2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review & Road Tests

At the first deep probe of the throttle on an introductory drive of the Highlander Hybrid 4WD, my passenger said to me with eyes wide, "Geez, this thing's fast." Six-point-six-seconds-to-60-mph fast, an elbow-scratching 2.5 seconds quicker than the 3.0-liter V-6 4WD example we tested two years ago (an engine since expanded to a 3.3-liter, but you see the point). As Highlanders go, the hybrid's a bullet. Begging the question, um, why? Has Toyota's Highlander hotline really been flooded with demands for C2-snapping acceleration?

Welcome to the rare-as-bird's-teeth phenomenon of trickle-down performance. For production efficiency, the Highlander's powertrain is identical to that developed for the Lexus RX 400h--or rather, its more performance-aware clientele who'll expect premium acceleration for the hybrid's $4000-$5000 price premium. Yet, even in the high-voltage world of hybrids, there's no free lunch, underlined by the EPA mileage figures (tentatively 32 city/27 highway for the front-driver, 30/26 for the 4WD)--impressive, but nothing to put fear into an OPEC prince's heart. More gs will always mean less mpg.

Technically, the Highlander Hybrid is a solid demonstration of Toyota's deftness at teaching its innovative engine/motor pairing to dance to an up-tempo beat. Employing most of the Highlander's existing 3.3-liter V-6 architecture (this is a traditional Otto-cycle engine unlike the Prius's hydrocarbon-stingy Atkinson cycle) means its displacement is 2.2 times the 1.5-liter in the Prius. The Highlander's primary underhood electric motor, now coupled to a planetary gearset to multiply torque, is similarly more powerful and supplied by a higher-voltage battery pack nestled beneath the second-row passengers' rumps. As with the Prius, the water pump, air-conditioning compressor, and power steering all are electrically driven, making these available when the engine selectively shuts down. Notably, the braking system's software allows virtually transparent transitioning from regenerative braking to friction stopping, a problem with the original Prius and still somewhat evident in the current one.