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New Toyota Highlander Hybrid Owners - Give Us Your Report

142 messages,  Last post on Jul 17, 2009 at 9:14 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Hybrid Cars, Car Buying, SUV

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#127 of 142 Re: New HH Owner [scippy] by wvgasguy Dec 04, 2008 (2:33 pm)
Replying to: scippy (Dec 03, 2008 9:26 pm) I'm not sure what you mean about people not knowing how to calculate their FE   True, it is simple, however my experience is most people only figure out their FE when they go on vacation or a trip or by using the computer reading on a trip.   You don't know how many times I bit my lip when friend were totally unimpressed that I averaged 37.5 mpg over 63,000 miles in a Camry Hybrid. I'd get comments like, my Lexus ES just showed 35 last weekend, or I get 33 all the time. One neighbor even claims her Escalade with the big engine gets 20+ MPG! I've seen the numbers and yes on a highway trip only perhaps. But just like in my Expedition, I can go along and be getting 17.5 on the interstate and when I get off an exit to eat and drive a mile or two, byt the time I get back on I'm back down to about 14.5. Big vehicles just can't get 20+ currently .   Anyway, most of them are not impressed that I'm getting about 25 while I'm breaking in my HH. I've given up on trying to educate them.   On another note, on my first trip I've noticed that (at least compared to mile markers) my HH is reading about 2% low on the odometer. That's a little better than the TCH which was about 3%. I didn't check this with a GPS but was surprised no one had checked this on the HH threads. When the TCH came out we were pretty fanatical about all that. In the TCH the speedometer was off fairly significantly, but that didn't affect the FE calculation.
#128 of 142 Tank size by wvgasguy Dec 04, 2008 (2:39 pm)
Has anyone ran their tank "dry" or at least significantly past the "E" light? This past week I only took 14.7 to fill up after the light came on. In the Camry Hybrid I know there was consistantly 3 gallons left in the tank after the light comes on. That's pretty nice to know since I hate stopping to fill up. If I know I have another 50+ miles when the light comes on then I won't be worried about filling up at the 1/4 mark.   My 4Runner seems to be accurately measuring an empty tank, but apparently the Hybrids have a bigger safety factor built in. I was just wondering if this is everyones experience with the HH or if I might see something different next time. Replies to this message: monte8 (Dec 20, 2008 9:06 pm) rodonnell (Jan 26, 2009 11:19 am) wvgasguy (Jan 27, 2009 3:58 pm)
#129 of 142 Re: New Toyota Highlander Hybrid Owners - Give Us Your Report [pf_flyer] by cat46 Dec 20, 2008 (6:35 pm)
Replying to: pf_flyer (Jul 31, 2006 1:35 pm) I had a highlander even before the commercials were out for it (Jan.01) and loved it til the day it was replaced by an 08 hybrid limitedin Oct. I live in the Pocono region of Pa. How silly of me to assume that the hybrid would be just as good, if not better, at winter driving than the original model. First I find out that it is almost impossible to get winter tires for this vehicle.Second, I find out that the car drives mainly in front wheel mode and is not all time all wheel drive like my other highlander. I love the HH and the ride, but am terrified of driving it in the snow. I had to turn around and take out my husbands Infiti M35x,which by the way, has a snow feature and drove like a tank. Had I been aware of the fact that this is a vehicle for Florida, I would have kept my original until they made a hybrid that can be driven in all climates. I am so disappointed with Toyota in this area. Guess I'll have to sit out the next snow storm. Anybody out there know of a snow tire that will fit my HH? 245/55R19..Please help. The manual suggests chains for the front tires only. That's a red flag. Replies to this message: monte8 (Dec 20, 2008 9:01 pm) cat46 (Dec 23, 2008 1:11 pm) monte8 (Dec 23, 2008 8:05 pm)
#130 of 142 Re: New Toyota Highlander Hybrid Owners - Give Us Your Report [cat46] by monte8 Dec 20, 2008 (9:01 pm)
Replying to: cat46 (Dec 20, 2008 6:35 pm) "Anybody out there know of a snow tire that will fit my HH? 245/55R19.."   Yes, Bridgestone makes Blizzak tires in this size. So far that is the only ones I have found.   I live in NE North Dakota and we have had a very snowy fall, and had lots of snow last winter (I bought my 2008 HH in Nov. 2007). It does great in the snow. I haven't been able to get it stuck even when trying to test to limits. The stock tires, after 7000 miles, do not have great grip on ice. But they are more than adequate. Just slow down.   The VDIM does a great job of keeping you in control, but it does have limits. If you try to make a turn on ice too fast, it will prevent you from spinning out of control, but you may not be able to make the turn you intended. Replies to this message: cat46 (Dec 23, 2008 1:11 pm) monte8 (Dec 23, 2008 8:05 pm)
#131 of 142 Re: Tank size [wvgasguy] by monte8 Dec 20, 2008 (9:06 pm)
Replying to: wvgasguy (Dec 04, 2008 2:39 pm) ". . . took 14.7 to fill up after the light came on."   My experience is that mine will take 14.2 (thus leaving 3) just a few miles after the low gas light comes on.
#132 of 142 Re: New Toyota Highlander Hybrid Owners - Give Us Your Report [monte8] by cat46 Dec 23, 2008 (1:11 pm)
Replying to: monte8 (Dec 20, 2008 9:01 pm) I won't be able to get the Blizzaks until the summer accoding to the dealers in my area. Apparently all the snow tires were shipped to Canada since they passed a law requiring all 4 tires have snows on them. You would think Toyota would give buyers a "winter package" option such as a snow traction button or something similar. Or better yet, put a common wheel size on. I would much rather the ability to drive in the snow over heated seats and mirrors anyday. Any other tire available that someone might know about that is available in N.E.P.A.? Replies to this message: monte8 (Dec 23, 2008 8:05 pm)
#133 of 142 Re: New Toyota Highlander Hybrid Owners - Give Us Your Report [cat46] by monte8 Dec 23, 2008 (8:05 pm)
Replying to: cat46 (Dec 23, 2008 1:11 pm) "I won't be able to get the Blizzaks until the summer . . ."   You can order them from smartbuytires.com, they are $232 each.   I agree that Toyota has done its customers a disservice by selling the HH with only the 19" wheels. The 17" standard tires would have been better, Toyota does not actually ship any HH's with those tires.
#134 of 142 Dissapointed too... by wvgasguy Dec 27, 2008 (5:14 am)
with the choice of large wheels and tires on the HH. It has to hurt FE and should be considered a sport option, not a combo on a vehicle people purchase for the FE. Toyota marketing messed up on this.   As for snow, I researched this a lot before buying. Yes, the HH has a unique set up with the motor driving the rear wheels but for other than really deep snow and with proper tires this should be more than adequate.   Also, It might be cheaper in the long run to pick up a set of Hylander 17" wheels to put "cheaper" and smaller snow tires on if you plan to keep the vehicle long term.
#135 of 142 Re: Tank size [wvgasguy] by rodonnell Jan 26, 2009 (11:19 am)
Replying to: wvgasguy (Dec 04, 2008 2:39 pm) Don't know if your 08 is different than the 07. My 07 HH has an advertised 17 gal tank. The light routinely comes on with 2.8 gals. left in the tank. One time I consumed 16.2 gals. on a tank, the needle was below the E line by at least a needle width.   After 84,000 miles, I am fairly comfortable driving another 50 miles after the light comes on. Replies to this message: wvgasguy (Jan 27, 2009 3:58 pm)
#136 of 142 Re: Tank size [rodonnell] by wvgasguy Jan 27, 2009 (3:58 pm)
Replying to: rodonnell (Jan 26, 2009 11:19 am) I have an 09 but was curious about the tank. In my Camry Hybrid I never took more than 15 gallons to fill and when it said "E" it had 2.5+ gallons left. That was good for an easy 75 miles, which one time I drove it well past E. Several of the more fanatic TCH'ers drove theirs toempty just to prove the point. I couldn't find on this board where anyone had done that for the HH. I'm guessing it's Toyota's design to do it that way but I would prefer a gage that accurately told me when I was empty. Mentally I can't bring myself to consistantly drive it to "E" before I fill. In the TCH I could always drive 550+ miles on a tank and I really miss that. The HH does well but the range is not any more than most SUV's. 4 more gallons would probably only added 50 pounds, counting the gas and extra tank materials. That would have been nice.   It's been in the 20's here a lot and I'm getting around 23 so I see no reason I shouldn't average 25 when it warms up. I am finding that the computer is almost 2mpg over reading the FE. I don't see why that is so hard of thing to get right   Overall I am real happy with the HH. I am considering the 2010 Prius to share duty with the HH, or perhaps the new TCH when it gets the Gen3 hybrid system.

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