Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2006, Automatic, 6 litres - Lagos

2006 Model Tokunbo Toyota Highlander Limited, hybrid in good working condition with full option, call/whatsApp on 07045420648. If this is the most boring review ever of a gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle, don’t blame me; credit Toyota. Though revolutionary beneath the surface, the brand’s second hybrid model is so much like a conventional sport utility vehicle, it’s almost boring. Based on the midsize Toyota Highlander SUV, the hybrid version looks just like a Highlander SUV — a departure for Toyota, whose two successive Prius generations have been quirky and far-out looking, respectively. The Highlander Hybrid will make its debut in June 2005, in base and Limited trim levels and with front- or all-wheel drive.

The word hybrid is mighty popular these days, to the point of undue hype. Studies suggest that most Americans don’t understand what hybrids are all about. A few major tips:

Hybrid cars are never plugged into a household power source.
Hybrid fuel economy is never as good as the EPA ratings suggest — yet is still markedly better than a comparable non-hybrid’s.
The bottom line — fuel economy, not technology — is what matters.
A hybrid will not necessarily save you money.
Hybrids will not save the world.

For more info, read on. I’ll stick mainly to the care and feeding of a Highlander Hybrid throughout the review, though I’ll explain some of the technical tidbits where they affect performance.

Exterior & Styling
The Highlander Hybrid bears some of the cosmetic changes that will also appear on the regular 2006 Toyota Highlander, mainly a new integrated bumper, a chrome grille and chrome license plate garnish. The taillights now have LEDs instead of regular bulbs.

As for the two trim levels, the only differences are the presence of front fog lights and a rear spoiler on the Limited. Both have 17-inch alloy wheels, including a full-size spare tire.

Ride & Handling
The Highlander Hybrid, like the non-hybrid version, offers a comfortable ride. Compared to many body-type SUVs, including some car-based ones, the Toyota Highlander is on the softer side. This comes with a bit more body roll than average, but the truck is certainly manageable and feels grounded, stable. If anything, the weight of the hybrid system’s battery pack seems to lower the Hybrid’s center of gravity. It also adds weight to the rear, which results in a more balanced front/rear weight distribution and lessens understeer.

The rack-and-pinion steering makes for precise control, and Toyota has done a nice job with the power assist. Conventional steering uses hydraulic pressure to help the driver turn the wheel. The hydraulic pump puts a constant load on the engine, which lowers fuel economy. So the Hybrid uses electric power assist that draws energy only when the wheel is turned. Other hybrids and some conventional cars have implemented electric assist, and some of them just don’t feel right. This one passes muster.

Another technology that contributes to handling is Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, which makes its debut on this vehicle. VDIM is a system that monitors and controls many of the other safety-related automated features such as an electronic stability system, ABS, traction control and more. Where these features currently react to skids, VDIM attempts to prevent them. The best comparison would be to all-wheel drive. Early all-wheel drive would transfer power from one axle to the other only after the wheels on the first axle began to slip. Now many electronically controlled all-wheel-drive systems anticipate slippage and divide power between the front and rear wheels in an attempt to prevent it.

Likewise, VDIM attempts to predict understeer, oversteer, spins and skids and to prevent them by managing the brakes, throttle and other aspects of the stability system. It can even change the assist level in the electric power steering when it’s called for, but it doesn’t steer the vehicle on its own. The goal is a seamless driving experience rather than the sometimes intrusive feel when one of the safety systems reacts. I drove the Hybrid aggressively, and I couldn’t tell if I was triggering VDIM or not. Toyota says that’s the point.