The T|X and T|X Pro packages build upon the Tacoma’s current Off-Road Package by adding new wheels, exhaust and appearance items from Toyota Racing Development’s accessory catalog. Accessory packaging is extremely popular with Tacoma owners.

T|X stands for “Tacoma | Extreme.”

The standard TRD Off-Road Package, at the foundation of both T|X editions, includes an electronic locking rear differential, progressive-rate front springs, specially tuned Bilstein shock absorbers, a 28 mm front stabilizer bar and BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires. In addition the TRD Off-Road Package includes a 400-watt/115-volt power point in the bed, sport seats with adjustable lumbar support and unique fabric, plus an overhead console with a compass and outside temperature display.

The Base T|X trim adds beefy TRD 16-inch black alloy bead-lock wheels and 265/70R16 BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires for extra capability off-road over the standard TRD Tacoma. It also features black tube side steps, a stainless-steel exhaust tip and unique exterior graphics. The MSRP of the T|X Package is $1,699, a savings of $754 compared with the package items ordered as separate options.

The T|X Pro Package adds performance flare with a TRD cat-back performance exhaust system that gives the Tacoma’s 4.0-liter V-6 a deeper note and slightly more power. Also priced at an MSRP of $1,699, the T|X Pro Package represents a savings of $720 compared with the package contents added as separate accessories.

Ordering for the 2011 Tacoma T|X Pro Package will begin in July, and the T|X Package will launch two months later in September.

Speaking recently, Toyota’s Dr. Shigeyuki Hori and Kazuo Okino reaffirmed the company’s intention to launch the car as planned in November 2011. While neither would go into a lot of detail, they revealed the production version is nearly 50% complete and the mid-level model is targeted to have a price of  approximately $28,610.

As for what the car will look like, Okino commented that the styling would closely resemble the concept. There will be minor modifications, but the overall shape will remain the same.

In case you don’t remember, the FT-86 concept debuted at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show. It featured a Subaru 2.0-liter Boxer engine, a six-speed manual transmission, ADVICS brakes, and rear-wheel drive.

The current Tundra was designed from the ground up to compete with full-size pickups from Chrysler, Ford and GM. On paper, the story was compelling. The Tundra featured a strong 5.7-liter V-8, could tow up to 10,800 pounds and was available in regular, extended-cab and crew-cab configurations.

Toyota was so confident in the strength of its new truck and the American truck market that it invested more than $1 billion to build a dedicated assembly plant in Texas with the capacity to build 200,000 Tundras a year in addition to a second Tundra factory in Indiana that could produce 100,000 annually.

The Tundra is in fact a great truck and came close to meeting its annual sales goals of 200,000 trucks per year in the first year but  missed each year since, suffering from the effects of both a terrible economy and a media onslaught over alleged quality and safety issues. About 460,000 Tundras have been built since 2007, and less than 80,000 were sold in 2009, a bad economic year.

In light of tough new fuel-economy rules set to take effect by 2016. some have wondered will Toyota continue to invest in the Tundra?

Sources say that indeed the next Tundra will arrive by 2014, just in time to take on all-new full-size light-duty pickups expected from GM, Nissan and Ford. That time period is looking like it will be a replay of 2007-08, which also had a fast cadence of new half-ton introductions.

But while Toyota is keeping the faith in Tundra, at least for one more generation, the Japanese automaker is said to be phasing out the Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV that’s based on the Tundra platform. We hear the big people-mover will be killed at the end of this life cycle.

Tesla

The two companies will work on prototypes combining the RAV4 model with a Tesla electric powertrain and expect to sell it in the United States in 2012, Tesla said.

It said a first prototype already has been produced.

Motor Trend is also reporting that Toyota is hard at work on a fully electric supercar. If there’s any truth to this report, it is said that Toyota President Akio Toyoda was so impressed after a spin in Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster that he immediately green-lit a feasibility study into the electric supercar project.

“Tesla’s goal is to produce increasingly affordable electric cars for mainstream buyers — relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs,” the company said in a statement.

Tesla now sells an electric roadster priced at just over $100,000, while Toyota is a leader in gas-electric hybrid vehicles and also plans to sell electric cars.

The two companies announced in May that they would team up to develop electric cars

The U.S. Department of Transportation has analyzed dozens of data recorders from Toyota vehicles involved in accidents blamed on sudden acceleration and found that the throttles were wide open and the brakes weren’t engaged at the time of the crash.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the early results suggest that some drivers who said their Toyotas and Lexuses surged out of control were mistakenly flooring the accelerator when they intended to jam on the brakes. The findings by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) involve a sample of the reports in which a driver of a Toyota vehicle said the brakes were depressed but failed to stop the car from accelerating and ultimately crashing.

The findings appear to support Toyota’s position that sudden-acceleration reports involving its vehicles weren’t caused by electronic glitches in computer-controlled throttle systems, as some safety advocates and plaintiffs’ attorneys have alleged.

The data recorders analyzed by NHTSA were selected by the agency, not Toyota, based on complaints the drivers had filed with the government. Toyota hasn’t been involved in interpreting the data.

On Christmas Eve 2009, a new PriusChat community user on Yahoo pointed to the article “NHTSA Tracking Braking Loss on Prius Hybrids,” which first raised the issue of a problem with the Prius braking system. It stated there were at least “33 complaints” out of 100,000 new model, 2010 Prius cars. Owners were wondering what was going on.

The reaction within the Prius community ranged from “What brake problem?” to “It’s a scary safety issue.” So taking the classic engineering approach, this engineer along with associates set out to gather more data, starting with a survey of Prius owners to find out the extent to which they had experienced the problem. The survey revealed that owners of both the 2009 and 2010 models had experienced intermittent braking problems:

PRIUS SURVEY CHART

Continuing the investigation, questions were asked about details and conditions under which Prius owners had experienced a braking problem. Soon, there were dozens of photos that clearly implicated potholes. The photo montage also revealed the truly awful state of roads across North America.

 PICTURES

Through the results, four common elements were discovered of every situation in which a braking problem occurred: a road imperfection or significant bump; (2) winter or wet conditions; (3) slow speed, and; (4) gentle or moderate braking. Most of the reports were from Northern latitudes (where winter brings a bumper crop of potholes), which also might explain why a resident of Northern Alabama, had not experienced the braking problem…

The PriusChat community proposed that the combined elements of slow speed and gentle braking pointed to a transition between regenerative and mechanical braking. The Prius uses the electric motor as a generator when stopping to charge the traction battery. As the car slows down the brake computer has to transition seamlessly to mechanical braking. Reviewing the brake section of “2010 Toyota Repair Manual, Volume 2″ (RM1291U2), references pointed to a “30 km/h (19 mph) to 0 km/h” (pp BC-85, BC-87) critical speed range. Unfortunately, feedback from the users was qualitative and lacked precise engineering units, which was the precise data we needed for our investigation.

Realizing some true field testing was needed, the engineering team ordered two Gulf Coast Data Concepts‘ accelerometers (one for an owner in Michigan who frequently experienced the problem) and the other for local testing on a Prius in Alabama.

The first morning of testing with the accelerometer in Alabama was perfect–wet and drizzly. Approaching two rows of speed bumps at a badge check gate at a work facility, it happened: The car ‘slipped’ just after the first speed bump. Knowing 19 mph was a critical speed, the Prius was slowed to just under 20 mph before hitting the first bump. As shown in the chart below, the accelerometer captured a momentary ‘slip and slide’ sensation at that instant.

Clearly the braking force, A_{x, went to zero after the speed bump. The integrated velocity curve, V, shows an 800 milliseconds flat line before the braking force resumed. We finally had the brake anomaly, a pause, documented with engineering units.  Meanwhile, about this time Toyota had a new release of the brake control software added to the Prius production line and announced a recall program, SSC-A0B. Regardless, we could use this protocol to validate the fix.}

Ten days later after the fix and under similar conditions the accelerometer showed the problem gone:

The key steps in our investigation were to:

• Solicit user reports looking for patterns – intermittent problems often seem to hover around a few and are missed by many. We needed to capture as many descriptions with as much detail as possible to find a way to reproduce the problem at will.
• Understand the systems – we found boundary conditions in the braking system. Knowing 19 mph was a threshold speed, we focused our efforts in this range.
• Convert intermittent to reproducible problem – as soon as the problem is reproducible at will, experiments can map the boundary conditions.
• Quantify the problem – add instrumentation to convert imprecise text into engineering units
• Validate the fix – using the problem protocol, test to validate the fix.

Toyota’s fix, SSC-A0B, solves the vast majority of these intermittent, slow-speed, momentary, brake pauses. But often one intermittent problem can mask a less frequent problem. After eliminating incompletely applied patches, there remain scattered reports of another braking anomaly, and investigations continue.

 This certainly is a real possibility for the millions of Toyota drivers out there. In most cases with proper minimum maintenance, that 200,000 mile Toyota has another 100,000 miles in it or more before anything big might occur. Check out the 2005 600,000 mile Corolla.

Not so long ago, people counted themselves lucky if their car made it 100,000 miles before it gave out. As late as the 1980s and 1990s, many odometers didn’t even carry enough digits to handle 100k. Years before that people would say that they needed to trade when their car had 40,000 miles on it.

But in the spirit of  “60 is the new 40″, it could be said that 200,000 miles is the new 100,000 miles odometer… primarily due to improvements in quality.

Drivers are beginning to take ownership of this proposition. Statistical studies and a growing number of “high mileage” car clubs cropping up around the country support the idea.

Adding to this growing phenomenon is the fact that 80% of all Toyota vehicles produced over the past 20 years are on the road! What makes Toyota cars so reliable and popular ? It’s a winning combination of affordability, reliability and brand perception. These vehicles consistently deliver great trouble free value over a long period of time in a package that people want providing the best overall value in terms of total cost of ownership.

Toyota not only is a major contributor to extended odometer life, but the company is also extending customer base at the other end. Last year, the “Cash for Clunkers” program, designed to boost auto sales and get gas-guzzling vehicles off the road, showed that the typical vehicle turned in under the program was 14 years old and averaged 160,000 miles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It took a bonus of $3,500 to $4,500 to persuade owners to turn these vehicles in…

And What Did These Owners Replace Their “Clunker” With?  Toyota,… With The Highest Market Share At Nearly 20%!

To some extent, though, tough economic conditions are leading consumers to hang onto their cars longer. But the trend was underway well before the downturn. Average vehicle age has climbed steadily for a decade, going from 8.8 years in 1999 to 10.6 years late last year. Longer warranties, financing contracts, and the high reliabilities of Toyota are key factors behind the trend.

Most owners would rather not drive their vehicles into oblivion, of course. The average driver keeps a new vehicle nearly 6 years — up from about four and one-half years in 2002, according to R.L. Polk figures. Then it is sold once or twice, on average, over its lifetime.

Even if owners aren’t out to set mileage records, careful adherence to maintenance schedules pays off in a higher resale value and higher probability of the vehicle being in good condition up to 200,000 miles or higher.

A series of articles published recently in the  NY Times support that men are more likely to ignore traffic laws and loose emotional control.

• Men are three times more likely to honk their horns.
• More likely to “rudely gesture at or verbally abuse other drivers. and
• More likely to be involved in tragic, massive accidents (on the road and off).

Wow! It sure looks like we the guys need that Toyota  with the Star Safety System and maybe more. This may turn out to be a surprise for some. The data shows that the reason why men tend to break the rules more is an ingrained sense of biology, reaching back to early concepts of male and female roles. The male brain, hard wired to hunt and kill, favored the bold and the brave. The Times piece goes on:

Research data state these behaviors are deeply ingrained. Researchers Leda Cosmides and John Tooby describe our prior existence as “a camping trip that lasted an entire lifetime, and this way of life endured for most of the last 10 million years.” In comparison, the auto arrived a blink of an eye ago, and we have not had time to evolve a new set of behaviors for coping safely behind the wheel. Gee, I didn’t realize I was so closely connected to the caveman…

Today, men are found to drive faster overall, ignore traffic laws more often, take more (and greater) risks and are involved in the majority of fatal crashes around the globe. The data in the Times articles bear this out, although some of the research cited dates as far back as 1986.  

Anecdotal evidence is readily available for both sides. There are a lot of men who will say when they are behind the wheel that their wives are typical critical back seat drivers. On the other hand and on a personal note I recently got a speeding ticket for going 30 mph in a 25 mph zone that was soon after disregarded by the police officer. But when I announced at home that I had gotten a ticket, everyone in the family replied in unison, “What For? Going Too Slow?”…  

Some data shows that there is a  preference for female drivers when taking cabs, car services and airport shuttles.

“Women cab drivers aren’t going to hit on me and they pay attention,” says one female business executive. “In cabs, male drivers are eating or are on the phone a lot of the time. I’m 100 times happier with a woman.”

The good news carries with it no inherent sexual battle, however. According to institutional data, deaths have gone down among both male and female passengers as well as pedestrians and bicyclists.

The most notable update is a bolder cosmetically revised grille design that’s expected to change the current two-bar grille to a single bar.

All regular cab Tacomas will include air conditioning as standard equipment, and 15-inch styled steel wheels will be standard on two-wheel-drive regular cab trucks. Models with the available six-disc CD changer will also come with integrated Sirius-XM satellite radio. A new Convenience Extra Value Package for double cab models adds cruise control, a sliding rear window with privacy glass, remote keyless entry and steering-wheel audio controls. All exterior colors from last year carry over except for Black Sand Pearl, which has been changed to  Black.

Toyota has discontinued three low-volume manual transmission models and added five four-cylinder, four-speed automatic models. The new models are the Access Cab 4×2 PreRunner, Double Cab 4×2, Double Cab 4×2 PreRunner, Regular Cab 4×4 and Access Cab 4×4.

The entry-level regular cab 2011 Toyota Tacoma with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission will start at $16,365 before a $810 destination charge. That’s a $1,020 price increase over the 2010 Tacoma. A fully equipped double cab V-6 five-speed automatic Tacoma with four-wheel drive and a long bed will start at $27,525, up $275 from 2010, before $810 destination.

Toyota offers two engines for the Tacoma. The base 2.7-liter double-overhead-camshaft four-cylinder produces 159 horsepower and 180 pounds-feet of torque, and the powerful 4.0-liter DOHC V-6  makes 236 hp and 266 pounds-feet of torque. Certain V-6-equipped models can tow up to 6,500 pounds.

Production of the 2011 Tacoma is expected to start July 6 at the Tacoma’s new home in San Antonio, at the same factory that builds the full-size Toyota Tundra.

The first 2011 Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks should arrive at dealers by the end of July, first of August.

Toyota announced last week it will build the Corolla, the compact segment’s top-selling vehicle, starting next fall at its plant under construction in Blue Springs, Ms.

With automotive sales showing signs of recovery, Toyota is wise to focus its newest U.S. production facility on a staple of its lineup. “Given Corolla’s importance in the Toyota world, it’s important for them to increase capacity,” analysts say.

The Corolla follows only the Camry in U.S. sales for the world’s largest automaker and is the number 1 selling car in the world.

Corolla production was shipped to Japan when the company shuttered a California plant last year.

Toyota officials said Thursday that the Blue Springs plant gives them the best opportunity to quickly restart production domestically. Toyota will be ramping up Corolla production at a time when other automakers are taking bolder steps into the smaller-vehicle market.

In addition to regular competitors such as the Honda Civic, a new version of the Hyundai Elantra is coming this year, while the Ford Fiesta and Focus and the Chevrolet Cruze also will be major players among smaller cars. Toyota is challenged in that they’re introducing an older vehicle (among) a lot of flashy new vehicles. They are also in a vulnerable position because you have the domestics, Ford and General Motors that are feeling strong right now with Hyundai, Kia and VW in Chattanooga trying to nip at their heels.

Toyota keeps redesign schedules close to the vest, but it is estimated that a totally new Corolla to be released in 2013. There are reports that say the Corolla produced next fall in Blue Springs will likely have a new front and other design updates.

From January to May, 110,132 Corollas were sold in the United States, besting the competition. Honda was a close second with 109,643 Civics sold in the same period. Honda will launch a new generation Civic next year.

Corolla is the third vehicle planned for Blue Springs. Originally, the plant was to build the Highlander SUV then the Prius hybrid. But the small-vehicle sector has greater growth potential than the hybrid sector, in large part because of increased competition. Between now and 2014, those sales should grow by about 5 million units. The hybrid market’s fortunes are linked to the cost of gas.

When fuel prices climbed above $4 two summers ago, hybrid vehicles got long looks from car buyers and Toyota Dealers werre stacked up with sales orders. With prices below $2.50 in Mississippi and elsewhere, though, emotions have cooled and they’ve lost some luster.

Toyota officials said Thursday that Prius production will remain centered in Japan.

The automaker also will have to successfully market its 44-year-old Corolla brand to a younger breed of car buyer who isn’t as loyal to a particular make and model as boomer-age buyers. The Corolla, does sell well among younger buyers. But could it be seen as representing “their parents’ brand” as those buyers look for the most quality and up-to-date features at the lowest price?

For the small businessman, contractor, outdoorsman, or week-end gardener, the mid-size Toyota Tacoma may be just the right fit. Tacoma has long been known for its high build quality, reliability, longevity, and resale value;…and with it’s high popularity as a customizable personalized vehicle, Tacoma owns a 37 Percent share of the mid-size truck market.

The second generation Tacoma, like the one pictured, was introduced in 2005 and hasn’t changed much since then, except for a minor styling update in 2009. Engine options are a 2.7-litre, DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder with VVT-i that generates 159 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque, and a 4.0-litre DOHC 24 valve V6 engine with VVT-i good for 236 hp and 266 lb-ft. Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) is advanced technology that pumps maximum power from minimal fuel.  Transmission choices are a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic with the four-cylinder engine, and six-speed manual and five-speed auto with the V6.

Tacoma is available in Single Cab, Access Cab and Double Cab models, Access with two small, rear-hinged rear doors, and the Double Cab with four, full-size, front-hinged doors. There are two bed lengths, too: a six-footer that is standard on most models, and a five-foot bed that is only offered on Double Cab models. The four-cylinder engine is standard in the Single Cab and available  in PreRunner Access Cab models. The V6 is an option and is standard in Double Cab models. The backbone support for the Tacoma is forged massive one-piece frame rails, eight equally strong cross members and a fully boxed front sub-frame.

In this article lets take a look at a 2010 Tacoma 4×4 Double Cab V6 model ($31,845) with the TRD Sport Package ($5,110).  The Sport Package adds conveniences like steering wheel audio controls, sliding rear window, cruise control, keyless entry and variable intermittent wipers,17″ wheels and tires and Bilstein shocks. More importantly, perhaps, are functional additions that include transmission and engine oil coolers, upgraded alternator, trailer wiring harness, and Class IV hitch all boosting the Tacoma’s towing capacity from 5,000 pounds  to 6,500 pounds. There is also a 400-watt cargo bed power outlet and a backup camera that shows up in the rear-view mirror with the transmission in reverse.

Unencumbered, the V6 motor is strong, bringing brisk, if not fast, acceleration. The five-speed automatic does its job well, though its shifts are rougher than what you’re treated to in a typical family sedan or crossover. We can thank the gearbox’s heavier-duty nature for that. It responds with prompt downshifts when the gas pedal is prodded, though the engine generates enough torque in its low- and mid-range that a downshift is rarely required for moderate acceleration.

The 4×4 system is a driver-selectable part-time setup with low-range gearing, operated electronically via a knob on the dash. Unlike many full-size pickups, the Tacoma’s system doesn’t have an automatic mode that allows the truck to remain in four-wheel drive all the time. There’s no centre differential, so the truck must be driven in two-wheel drive mode on paved surfaces. Access Cab V6 models can be had with a locking rear differential and skid plates for the transfer case and fuel tank as part of the TRD Sport Package, but these items aren’t included on the Double Cab model. All Tacomas however, get an automatic (electronic) limited slip rear differential and come standard with the Star Safety System that includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC),Traction Control (TRAC), that helps reduce wheelspin and prevent traction loss while cornering, Anti-lock Brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution(EBD) and Brake Assist.

You don’t equip a truck with all of the gear above if the worst it’s going to see are speed bumps and shopping carts. You expect that it’s going to be put to the test in all kinds of go-for-broke situations where the roads look like the surface of perhaps Mars with everything in the path ahead filled with sand, mud, or snow that will have to be out muscled or out maneuvered. the Tacoma ride is firm and the truck is maneuverable with a quick turn diameter of 40.7 ft. The Tacoma is

• Built To Beat The Heat – Bilstein Shocks keep their cool for consistent performance under pressurre as do the ventilated front disc brakes.
• Powerful And Strong – the Tacoma V6 engine puts the spark plugs in the center of the combustion chamber. the pentroof combustion creates a cleaner, more efficient burn and increases both performance and efficiency.
• Built With Backbone – the trucks frame is the source of its strength. Tacoma is built on a rugged frame strengthened with 8″ cross members, beefed-up center side rails, and rear inner channel reinforcements with a rear suspension geared toward handling the truck’s (1,150 lb) payload.

Besides hunters and recreational enthusiasts who else might buy a Tacoma? How about small contractors or week-end project warriors. What can you do with this truck on say a home improvement adventure? A Tacoma like we’re talking about recently hauled a pre-fab toolshed home from the store and handled a loaded down bed of weighty lawn sod and garden compost. 

Only the weighty compost proved much of a challenge for the drivetrain, which worked noticeably harder to get the truck up to speed when loaded down at or a  little over payload capacity. The transmission’s shifts were a little harsher, especially in downshifting, and the rear end wallowed a little over large bumps, but the cabin provided a comfortable drive during the transport. Tacoma proved to be just enough truck for all the tasks. Payload-wise, in order to carry any more than we did, you’d most likely have to move up to a full-size truck.

Despite the Tacoma’s firm ride when not loaded, it proved otherwise to be a very comfortable vehicle to be in. The front seats are very supportive and comfortable, and very little wind or road noise gets into the cabin at highway speeds.

The Tacoma’s cabin puts function before fancy. The gauges are large and easy to read, and the controls simple, but there’s not much here in the way of luxury items. Headroom is generous, but the door openings are short, so getting in requires a slightly awkward manoeuvre involving stepping up to the high floor while simultaneously ducking down to avoid hitting your head on the door frame. The rear seat offers similar headroom, with adequate legroom.

The Tacoma comes with a composite cargo bed that eliminates the need for a bedliner and the oxidation that can occur between the bedliner and a metal bed, four tie-down cleats that live in tracks running the perimeter of the bed and  small cubbies in the sides of the bed for stashing small items. The 400-watt, 115-volt power outlet mounted in the bed is an option on most models (in the SR5 Power Package in the 4×2 Access Cab and with the TRD Sport Package in V6 models).

The vehicle’s shortcomings are only that you could buy the wrong one for your needs. Tacoma proves it’s decent at hauling both people and stuff within it’s specifications. 

If there’s any wisdom to be taken away with this article , it’s that one should shop carefully when buying a pickup. The Tacoma’s options, drive-train and body configurations are relatively staightforward, but larger trucks are available with a dizzying array of combinations of engine, drive-train, cab and box choices that make it very easy for a casual truck buyer to wind up with too much or not enough truck for what they want to use it for.

The Toyota Highlander Hybrid just like its gas-engine counterpart, has good performance, a comfortable cockpit, and a reasonably roomy third seating row without the bulk of a Tahoe or Expedition plus much better fuel economy.

What does Hybrid really mean in this version of the Highlander?  First, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid uses a V6 gasoline engine that drives the front wheels. There is one electric motor that provides hybrid power to the front wheels. A second electric motor provides rear traction, when needed, and makes this Highlander an all-wheel-drive SUV, sort of, but mainly for traction on wet or snowy road surfaces, not true off-road travel.

So what can one expect from a Toyota Highlander Hybrid? Better Fuel economy, of course. The Highlander Hybrid is rated at 27 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and can get almost 28 mpg in mostly highway driving. For better mileage, you can press the ECON button on the dash which recalibrates the Highlander for modestly slower acceleration, which you won’t notice around town. If there’s battery power available, pressing the EV (electric vehicle-only) button lets you creep into or out of the driveway if you’re leaving early, or coming home way too late.  For comparison, the V6 non-hybrid is rated at 18/24. The base Highlander with 187-hp four-cylinder engine gets 20/27, but with 3,845 pounds to move around, you might be asking a lot of the engine unless you’re driving mostly highway miles.

There is a price premium to be paid for the Hybrid Highlander version as you may have guessed. The non-hybrid Highlander versions are four- and six-cylinder with front-drive or all-wheel-drive, and they start at $27,800 while the cheaper of two Hybrid models is around $37,500. The upscale Hybrid Limited is $45,000 plus vs. $38,500 for the comparably equipped AWD Highland Limited gasoline model. A nicely equipped Hybrid Highlander runs close to$50,000.

On the inside the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is flows uncluttered and the maple center console trim feels upscale. The vehicle measures 188 inches long, about the same as a midsize sedan, yet it’s pretty big inside and offers a third row bench seat that isn’t bad for children although you wouldn’t ask your mother-in-law to sit back there. When the second row and third row are folded flat, you’ve got a big, let’s haul some stuff cargo bay.

Not bad for a vehicle based on the chassis of the Toyota Camry and Toyota Avalon.

The navigation system is the Generation 6 Navigation and is reasonable to operate. It’s touchscreen with voice input assistance. Toyota navigation systems always make it easy to put up a moving map if that’s all you need, without lots of button presses or layered menus. The navigation package includes upgraded audio, and Bluetooth.

Here’s the Question…Should You Buy Hybrid? or Gasoline? If you’re in the market for a midsize SUV or crossover with people-and-stuff hauling capabilities, the Toyota Highlander is an excellent choice in a market full of them, including the GM triplets Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia; Hyundai Veracruz; Mazda CX-9 and Mazda CX-7; and the longer Ford Flex. many well satisfied owners find the Highlander appealing. Reliability is very solid.

The bigger issue is whether to go with the hybrid edition of the Highlander.  If it’s a dollars and sense decision, it could take a bit over 20 years to make back the hybrid premium. If you average 26 mpg combined in the hybrid and 21 mpg in the V6 non-hybrid, you’ll save $330 a year on gasoline at $3 a gallon. That’s right on top of a 20 year payback. Only if gasoline reached $5 a gallon and if you increased the mpg margin over the gasoline Highlander from 26 mpg vs. 21 mpg to 28 mpg vs. 21 mpg would you fall under 10 years for payback. In other words, it would be better to look at the Toyota Highlander Hybrid as something you’re doing for the environment and for the future rather than for your pocketbook and R.O.I..

If cost is an issue, the 2008-2010 Toyota Highlanders are essentially similar, and good deals can be had on used Toyota Highlanders with upgrade warranties. The 2001-2007 Highlanders are the first generation and are good solid vehicles to pick up as well.

Here’s The Borrom Line…The Toyota Highlander Hybrid Provides Good Mileage, Road Manners, And Carrying Capacity. You’ll Need Two Decades To Earn Back The Hybrid Premium. Could Be Worth It To Some Though…