HybridToyota Highlander

2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Toyota was the first automaker
to put a hybrid powertrain into a midsize crossover SUV when it
introduced the Highlander Hybrid for the 2006 model year. Now
in its second-generation, the Highlander Hybrid is still a
one-of-a-kind combination of utility and fuel economy.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid benefits from the strengths of the
base model. Among those features are seating for seven, useful
cargo space, and a smooth, carlike ride. Add in a powerful
gas-electric powertrain, and the Highlander Hybrid is green
without making any compromises.

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid
vehicle with batteries that can be recharged by
connecting a plug to an electric power source. It
shares the characteristics of both conventional
hybrid electric vehicles, having an electric motor and
a backup internal combustion engine (ICE) for
power, and of battery electric vehicles, also having a
plug to connect to the electric grid. Most PHEVs on
the road today are passenger cars, but there are
also PHEV versions of commercial passenger vans,
utility trucks, school buses, motorcycles, scooters,
and military vehicles. PHEVs are sometimes called
grid-connected hybrids, gas-optional hybrids, or
GO-HEVs. The cost for electricity to power plug-in
hybrids for all-electric operation has been estimated
at less than one quarter of the cost of gasoline.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a midsize crossover SUV equipped with a gasoline-burning V-6 engine and an electric assist battery pack that helps
conserve fuel under certain conditions. The Highlander is a “full” hybrid, meaning that it can operate on the battery pack alone at speeds up to 25 mph. It
is also capable of seating up to seven passengers with its optional third-row seat. Because the Highlander was completely redesigned for 2008, there are
no changes for the 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The 2009 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is available in base or Limited trim levels. Choosing the Highlander
Hybrid Limited adds 19-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, upgraded interior fabric, a third-row seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a six-disc CD changer and
satellite radio pre-wiring, a power tailgate, and unique trim detailing inside and out. Choosing Limited trim is also the pathway to options like leather
upholstery, a JBL audio system, a rear DVD entertainment system, a navigation system, automatic climate control, and a power sunroof. The 2009
Toyota Highlander Hybrid is powered by a 3.3-liter V-6 engine making 209 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 212 lb.-ft. of torque at 3600 rpm. The engine is
mated to electric drive motors and a sealed nickel metal hydride battery pack. Combined, this hybrid powertrain delivers a total of 270 horsepower to all
four wheels through a continuously variable transmission. Towing capacity is 3500 pounds. Standard safety features on the 2009 Toyota Highlander
Hybrid include seven airbags with rollover sensing for occupants in all three rows and knee protection for the driver, ABS with Brake Assist, traction and
stability control, Hill Start Assist, and a reversing camera. Based on classification as a midsize multi-activity vehicle by J.D. Power and Associates, the
Highlander Hybrid competes against the short-lived Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid. [Source: JDPower.com]