New hybrid SUV

“Highlander Hybrid

Summary for if you don't want to click the link is:
The Highlander will join the hybrid fold also as an '05, revealed Paul Williamsen, technical development manager for Toyota. He said more hybrids will be added on a staggered basis. Prius is rated at 60 mpg city/51 mpg highway, which will help Toyota meet the CAFE target for cars. Toyota won't say what the RX330 or Highlander will be rated at, but have hinted a 35 to 40 mpg , which will go toward the truck standard.

I've been trying to talk myself out of getting an SUV with very little success. I was going out to buy one this coming week but now I think I can wait a year. And these hybrids you don't have to plug in so COOL BEANS!!!”

“Toyota kicks all forms of ass.

I would love to buy an American car/truck/SUV, but alas, Toyota keeps out-pacing the whole pack.

I haven't given up, though. As an analogy, the Georgia Republican Party failed miserably at producing a worthy candidate for governor until - finally! - 2002.”

“It's funny I had already decided on a Highlander over a Grand Cherokee. I was already to hit the dealerships having done alot of internet research. But one more search and there is this Motor Trend article, I have to wait now!”

“The Toyota SUVs are supposed to be the least prone to rollover also. In fact, Toyota was consulted on the new dynamic rollover safety testing the gov't will be implementing next year.”

“I have a 'Sequoia',It's great ,but too big and burns too much gas.In a hybrid the 'highlander' would be better.”

“Not to be a 'spoil sport', but I mention this because the cost (MSRP) of a Prius here in California is about $21,000, while a comparable sized Corolla is around $12,000. That $9,000 buys a lot of gasoline! I would suspect the Highlander will have a similar price variation between std & hybrid versions. Hopefully with the volume of hybrids being produced the price differential will shrink.”

“Yes, I hear what you are saying. Uncle Sam gives a $2000.00 incentive to buy a hybrid. That should help...a little.”

“It's also been said...don't know if it's true...what happens if a hybrid breaks down?...you can only bring it back to the dealer (meaning more expensive if the warranty is over)...independent garages don't know how to fix them (at least not yet)...is it a combustion or electrical problem?”

“Good point stanlee, I hadn't thought of that. I wonder just how much of a difference there really is.”

“Hey no fair I'm back to thinking about buying a Highlander now! Thanks some things you pointed out I hadn't thought of. I knew I could count on you TT'rs!”

“The Prius' hybrid system comes with a 150,000 mile warranty (the electric parts and the controller that manages the gasoline/electric drive system). It was required for Toyota to get pollution reduction credits from California's air quality regulatory agency. I know the car was initally sold only here in California, so I guess if you drive too far east you might get stuck.”

“The Big Three needs to get there act together, or there's going to be problems 'round Detroit like there was in the mid '70's. Hybrids are a good thing, but costly in the begining, as with all new technolgy. I'd buy a hybrid if I wasn't scaling down money wise.”

“I wonder if I can get the entire drivetrain and powerplant in the Exploder replaced with rubber bands and small rodents on treadmills?

<ARGH>”

“I've had a battery operated hummer before. Just wasn't the same...oh, wait a second here...”

“as Laqtis mentioned, the Big Three need to get their act together. They're great at doing R&D work that results in adding all kinds of gadgets for passengers to play with, but whine relentlessly when they have to spend any R&D money for "under the hood" improvements. I worked in the industry a few years ago in a program to improve performance/lessen environmental impact that was dropped for showing few short term gains. Ford was supposed to come out with a hybrid Explorer in 2004, but that was shelved for 2 years. Ditto with GM. To their credit, they do offer custom-orderable CNG/LNG powered cars & trucks, primarily for fleet operators. Chrysler is no better, but parent Daimler-Benz is working on neat low pollution stuff in Germany.”

“I do wish the Liberty (Jeep) were available in a hybrid.


*Deep Sigh*


A girl can dream, can't she?”

“Probably in 10 years or so...maybe less.

To all those buying hybrids now...thanks for purchasing the bleeding edge of technology. They're working out the kinks in this on your dime, but ensuring that future product will be better.”

“If only the dealership's hourly rates were not so steep....some of them are double the independant's rates. What can I say?....dealerships have unions and a large overhead etc.”

“I guess I'll get a new one now and wait see what's up when the hydrogen powered cars come out. Back to shopping!

Thanks again for the input everyone!”

“The Ford Escape is due out as a hybrid in '05. I think Ford was the first to commit to an SUV hybrid (but will they be the first to get it there). It's supposed to be available to fleet managers in '04, Joe Schmo in '05. We'll see.”

“There is a brand new Highlander Limited sitting in my driveway right now...don't get excited, I am only test driving it. (Nice so far!)”

“Not quite a 'buggy' product. The Prius was sold in Japan for three years before it was introduced here in the USA. Ditto for Honda's hybrid system. So far the technology is working well. In fact, the JD Powers surveys find the cars more reliable than American mftr's cars of comparable size!”

“Tango...you're such a tease.”

“Well? What's the verdict? Come on, the suspense is killing me.”

“

The color is Bluestone Metallic I love it. The gas mileage is a shocker driving around town 21mph. I got the moon roof so I won't miss my convertible too much. Thanks for asking Skullz!”

“tree and myself have been talking about getting a new car. we saw this one on the road

Toyota Highlander Hybrid

anyone have one?”

“My boss's husband has one. I'll ask her what they think about it.”

“thanks”

“interseting link. from what I read it is not worth it”

“I'm driving a 4-door, sedan hybrid. I like it!
last edited: 1/07/08 6:09:08 AM”

“From what I understand with hybrid technology is they work most optimum with city driving. Long stretches of highway driving a regular gasoline engine works just as efficient or better.”

“maple, what I got from it is that its still a SUV with a V8. You aren't going to get 30+ mpg out of it, but you will get much better than a conventional V8 SUV. And like LZ said, they are made for low speed driving, once you get to 60 or so its all gas powered then.

Another thing I read was that when you start it the gas engine always runs to warm everything up so lots of short trips will use more fuel than one trip generating the same amount of miles.

Depends on what you mean by worth it? If buying to save money, then no, if buying to save the planet, then maybe.”

“my bad?
I meant the
Ford Escape Hybrid


”

“good points hyway
we do a lot more short trips living in the city. but we do long trips ever weekend so I guess it is half and half.”

“Toyota Hybrid with a V8?”

“I think he meant V6”

“I think the 2WD is pretty efficient with about 32 city/highway. I think the 4WD version still gets mediocre gas mileage.”

“I thought I saw a bunch of those Escape Hybrids in NYC in yellow with medallions. If they can survive use as NYC cab they ought to survive anything we do to a car (well, maybe not driving through a creek but hopefully we'll have the bridge up soon...) Too bad our local Ford dealer is crappy.”

“My new truck. Won't be quite as good as my last truck for getting to trailheads.
”

“does it have a hot tub in the back?
because I don't feel safe to ride in it if is does not”

“I wonder if the owner would trade with me?!”

“I bet it bottoms out and gets a scratch in the finish after it runs over it's first pebble.”

“How do you get the jack under it to change a tire”

“

All my friends know the low rider
The low rider is a little higher

Low rider drives a little slower
Low rider is a real goer

Low rider knows every street, yeah
Low rider is the one to meet, yeah

Low rider don't use no gas now
Low rider don't drive too fast

Take a little trip, take a little trip
Take a little trip and see
Take a little trip, take a little trip
Take a little trip with me




"Low Rider"
 (Allen, Brown, Dickerson, Goldstein, Jordan, Levitin, Miller & Scott)
 Why Can’t We Be Friends? (1975)
 Up In Smoke (1978)
 War

 covers by Barry White, ZZ Top, Blues Traveler & Those Darn Accordions


”

“
FYI ----

The Lowrider Band consists of 4 of the 5 surviving original core group members of War: Howard E. Scott, B.B. Dickerson, Lee Oskar and Harold Brown. These members lost the right in federal court to use and tour under the name "War" in the mid-1990s to Far Out Productions (Jerry Goldstein). The band's original keyboardist Lonnie Jordan began touring using the name "War" under Goldstein's guidance.

Learn more about the Lowrider Band at http://www.lowriderband.com/

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2694

”

“Oh Sh*t! They pimped out the short yellow bus.”

“Complete with the Cadillac emblem on the grill -----

And you almost have to step DOWN to get into it............ that's low.

”

“That's really..................held back, man!”