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Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Highlander Hybrid Toyota Highlander Hybrid
3943 messages, Last post on Nov 02, 2009 at 9:19 AM
You are in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: tourguide (May 24, 2008 10:02 pm)  . Standard maintenance is no different than any other car. We do the normal oil, filters and tire rotation. Additional work is on topping off the hybrid coolant and check the 12V and that is it. After 40K miles, we still have over 3/4 of the brake pads left. You can do all this yourself just like any other car. Toyota hybrids use regenerative braking to recharge batteries so it uses the mechanical brakes much less than normal cars. The brakes should last longer and it seems to be proving out on our HH. If these brake pads last 100K miles, $1000 for replacement is acceptable. Our '94 Sienna brake pads are still the original set and that car has 105K miles. May be it is because we do not do "jack rabbit" start and stop. Please note that while the HH is expensive, the price includes the "luxury class" safety system called VDIM. Only Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, Lexus and Acura offer something similar. So the "premium" in the pricing is paying for the HSD, SULEV II rating, the VDIM safety system and more "luxurious" appointments in the car, not just for gas savings. It is almost impossible to compare the HH to the standard Highlander by just the HSD alone. As you figure in gas savings, don't forget the extras. Think of it as an entry-level Lexus car without the Lexus price. Have fun!
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Replying to: tld (May 22, 2008 9:42 am) I think the mistake some drivers make with the VDIM system is trying to give it more "gas" when they run into a problem. If the system detects wheel spin, it applies the brake to that wheel. If all of the wheels are spinning, it cuts the power. Simply backing off the throttle a little to allow the tires to regain traction will usually get you through. |
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Replying to: cdptrap (May 25, 2008 11:14 am) Cargo space is also a compromise but that is a bit down the list for me since we get along OK with the current Hi. Thanks for your response. How has your 06 been for reliability? Is it typical toyota?
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Replying to: tourguide (May 25, 2008 7:59 pm) 50K is too much? I read a few posts here of prices around 40 to 42? I may be wrong on info. My two biggest gripes were smallish trunk (on the 06 model) and lousy tires. The trunk, even with 3rd row folded, was just a tad small. If we could do away with the intruding wheel wells and third row hand-rests, it would help a lot. I have learned to live with it. Ours came with cheap single-ply side wall van tires. This on a 2+ ton SUV? We ended up changing them after losing one to side wall cut. A minor gripe is front seat leg and head room. I am a larger 6-ft male and it took a while to find a good comfortable position for long distance driving. Now that I have worked out a position, it is comfortable. Very good lateral support for a Toyota. May be the 08 has more front seat room. I thought the 08 has back-up camera? Is that similar or same as sonar+camera? Reliability has been excellent. At 40K, not one single problem and only normal maintenance. With good tires, the car runs smooth, relatively quiet and feels glued to the road. It takes turns with solid stability. Steering response is quiet good though not nimble like a BMW. The VDIM is nice. I used to enjoy the cushy cruiser-like ride of our Sienna on long trips but its imprecise control makes high speed driving (70-75 on I5 in CA) a bit tiring. The HH's better control (with good tires) make hi-speed long distance driving easy. The ample power and handling also makes mountains and winding road easy. Overall, a much less fatiguing car to drive than our van. Your preference may be different of course. Good luck with the research!
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Replying to: cdptrap (May 26, 2008 12:41 am) MSRP on these things is getting close to $50K optioned the way I want. The two deal breakers will be #1) price, and #2) getting one without the sunroof (toyota makes this kind of thing notoriously difficult - but we shall see). Going back to price, if I can come in at close to $45 out the door, AND I can get one the way I want sans the sunroof I'll pull the trigger. I am pretty pessimistic right now about the stars aligning and everything working out. Makes it difficult when you can't cross shop the dealers. On an order this is difficult to impossible. |
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Replying to: cdptrap (May 22, 2008 11:06 am) Good overall summary, but you left out one critical item. Most AWD systems use a mechanical transfer case that shifts power to the rear wheels as needed. The HH uses separate electric motors for the rear wheels. This means that if those motors are used continuously, they will overheat and shut down until they cool. Thus they are suitable for most situations when one needs to activate the rear wheels, but not for continuous situations. From what I have read this seldom happens, and the key (as with any car) is to know the limitations, strengths, and weaknesses - every system has it's strong and weak points. If you want a hybrid SUV with a mechanical AWD, the Ford Escape is available, though it is not quite as large as the HH.
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Replying to: stevedebi (May 27, 2008 11:55 am) So far, we have not had problems with it as the drive computer seems to knows when to use it and when not to use it.
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Replying to: cdptrap (May 28, 2008 8:33 am) Oh, I think the HH is fine for basic AWD uses. There is one forum member who uses it on a farm IIRC. I myself have the FEH AWD. I have the FEH because the HH has an I6 and the FEH has an I4, plus the expense of the HH  . I have AWD because that was the only one on the lot that had the exact options I wanted. I would have preferred the FWD for better mileage (FWD = 34/30, AWD = 29/27). I have 1500 miles on my FEH, and so far am averaging just under 30 MPG. |
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In HH you are not only getting vehicle safety control (VSC) which is partof Toyota's Star Safety System and in all their SUV's but you also get the benefit of VDIM. Besides the standard braking system, VDIM usesboth electric engines to stop the vehicle, normal braking pressure is not applied until HH is traveling at under 7 mph. That's why the brakes never need to be changed, how can anything wear out when they are not even used until the automoble is almost stopped. The HH's VDIM, together with the VSC and curtain side airbgs, etc. truly make Toyota's HH the safest SUV on the road.
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Replying to: lynnkushnir (May 28, 2008 9:00 pm) I think you may have meant to say "safest HYBRID SUV" (many ICE-only SUVs have these features), but even there I don't think this is necessarily correct. These features (although not with these names) are on the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid. The FEH has the airbags and the Ford RSC system. The eCVT uses deceleration via the transmission instead of brakes for normal braking. The 2009 model has a software controlled "braking" action that makes the brakes feel like "normal" brakes, but it does not affect the actual operation. And while speaking of "inclement weather" stopping, Ford holds the patents on hybrid systems being able to use ABS in the winter time. The regenerative braking is interrupted when ABS is needed. I'm not sure if this is one of the patents that Toyota cross-licensed from Ford. I think you will find that under "fast stop" conditions the HH will use the brakes in conjunction with (or perhaps rather than) the VDIM system. Also, I doubt that Toyota claims that the brakes never need to be replaced. IMHO, choosing between the HH and FEH is a matter of desired size (FEH is smaller), cargo space (HH is higher - goes with the larger size), desired MPG (FEH is higher), price (FEH is less expensive), AWD systems (the FEH has a more robust AWD), acceleration (HH has a V6, FEH has an I4), and the most important item - personal preference as to which vehicle drives the way YOU like. Also, I think that the HH has more available options. It is really a matter of personal choice and desires, as well as the fundamental difference between Ford and Toyota engineering - the vehicles drive differently.
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