Highlander Hybrid makes an SUV leap

Gotta love that "Belt and Pulley CVT" too

 

In my experience, "high 30s to high 40s" is a reasonable estimate. Like you, I'm in Southern California, where we never see cold temperatures. My mileage has been in the high 40s over the first 2,500 miles. On one tank I managed to get 50 mpg (according to the computer), but for that tank the A/C was mostly turned off. The writer you quoted wrote for a Boston audience, so he needs to consider cold-weather driving in his estimate range. Also, consider that Edmunds's testers, over the course of 21,000 miles, have averaged 41 mpg, with a high of 51, I believe.

I know some people around here report getting mid 50s pretty consistently, but their driving conditions might be optimal for the Prius (flat terrain, speeds never exceeding 55 mph, or slow city driving). Some of these people have also installed EV switches, which, used judiciously, would help make the best use of the batts.

 

Indeed. I never bothered to read about the Prius's "CVT", but your comment prompted me to look around. The journalist probably Googled "CVT" and found some articles on belt and pully systems used by small vehicles. I found an informative article at the following link. (Wonder if the poster a PriusChat participant...)

http://home.earthlink.net/~graham1/MyToyot...ransmission.htm

 

I had the privilege to drive the Highlander Hybrid at a market research event in Newport Beach, CA late last year. I must say that I was very impressed with its performance. We drove it side by side with the standard engine Highlander, and I found the hybrid to be superior in just about every way. The hybrid had more power, and was much quieter. It took hills better and otherwise performed at least as well as the standard Highlander in handling. I was disappointed that they hadn't used the same smartkey system that was employed with Prius. It was just a regular key. I hope they change that before it comes to market.

ThinkPrius

 

I got the thing in the mail for that event at newport beach. Wasn't 18, so I couldn't go.