- #163 of 209
-
Re: Math? [ecotrklvr]
by citivas
-
Sep 20, 2008 (6:58 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: ecotrklvr (Sep 06, 2008 1:54 pm)
Don't get me wrong -- from a marketing perspective selling hybrids is brilliant. I am completely agreeing that many people are buying to be "green." I just don't think many of them looked into the facts very well. I know at least a eight people personally who own Highlander Hybirds. Most say they did it to be green and know it was not cost effective, but at the same time to the last man they quote a much smaller delta price than is actual. i think most people who get the Hybrid don't seriously research the cost delta personally so they believe they are paying a smaller premium. I started in the demo -- I went specifically to shop for the HH, was told by the dealer it was about a $4-7K delta, then did the research and found out it was much higher. I think some people skip that step. I also did the research on how I was helping the environement if I bought it. It worked out to saving 50 gallons of fuel a year. I figured out that if I asked my gardener to skip mowing twice a season I did more good, since lawn mores our 40x worse for the environment gallon for gallon as modern cars. Similarly, if I set the winter thermostat temperature just one degree lower I also do more good than I would have with the Highlander Hybrid. Now I suppose I could be doing all these things, but I bet most people aren't.
I agree the Hybrids will do better on resale, which is only useful if you are buying versus leasing because ironically Toyota gives you little residual value benefit when computing leases right now. And interesting the residual benefit has been pretty modest until this year when the gas prices surged and everyone wanted a hybrid and there was a shortage. It will be interesting to see if that sustains itself.
|
- #164 of 209
-
Re: Math? [citivas]
by ecotrklvr
-
Sep 21, 2008 (8:11 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: citivas (Sep 20, 2008 6:58 pm)
I agree. If you don't drive a lot of city miles a year, Hybrids are just not worth much extra. Most people can talk themselves into anything they really want ot buy - logic be damned. Logic is used to justify their emotionally-tinged decisions. It is fairly damning of Toyota to not offer an increased residual on a lease. It will be interesting how this may change in the future.
Me - not sure what to do. I just checked the weight of the current V-6 Highlander - 4,000 lbs. in Sport and Limited trim. Even the addition of the 2.7L option will not make it an economical drive around town. I hope the Venza is 600-800 lbs lighter. Just turned 22k on my 2007 4-cyl Highlander. Running just fine, too. Not exciting, but fine.
|
- #165 of 209
-
Re: Math? [ecotrklvr]
by citivas
-
Sep 22, 2008 (11:57 am)
-
|
|
Replying to: ecotrklvr (Sep 21, 2008 8:11 pm)
Do you require the third row and capacity of the Highlander? If fuel efficiency is driving your decision and you don't need that thirs row, get the Ford Edge Hybrid. You have to get over it being a Ford and looking like a classic SUV, but it gets 30/34 MPG, even in real world conditions. I absolutely required the third row (which is another reason I didn't go with the Highlander which hs a really small third row that can't be used on long trips since you can't split it to use and still pack stuff), otherwise I would have very seriously considered the Ford Hybird. It actually uses the exact same Hybrid Engine as the Toyota becaue Ford licensed it from Toyota but gets the added MPG benefit because it is lighter.
|
- #166 of 209
-
Re: Math? [citivas]
by bdyment
-
Sep 22, 2008 (5:02 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: citivas (Sep 22, 2008 11:57 am)
I think you mean the Ford Escape Hybrid not the Edge.
|
- #167 of 209
-
Re: Math? [bdyment]
by mdhutton
-
Sep 22, 2008 (7:55 pm)
-
|
|
Replying to: bdyment (Sep 22, 2008 5:02 pm)
He's probably just giddy that he got a hybrid of some type and can be "cool" now, not realizing that it IS a Ford and that it makes no financial sense whatsoever.
|
- #168 of 209
-
Re: Math? [citivas]
by wvgasguy
-
Oct 03, 2008 (5:08 am)
-
|
|
Replying to: citivas (Sep 22, 2008 11:57 am)
It actually uses the exact same Hybrid Engine as the Toyota becaue Ford licensed it from Toyota but gets the added MPG benefit because it is lighter.
Actually it uses the Toyota setup from the Camry (4cy engine). I thought the HH uses a V6 Hybrid combo and that's the reason the Escape out performs (on FE) the HH. Weight would not make up the 5 to 7 mpg difference.
|
- #169 of 209
-
Re: Toyota Highlander: MPG - Real World Numbers [steve_]
by avalon02wh
-
Oct 04, 2008 (7:09 am)
-
|
|
Replying to: steve_ (Jul 11, 2006 8:56 pm)
2007 FWD 4 cyl with a remote starter!
Odometer = 12,400
Long term mpg average = 18.88
High MPG = 27.93
Low MPG = 11.93 - result of 20 F below temps, lots of idling and heavy use of the remote starter
Most driving is in-town with the summer average at 19-21 mpg and winter average at 14-17 mpg. Highway mpg is 23 to 28 depending on the wind direction, wind speed and road speed (local highways 65 to 70, the interstate is 75).
We used some E10 (89) gas early on with the Highlander. The E10 is generally about 10 cents less per gallon, however, our experience is that the mpg drop with E10 makes regular plain gasoline a better deal.
For comparison here is our previous 03 Sienna with the 3.0L V6 (FWD)
Odometer = 26,000
Long term mpg average = 16.47
High MPG = 26.23 (vacation to Jellystone, used a lot of 85 octane fuel) Generally the highway mpg was 22-24 mpg.
Low MPG = 9.03
|
- #170 of 209
-
Re: Toyota Highlander: MPG - Real World Numbers [steve_]
by cubanpete2
-
Oct 04, 2008 (8:49 am)
-
|
|
Replying to: steve_ (Jul 11, 2006 8:56 pm)
I have a 2005 Highlander with 6 cyl engine. 15,000 annually. 55% town and local. Fast driver, generally. 17 local, 22-24 highway.
|
- #171 of 209
-
2004 HL AWD V6
by lmacmil
-
Oct 16, 2008 (6:15 am)
-
|
|
1248 mile trip, 880 miles pure highway, the rest mixed city/suburban/highway. Overall 22.3 mpg. The two all highway tanks were 23.4 and 23.6, average speed about 69 mph. The trip computer on the 23.4 highway tank read 25.0, more optimistic than usual.
|
- #172 of 209
-
Re: Toyota Highlander: MPG - Real World Numbers [cubanpete2]
by my_mr2
-
Oct 17, 2008 (8:34 am)
-
|
|
Replying to: cubanpete2 (Oct 04, 2008 8:49 am)
I also have a 2005 Highlander V-6, FWD, with 55,000 Miles. Last weekend my wife went to her class reunion in Upland IN, a 592 mile round trip that took her from WI, through Chicago, down through IN and back. 20% stop and go due to construction and detours in Chicago and Gary IN. only used 22.5 Gallons of 87 Octane. That is 26.3 MPG, and she used the air the whole way...
Tires: O.E. Brigstone Dueler set at 35 Psi
Oil: Mobil 1 5W-30 SUV
|
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
SUVs 
