Highlander Offers Seven Passenger Capacity
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid SUV, slated for sale in North America in 2005, will offer the world's first seven-passenger hybrid SUV, said Jim Press, executive vice president and chief operating officer, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
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| The Toyota Highlander Hybrid will be the first seven-passenger hybrid SUV when it comes to market in 2005. (Photo: Toyota Canada) |
Built on the same overall architecture as the RX 400h, the Highlander Hybrid will boast many of the same features and performance characteristics of the luxury model, including fuel economy in excess of 8.5 L/100 km (27.6 mpg), the more than 966 km (600 mile) range on a tank of gas, VDM, rear LED tail lamps, will be rated as a SULEV, and has better acceleration than a typical sport-ute.
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| The Highlander Hybrid will offer "electric four-wheel-drive with intelligence". (Photo: Toyota Canada) |
The differences are that the Highlander Hybrid will offer "electric four-wheel-drive with intelligence" (4WD-I), where the front and rear electric motors deliver balanced power to all four wheels to provide simultaneous acceleration.
The Highlander Hybrid will only be offered in a three row, seven passenger seating configuration, added Toyota spokesman Mike Michaels. The third row seats fold flat into the floor to create additional cargo space, and the second 60/40 split-folding row of seats also reclines and folds forward for comfort or added utility.
Features on the Highlander Hybrid will include:
- a tire pressure warning system,
- optional front seat-mounted side airbags and front and second row curtain side airbags,
- deluxe AM/FM/cassette/CD sound system with six speakers,
- and a navigation system on the "Limited" model.