I want to get one thing straight; I don't think "the planet" is in trouble. I don't go outside enough to worry about UV, and my only REAL concern is a selfish one. There better be snow where it needs to be because I need to ski. We may destroy our own living conditions, but the planet as a whole is doing fine. (For more information see George Carlin's - Doin' It Again) That being said, lets move on to what this post is really about - a car purchase.
Though I've known about it for some time from reading press releases, I am pleased that Toyota has officially announced the release of a Hybrid Highlander SUV in the 2005 model year. I've been keeping my eyes open for some new wheels, especially when things go wrong with my current ones. I've recently fallen in love with the whole hybrid concept, especially now that there is minimal sacrifice in terms of performance. I'm not quite up driving a "moon vehicle", but I'm pleased to say that the Highlander Hybrid is anything but.
Why?... If you don't give to much of a shit about the environment, Why? Well the most basic and universally understood answer is MONEY. I like money, and I do enjoy getting "bang for my buck". The fact that the Highlander Hybrid will get approximately 600mi. a tank is VERY appealing. Weigh in THAT along with the fact that you get a Federal and State Tax Credit just for owning a Hybrid Vehicle, and you've got yourself a nice little money saving solution. I average between 250-300mi a tank in my Camry. That cuts my fueling costs in half. Did I mention that the Highlander Hybrid is also even MORE fuel efficient in "city driving" conditions? Since adding it all up is pretty pointless, lets just say the thing has a better chance of paying for itself in savings than most vehicles out there.
I'm probably going to cover something along these lines in a future post, so I will keep this explanation brief. Using less fuel "fights the man". By driving a Hybrid Vehicle, such as the Highlander, owners do a small part to reduce this nation's reliance on foreign oil that yields financial backing to terrorists, and fills the pockets of the upper 1% who are 'for the most part' involved with the purchasing/trafficking of oil. I'm looking at you DICK! Do I think that driving a gas guzzling conventional SUV makes you a terrorist supporter? NO, but it does make you a TOOL! There will be no real PUSH for alternative energy until the oil trade looses profitability, and the upper .5% of America (who control the world) channel their attention towards a different profit center. This is my little way of accelerating that process.
But back to the car... did I say car... I meant SUV... HYBRID SUV - The Highlander (there can be only one! - sorry bad joke). The biggest thing about Hybrid cars is that they're unsightly and underpowered. The only people that drive them are pretentious pricks and celebrities who think they're 'SAVING THE PLANET', and we went over THAT one before. I'm admitting that my interest in the Highlander Hybrid IS in a way selfish... I like to save money, and it is pure convenience that it also happens to push my political and socio-economic agenda. But tell us c0rk, are you really willing to give up all that performance to save money and 'fight the man'?.
The answer is NO!... Luckily with the Highlander Hybrid, I won't have to. You see, the Highlander Hybrid has 4-Wheel-Drive and will be pumping out 270 horses. On paper the Highlander Hybrid does 0-60mph in about 8-9seconds. I think that's pretty decent. This acceleration is assisted by the fact that the axles are rotated by electric motors. When the driver depresses the accelerator, the power to the wheels is instantaneous by wire, as opposed to the mechanical delay that occurs in a conventional drive system.
With the Camry looking, sounding, and driving worse and worse as time passes, I expect to seriously consider purchasing the Toyota Highlander Hybrid when it comes on the market during the 2005 model year.
Toyota USA Website
Highlander Hybrid - Info Site
HybridCars.com - Interesting 'if small' site
Hey,
Nice words about the Highlander - my wife's looking forward to getting one too. Right now I drive an '04 Prius and love it. I don't THINK I'm a pretensious prick, tree-hugger or celebrity... I think they look cool, I get 42-50 mpg in the real world, emit VERY few pollutants and get a 2K tax deduction. Any more questions? Enjoy your new ride! -DD
Posted by: DD | Saturday, March 06, 2004 at 06:23 PM
i enjoyed your highlander page - but i wonder if you can tell me - because no one else seems to be able to - is there a wait list for the hybrid highlander? do you have to "order" one specifically? i can't even get dealers to answer my e-mails.....talia
Posted by: talia blanchard | Sunday, June 13, 2004 at 10:31 AM
I agree that the Highlander will be the first hybrid vehicle available that should not have the 'mooncar' stigma that the Insight, the 1st Prius or to a lesser degree the present Prius.
But be careful about making comparisons without checking the facts. You said that you would cut your fuel costs in half going from your Camry to the hybrid Highlander. That is basen on the assumption that the gas tanks in each car are the same size. The present Highlander has a gas tank of 19.1 gallons. I am not sure what the size of the gas tank in your Camry is, but even if it is 19.1 gallons, that does not necessarily mean that the Hybrid Highlander will have a 19.1 gallon tank. They need to find space for the electric components, mainly the batteries. Since both the batteries and the gasoline tank represent energy storage, it would be logical to assume that Toyota chose a smaller tank.
It has been hard to find any specs on what the actual mileage would be on the Hybrid Highlander. If I had the size of the tank, I could divide it into the 600 cruising mile range and come up with a highway mpg. At 600 miles and 19.1 gallons 31 + mpg. Which is great, considering it should get better mileage in the city or in traffic, unlike a straight fossil car.
I am reading how some hybrid owners are 'disappointed' by the mileage they are getting. I suspect this is a combination of dealer hype and lazy consumers. But the bottom line is the technology is significantly better than what dominates the market today. ANd if these same owners checked what mileage they were getting on their other cars against what the mileage ratings were when they purchased it, it would probably be a similar comparison. Driving habits are the most controllable part of your car's efficiency.
Having said all that, it seems the Highlander is the best bet for your money vs. the Lexus or Ford. The Ford is an econo-SUV with only 155 hp, and the Lexus is virtually the same as the Highlander except in nicer trim. If your'e not outto impress your friends, buy the Highlander.
Posted by: Steve Hoover | Sunday, June 13, 2004 at 01:43 PM