2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
Detailed editors' rating
Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 16 reviews
• See all user reviews

Product summary

CNET editors' review

• Reviewed by: Brian Douglas
• Edited by: Wayne Cunningham
• Reviewed on: 06/14/2005

The Highlander Hybrid fits perfectly into Toyota's plan for leadership in the emerging hybrid category. Unlike the Toyota Prius, the Highlander looks just like its nonhybrid siblings, appealing to buyers who may not want to shout their green credentials. Combined with two electric motors, the Highlander Hybrid's V-6 engine delivers power and fuel economy, all in a spacious and comfortable SUV. Its Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle rating, a rare distinction for an SUV, affirms its friendliness to the environment. We like the nice balance of this efficient people hauler, but wish Toyota had included a few more technology touches inside to complement the technology under the hood. We tested a four-wheel-drive Limited model loaded with a $2,000 touch-screen GPS navigation system, which also displays hybrid use and fuel economy, and the Preferred Accessory Package, which adds floor mats, a cargo net, a first-aid kit, and a glass-breakage sensor for $426. Port-installed tube steps ($459), an emergency-assistance kit ($70), a Valor exhaust tip ($64), and a $109 hood protector brought the MSRP to $42,983, placing the Highlander Hybrid between the Lexus RX 400h and the Ford Escape Hybrid.

An unassuming dashboard
In the cabin, the Highlander Hybrid lacks a number of technology features found in the more expensive Lexus. Toyota has provided a simple keyless remote but not the SmartAccess entry and starting system, which allows the key and the remote to remain in a pocket or a purse. Bluetooth connectivity is also missing, along with HID headlamps. The navigation option in our test vehicle offered voice-route guidance and was easy to operate. Navigation shares the center LCD screen with Toyota's power-flow animation, also seen in the Prius.

A perfectly competent eight-speaker JBL audio system with an in-dash CD changer and steering-wheel controls is standard in the Limited. It's also available in the base model, though it costs a breathtaking $1,770 because it's bundled with a moon roof, fog lights, and a rear spoiler. There's no provision in the current Highlander audio mix for portable music players or MP3 recordings--an oversight that the company should correct.

The big front seats are supportive, heated, and power adjustable. With fore and aft adjustment, the middle-row seating provides some comfort for moderate distances, while the third row of seating is best for small children or corporal punishment. All are leather upholstered in Limited models and covered in a quality cloth in the base edition.

Power at a discount
For technology consumers, there's a lot to like under the Highlander Hybrid's hood. Toyota's full hybrid system allows the gas engine, the electric motor, or both to power the SUV. The Highlander's gas engine is a powerful 3.3-liter V6, detuned just a bit for clean emissions, mated to a 123-kilowatt electric motor. In four-wheel-drive models, an additional 50-kilowatt electric motor powers the rear wheels when needed. Both electric motors become generators when the throttle is lifted or the brakes are applied.

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User reviews

• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 16 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars Write review

• Showing 3 of 16 user reviewsSee all 16 user reviews

• 4.0 stars

  5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

  "Highlander Hybrid Mileage and Quality Disappointing"

  by Oahu Person on September 27, 2005

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• 3.0 stars

  2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

  "very good SUV, as you expect from Toyota"

  by borsh50 on August 4, 2006

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• 4.5 stars

  3 out of 5 people found this review helpful

  "Got Green?"

  by dshelman on July 29, 2005

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• See all 16 user reviews Write review

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