Highlander Hybrid Deals

Why have they laid an egg? Seems like I see regular Hylanders all over the place.

They are about as bland as an SUV gets though-time for a new one soon I believe.

 

Maybe it's the $8 - 9,000 MSRP premium over the regular Highlander that is holding back sales. I got another email from a local dealer in Northern CA trying to sell 8 Highlander Hybrids on their lot. They didn't offer any discount - just the message that they have them in stock.

The $3-4K discount offered does bring to Higlander into a more acceptable purchase price range considering you can get the same vehicle with a conventional engine for thousands less.

To a point I made in another email, Hybrids will replace conventional gas engines as soon as the premium is no more than the option for an engine upgrade like going from a 4 cylinder to a V6.

 

sloopG wrote "To a point I made in another email, Hybrids will replace conventional gas engines as soon as the premium is no more than the option for an engine upgrade like going from a 4 cylinder to a V6."

To that, I add - and when they start producing hybrid engines that get a lot more than just a 10% improvement in mpg over their conventional gas models.

 

That's it right there... I looked at the HiHy before buying the Prius. Who wants to pay 7-9k more just to pick up ~5mpg? Geez, I picked up 30mpg between my Prius and my old car, and the "total cost of ownership" difference is still only going to be minimal. I couldn't imagine paying $35k for a base HiHy and trying to justify that it will "save" me gas and money.

 

I also sell them and while we dont have as many as they do in CA, here on the opposite end of the country hybrids are fairly strong in VA as well. I agree that they aren't moving as well as the Prius or HCH. IMO the HSD+V6 linkage is the problem. This belongs in the Lexus line where the buyers are looking for more performance than economy. In the Toyota line, and the Honda line in the case of the HAH, it's economy and reliability first with performance way down the list.... below price.

Now link the HSD with the 2.4L in a less expensive and more efficient Highlander and they would move quicker. It may not have the power of the 3.3L but it would be more attractive to the typical Toyota buyer.

Fuel Economy: Even though the FE ratings aren't as sexy as those in the Prius the fuel saved is about the same for both vehicles!!

Two cases @ 15000 mi/y

Prius vs 4c Camry
Combined FE Est.: Prius 48-51 ..vs.. Camry 27-30
Fuel / 1000 mi driven: Prius 20.4 ..vs.. Camry 35.1 gal
@ 15000 mi/yr : Prius ~305 gal used ..vs.. Camry 526 gal used
Savings: 221 gal/yr

HH vs ICE H
Combined FE Est.: HH 26-29 ..vs.. ICE H 18-21
Fuel / 1000 mi driven: HH 36.4 ..vs.. ICE H 51.3
@ 15000 mi/yr driven: HH 546 gal used ..vs.. ICE H 770 gal used
Savings: 224 gal/yr

That's a tough sell when everyone is looking at the Prius and HCH and talking about 40+ mpg.

Why not two different crossover SUV's HSD+3.3L for the Lexus line and HSD+2.4L for the Toyota line? Drop the 4c HL ( likely ) and replace it with the 2.4L HH.

 

I think your analysis is right on the money. I have a friend who is replacing his Ford Exploder sometime in the next year. He likes the idea of a hybrid, but he wants to see more gas savings to offset its higher initial cost. He's not as "green" as I am so the lower pollution argument doesn't get very far. I call him "Planet Killer".

 

Most astute (intelligent.. assuming I spelled the word right!) analysis. The mileage must be the major improvement in order to ask a consumer to put out thousands of dollars extra for a Hybrid. In the case of the Prius this works, in the case of the Hylander it is more "murky". Key is good economy for the SUV., I have sacrificed size and flexibility to get economy and PAID for it money wise, BUT I do get much better gas mileage performance, in fact the price difference pays for itself over the life of the car, EASILY. I miss the SUV type flexibility, used to have an EXPLORER., so why did I not pick the ESCAPE or look at the NEW hybrid SUV's?? PRICE verses economy, that's why. The Prius offer was the biggest available with still the economy of the HONDA's. Perhaps Toyota should look at using the 4 cylinder 2.4 for this model, better MPG gain for a HYBRID justifies its extra costs.

 

In addition to giving better fuel economy, by using the 2.4L as the base engine the overall price of the vehicle could be lower as well from the $33K range to the $29-30K range.

 

Maybe the Oregonians can have the car delivered the 300 miles to 'Lost Wages' NV, more cheaply than the 1000 miles to Portland, then whip back into CA for the trip home You can probably get cheaper flights to LV than LA as well. I suppose you would have to be able to register it based on the VIN before picking it up though since it won't have CA paper plates.

 

2 questions: why not offer both versions-a 4 & 6?

AND, are you doing any good lease delas on the HiHys?

 

Actually just this week in CAT they extended the subsidized interest rates to the HH. It used to be just on the ICE's but now it's all HL. It may affect leases as well. I will see.