The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is currently the Japanese brand’s only hybrid utility vehicle—and on the surface, it’s an oxymoron and a half.
Theoretically, hybrids are good on gas, make Mother Nature smile, and are an ideal way to reduce ones ecological footprint. Conversely, and theoretically, sport utes are big clumsy smog-belchers that will help set off the next global warming-induced ice age.
The Highlander Hybrid, (its friends call it the HiHy) is both of these machines at the same time.
Sound a little conflicted? Sure—some say the Hybrid Ute is just a creature cooked up by the marketing machine to make shoppers feel less atmospherically negligent while hauling 7 passengers and a boat. But there’s something else.
Hybrid Drive
The bigger and heavier a vehicle is, the more fuel a hybrid drivetrain can help it to save. And the Highlander is the biggest vehicle in Toyota’s crossover SUV lineup.
Its hybrid variant uses a 3.5 litre gasoline V6 teamed up with an electric drive system which includes batteries, a generator and an electric motor. All power is created on board, and both electricity and old-fashioned internal combustion switch or combine efforts to drive the vehicle-- depending on the situation.
Said switching and combining is automatic and seamless, and the HiHy can even turn its gas engine off at traffic lights to minimize wasteful idling. It can also drive at low speeds solely on stored electricity.
Theoretically, hybrids are good on gas, make Mother Nature smile, and are an ideal way to reduce ones ecological footprint. Conversely, and theoretically, sport utes are big clumsy smog-belchers that will help set off the next global warming-induced ice age.
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| The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is currently the Japanese brand’s only hybrid utility vehicle. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |
The Highlander Hybrid, (its friends call it the HiHy) is both of these machines at the same time.
Sound a little conflicted? Sure—some say the Hybrid Ute is just a creature cooked up by the marketing machine to make shoppers feel less atmospherically negligent while hauling 7 passengers and a boat. But there’s something else.
Hybrid Drive
The bigger and heavier a vehicle is, the more fuel a hybrid drivetrain can help it to save. And the Highlander is the biggest vehicle in Toyota’s crossover SUV lineup.
Its hybrid variant uses a 3.5 litre gasoline V6 teamed up with an electric drive system which includes batteries, a generator and an electric motor. All power is created on board, and both electricity and old-fashioned internal combustion switch or combine efforts to drive the vehicle-- depending on the situation.
Said switching and combining is automatic and seamless, and the HiHy can even turn its gas engine off at traffic lights to minimize wasteful idling. It can also drive at low speeds solely on stored electricity.
 |
| Its hybrid variant uses a 3.5 litre gasoline V6 teamed up with an electric drive system. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |