charges itself when the engine is running, so the vehicle is very efficient. Overall, we were very pleased with the various aspects of this hybrid SUV, and feel Toyota has doen a great job.