Toyota Highlander’s hybrid is high in practicality and is positioned perfectly to make middle-class dreams come true. In typical day-to-day operation, the gas- electric hybrid system remains transparent, seamlessly switching the gasoline engine on and off as needed without distress. Depress the accelerator past the three-quarter mark the CVT lets the gas engine wind up and fortunately, not much performance is sacrificed in the quest for gas economy.
Toyota spiced things up for 2014 and treated the Highlander to a complete exterior makeover, adding three inches of overall length and replacing the previous model’s boxy shape with some sharp and swoopy lines that echo the brand’s current design direction. Returning for another tour of duty are the same 231- hp, 3.5-liter V-6 gas engine, pair of electric motors (one each for the front and rear axles), 45-kW nickel-metal hydride battery pack, and continuously variable transmission that motivated the previous version.
The combined net horsepower remains steadfast at 280. The Highlander’s strength is providing calm, consistent transportation. To that end, the interior checks all the right boxes: It’s quiet, impacts are well isolated and muted, and materials are segment appropriate. You can’t miss the large shelf residing below the dash that has a convenient cable pass-through that keeps personal-device cables organized and a soft-touch surface to keep them from sliding around.
The gigantic storage bin below the center armrest can easily swallow an arm load of electronic and personal gear with room to spare, keeping them out of sight while parked. Braking to a stop from 70 mph consumed 187 feet, within spitting distance of the 188 feet required by our non-hybrid V-6 Highlander. Also the 24 mpg we recorded in mixed driving.
Only 4 mpg south of the EPA’s combined number of 28, it’s a significant improvement over the 19 mpg we recorded with a nearly identically outfitted V-6 model. Leather-trimmed, heated, and cooled front seats come standard in the hybrid, and the leather-trimmed second-row buckets—a bench seat is not available in the hybrid—now travel about three inches farther forward, providing easier access to the third row. Operated with a single lever, sliding the second-row buckets forward proved to be simple, a boon for those with children to herd.
Toyota claims the 60/40 third-row seat is 3.3 inches wider than it was previously. Toyota managed to position the hybrid battery pack and AWD hardware in such a fashion that it doesn’t infringe on cargo capacity, the hybrid offering the same 13.6 cubic feet of storage space behind the third row and 42 behind the second row as in the regular Highlander. Mod- els without the panoramic sunroof get a tad more space, measuring in at 13.8 and 42.3 cubic feet. Only five options appeared on the order sheet for our already well-equipped Highlander Limited Platinum AWD hybrid test vehicle: a first-aid kit ($29), carpeted floor and cargo mats ($225), a cargo net ($49), body-side molding ($209), and running boards ($599).
All in, the as-tested price came to $51,761. MSRP: From $47,300 Engine size: 3.5L Cylinders: 6 MPG: 27 city/ 28 highway Horsepower: 280 HP Seating: 7 Width: 75.8 in. Height: 70.1 in. Length: 191.1 in. Available trims: Limited, Limited Platinum V6