Toyota Highlander Hybrid

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2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Overview

The two thousand seventeen Toyota Highlander Hybrid ranks one out of nineteen Midsize SUVs.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid becomes even more versatile and affordable for 2017, with the addition of two fresh trims and an eighth seat. It has an incredible list of family-friendly features available, along with a spacious, well-built cabin. Unsurprisingly, it supplies class-leading fuel efficiency. In a nutshell, this is a safe, reliable SUV that just happens to be a hybrid.

Scorecard

Overall: 8.7
Critics’ Rating: 9.Two
Spectacle: 7.7
Interior: 8.Trio
Safety: 9.Trio
Reliability:

Pros & Cons

Spirited, fuel-efficient powertrain
Astounding list of standard safety features
User-friendly, upscale interior

More expensive than most midsize SUVs

Notable for 2017

Fresh LE and XLE trims
Now seats up to eight

2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Specs

Toyota Highlander Hybrid Rankings and Research

The two thousand seventeen Toyota Highlander Hybrid ranking is based on its score within the Midsize SUVs category. Presently the Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a score of 8.7 out of ten which is based on our evaluation of thirty two chunks of research and data elements using various sources.

Rankings

# one in Midsize SUVs
# one in SUVs with three Rows
# two in Crossover SUVs
# four in Hybrid and Electrical SUVs

Awards

2017 Highlander Hybrid Pictures

2017 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Review

Is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid a Good SUV?

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is one of the best SUVs you can buy. It places at or near the top of our rankings of the best midsize SUVs and best 3-row SUVs, and we call it out as one of the five Best Hybrid SUVs. The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is also the two thousand seventeen Best Hybrid SUV for Families award winner because it has the best combination of space, available family-friendly features and positive reviews from professional automotive writers in its class. It`s the sixth consecutive year the Highlander Hybrid has won the award.

The Highlander Hybrid performs well in crash tests and comes with an exceptional list of standard safety features, including a pre-collision system, pedestrian and vehicle detection, and adaptive cruise control. Families will be pleased with its versatility and ease of use, including the freshly available choice inbetween the now standard eight-seat configuration and available seven-person layout. The Highlander Hybrid gets class-leading fuel economy without sacrificing power. It has brisk acceleration and makes more horsepower than its gas-only counterpart, all while reducing your carbon footprint. You won’t have to worry too much about breakdowns, either: the Highlander Hybrid is one of the most reliable SUVs you can buy.

Should I Buy the Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

You should buy the Toyota Highlander Hybrid if you want to lower your carbon footprint without lowering your passenger and cargo capacities. The Highlander Hybrid is the only 3-row SUV with a hybrid powertrain in the affordable price range (other 3-row hybrid SUVs are pricier luxury models, such as the $53,035 Lexus RX 450h). Parents looking for a safe, stable SUV should consider the Highlander Hybrid, as it was a finalist as one of the Best Cars for Teenagers Over $40K.

You should not buy the Highlander Hybrid because you expect to see an instantaneous drop in your expenses. This fuel-sipping SUV does have class-leading gas mileage ratings, and it will save you about $350 a year in fuel costs over the standard Highlander. That said, the hybrid version costs about $Five,600 more, so it will take you take you around sixteen years for the fuel savings to break even with the higher kicking off price.

We Did the Research for You: thirty two Chunks of Data Analyzed

Hunting down crash test ratings, gas mileage estimates, and cargo capacities while shopping for a fresh SUV can quickly consume your day. With our Toyota Highlander Hybrid review, you can find everything you need in one place, saving you time and frustration. Our team of automotive experts gathered more than two dozen lumps of information on this SUV, then evaluated it against other models in our rankings. You can also use our car comparison instrument to see how the Highlander Hybrid’s specs line up with other midsize SUVs.

The Highlander Hybrid was last fully redesigned for the two thousand fourteen model year and has seen only minor switches since. As a result, this overview uses applicable research and reviews from the two thousand fourteen through two thousand seventeen model years.

Why You Can Trust Us

Our team of automotive analysts, writers, and editors has a combined seventy five years of practice, and U.S. News & World Report has been ranking and reviewing cars for almost a decade. In order to preserve the integrity of our recommendations, we do not accept pricey gifts or trips from car companies, and our advertising is managed by a separate team. If you find our car advice useful, check out some of our other rankings, including our renowned lists of the Best Colleges and Best Hospitals, and the freshly launched Best Places to Live.

How Much Does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Cost?

In many ways, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is an impeccable midsize SUV. Unluckily, it’s also one of the most expensive. Its beginning price of $36,270 is one of the highest – topped only by the Buick Enclave – and it`s well above the class average of $30,000. However, when you take into consideration the hybrid powertrain (which always adds a significant cost), an excellent reliability rating, and a first-rate list of standard convenience amenities and safety features, this SUV actually presents a pretty good value.

For 2017, the Highlander Hybrid is available in four trims: the $36,270 LE, the $41,330 XLE, the $44,760 Limited, and the $47,880 Limited Platinum. For fine savings at your local Toyota dealer, check out our U.S. News Best Price Program. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Toyota deals page.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Toyota Highlander Hybrid or Toyota Highlander?

The Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid share many attributes, with three main specs separating the models: price, gas mileage, and towing capacity. In all three categories, the Highlander Hybrid posts the high score compared to the base Highlander. It costs about $Five,600 more to buy and has a class-leading fuel rating of twenty nine mpg in the city and twenty seven mpg on the highway. You can also tow trailers up to Trio,500 pounds with the hybrid. The gas-only Highlander will cost you about $350 more each year to fuel, however its rating of twenty mpg in the city and twenty four on the highway is still slightly above average. The base Highlander can only pull 1,500 pounds, however you can increase this to Five,000 pounds by upgrading to the V6 engine.

For most shoppers, the difference in the towing capacity and fuel costs are minor. Unless reducing your carbon footprint is a top to-do on your list of resolutions, you’re likely better off saving the $Five,600 and buying the Highlander instead.

Which Is Better: Toyota Highlander Hybrid or Toyota RAV4 Hybrid?

Toyota has another fuel-sipping option that can save you money. The sticker price for the RAV4 Hybrid starts at $29,030, which undercuts the Highlander Hybrid’s price by a little more than $7,000. You’ll also save in fuel costs, tho’ the RAV4 Hybrid’s rating of thirty four mpg in the city and thirty mpg on the highway only adds up to a slight drop in your annual fuel expenses. Toyota Safety Sense – a bundle of driver assistance features that includes adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection – also comes standard in the RAV4 Hybrid, as does a rearview camera, a moonroof, and a well-equipped infotainment system. And tho’ the RAV4 Hybrid is a compact SUV with less cargo space, there is still a lot of room. It has a total cargo hold of 70.6 cubic feet with the second-row seats folded compared to the Highlander Hybrid’s 83.Two cubic feet of space with both sets of rear seats folded. If you don’t need the three extra seats or extra cargo space, you should take a serious look at the RAV4 Hybrid.

Highlander Hybrid Interior

How Many People Does the Highlander Hybrid Seat?

You can seat up to eight people in the Highlander Hybrid’s two lower trims (LE and XLE), which both come with a second-row bench seat. The two upper trims (Limited and Limited Platinum) interchange out this bench seat for two bucket seats, which drops total seating capacity to seven. Seating in the Highlander Hybrid is convenient and spacious in the very first two rows, with power-adjustable front seats that let you find an agreeable seating position and a good view of the road ahead. Both the second- and third-row seats slide and recline, making these areas more relieving to rail in. The third-row seats are cramped. However this is typical for most 3-row SUVs, the Highlander Hybrid`s are especially taut, suggesting less legroom than the Honda Pilot, Kia Sorento, and Dodge Durango.

Highlander Hybrid and Car Seats

The Highlander Hybrid has lower anchors and upper tether anchors on the second-row outboard seats, as well as tether anchors on the second- and third-row middle seats. The second-row outboard seats’ lower anchors are fairly effortless to use. However, the LATCH hardware closest to the middle seats are blocked by the seat belt buckles. There is slew of room for three child seats in the 2nd row, and two child seats will fit in the third row.

Highlander Hybrid Interior Quality

Sitting inwards the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, it feels as however every square inch was well thought out. As you hustle inbetween work, school, and home, you’ll appreciate its abundance of storage cubbies, including a long shelf built into the dash that’s ideal for handheld devices and a center console spacious enough to hold an overflowing purse. Soft-touch points are similarly plentiful, and materials in the Highlander Hybrid feel of the same quality that you’d find inwards the company’s luxury brand, Lexus.

Highlander Hybrid Cargo Space

Midsize SUVs with three rows of seats tend to have pretty puny cargo holds behind the seats, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is no different. Its 13.8-cubic-foot cargo area with all seats in use is slightly above average for this class. An available height-adjustable power liftgate makes loading lighter, and numerous nooks and crannies in the cabin provide storage for smaller items as well.

Highlander Hybrid Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

The two thousand seventeen Highlander Hybrid comes with the Entune infotainment system, a straightforward interface that’s mostly effortless to use. The touch screen is crisp and responsive, and much of the system can also be managed by traditional knobs and buttons for those who choose a more tactile practice. You can connect your phone using Bluetooth and then use the touch screen or voice recognition system to play music, access your phone book, and make phone calls. The Highlander Hybrid’s awesome list of standard features includes five USB ports, a 6.1-inch touch screen, a rearview camera, Siri Eyes Free, and a six-speaker audio system.

Highlander Hybrid Spectacle

Highlander Hybrid Engine: High-Powered Hybrid

Tho’ it’s a hybrid, the two thousand seventeen Highlander Hybrid can hold its own alongside its gasoline-only competitors. Its hybrid powertrain consists of a Trio.5-liter V6 engine and three electrified motors that, combined, produce three hundred six horsepower – an increase of twenty six horsepower from the two thousand sixteen model year. The Highlander Hybrid has arousing acceleration and no problem getting up to highway and passing speeds.

Highlander Hybrid Gas Mileage: Class-Leading Fuel Economy

When you drive a midsize SUV, you can expect to get around nineteen mpg in the city and twenty five mpg on the highway, the average ratings for this class. The Highlander Hybrid surges ahead of every other model in our rankings with its class-leading estimates of twenty nine mpg in the city and twenty seven on the highway. You’ll spend about $350 less in fuel costs per year by driving the hybrid instead of the gasoline-only Toyota Highlander (which gets 20/24 mpg city/highway).

Highlander Hybrid Rail and Treating: Comfy and Agile

The Highlander Hybrid has composed treating and a slick, stable rail, even when traversing less-than-perfect pavement. The steering is fairly effortless, tho’ it can feel a little numb. The Highlander Hybrid comes with a regenerative braking system, which is commonly used in hybrid vehicles to help recharge the batteries. These brakes can feel a bit touchy and over-responsive if you are fresh to driving a hybrid, but you will quickly get used to them.

Highlander Hybrid Towing Capacity

The Highlander Hybrid can tow up to Three,500 pounds, which is enough to pull a petite power boat or utility trailer. That’s higher than the gasoline-only Highlander’s base model, rated at 1,500 pounds. Towing capacity can be enlargened to Five,000 pounds in gas-powered Highlanders with the V6 engine and all-wheel drive.

Several other 3-row SUVs can also tow up to Five,000 pounds, including the Honda Pilot and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Dodge Durango can tow up to 7,400 pounds.

Highlander Hybrid Reliability

Is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Reliable?

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid gets a reliability rating of Three.Five out of five from J.D. Power and Associates. That’s an above-average rating and the same as rivals like the Nissan Murano, Toyota 4Runner, and the gas-only Highlander.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid Warranty

The two thousand seventeen Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a three-year/36,000-mile warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Hybrid-related components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.

Highlander Hybrid Safety

Highlander Hybrid Crash Test Results

The two thousand seventeen Toyota Highlander Hybrid receives an overall safety rating of five out of five starlets from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, earning five starlets in side crash tests and four starlets in rollover and frontal crash tests. These results are identical to the gasoline-only Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot, and better than the Nissan Murano. However, you may notice these three rival midsize SUVs have higher safety scores than the Highlander Hybrid in our rankings. This is because they underwent extra testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Highlander Hybrid Safety Features

The Highlander Hybrid comes standard with a rearview camera and Toyota Safety Sense, which includes a pre-collision system, pedestrian and vehicle detection, lane departure warning with steering assist, and adaptive cruise control. Available safety features include front and rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and an overhead 360-degree camera.

Which Toyota Highlander Hybrid Model Is Right for Me?

With Toyota`s two less expensive options added for 2017, you can now choose from four different trims when shopping for a Highlander Hybrid. Every model comes with a Trio.5-liter V6 engine, a continuously variable automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive, and we go into more detail on the standard features for the LE, XLE, Limited, and Limited Platinum editions below. Out of these, we think the fresh base model is a fantastic pick. It comes with Toyota Safety Sense, a fresh standard feature for the two thousand seventeen model year that can help keep you from getting in an accident. Included in this bundle is a pre-collision system that can detect both cars and pedestrians, as well as lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Not only is that more safety equipment than last year’s base model, but it also undercuts the two thousand sixteen base model’s beginning price by almost $12,000.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid LE

The LE trim starts at $36,270 and seats eight. Its standard technology includes a rearview camera, Bluetooth, five USB ports, a 6.1-inch touch-screen display, a six-speaker audio system, voice recognition, smartphone integration, Siri Eyes Free, push-button embark, and Toyota Safety Sense. Among its other standard features are power-adjustable front seats, tri-zone automatic climate control, cloth upholstery, heated side mirrors, and sliding and reclining second- and third-row seats.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE

The eight-person XLE ($41,330) comes with more safety technology, like the addition of blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert. Cabin upgrades include leather-trimmed first- and second-row seats, leatherette covered third-row seats, and heated front seats. The Highlander Hybrid XLE also comes with navigation, an 8-inch touch-screen display, satellite radio, HD Radio, a moonroof, a height-adjustable power liftgate, and Driver Effortless Speak, which is an intercom system from the front seats to the rear seats.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited

The Highlander Hybrid Limited seats seven and comes with perforated leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats, a 12-speaker sound system, an 8-inch split-screen touch screen, and rear parking sensors. The Limited starts at $44,760.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited Platinum

The top-of-the-line Highlander Hybrid Limited Platinum seats seven people and has a $47,880 kicking off price. Added features include heated second-row seats, an overhead 360-degree camera, a panoramic moonroof, and front and rear parking sensors.

Check out this month`s Toyota deals for current discounts and incentives. Our Best Price Program can also help you build and price out the right Highlander Hybrid for you.

The Final Call

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is the Beyoncé of the midsize SUV class; it`s a top performer in almost every category, bundled in a well-rounded package that has something to suggest most everyone. Its convenience and safety appeals to families, its outstanding fuel economy will impress commuters and the environmentally conscience, and its spirited powertrain lets spirited drivers indulge their inward Danica Patrick a little. But you have to pay to play, unluckily: the Highlander Hybrid will cost you more than most of its peers.

Don`t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.