The rear wheels in Toyota's 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 week's tester didn't afford me an opportunity to overtly challenge the
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| 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. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
Highlander's 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 isn't 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; it's like driving for free. A further dip into the
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| A small LED display in the instrument cluster depicts which power source, or sources are in use. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
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 hybrid's 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 battery's 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 won't be there as often. At 7.5 and 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres 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.
