2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Consumer Reviews

Careful of the Paint Job

Written by: nasoj1 on 06/20/2009

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I am mostly happy with the Hybrid. However the paint is beginning to blister in small areas the size of a pencil eraser. I have found that this type of paint problem has been found before with Toyota vehicles. I have had the SUV for about five months now and the dealer told me to contact Toyota USA to resolve the problem.

Favorite Features

Mileage, comfort, ride and room.

Suggested Improvements

Need better paint job.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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My Dream Car from the moment I test drove

Written by: brandoshido on 03/12/2009

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I was in love with this vehicle from the moment I test drove it OVER A YEAR ago. So it took me a year to buy this vehicle. I am so glad i did (although my payments are wayyyy more than what I was wanting). It drives like a dream, has plenty of space for my mid-large size dog, and my workmates who I carpool with once a week. I am consistently getting 30.5 - 32 MPG off of my first 4 tanks so far. My buddies have all said the back seat is "cavernous" compared to my 2008 rav4 (I traded it in for this car). They also said the seats were "very comfortable". Get this car if you plan on keeping for 10+ years, the fuel savings won't catch up until then because of the price premium. I LOVE it!!!

Favorite Features

Interior design is excellent, seats are comfy (leather), drive is smooth as can be, my MPG is better than the EPA estimates, feels like a luxury car, perfect city driver with the added room for my dog and carpool buddies

Suggested Improvements

Take off that tacky woodgrain, add an all black interior option, replace woodgrain with black carbon fiber. I wish the battery only mode lasted longer.

9 out 9 people found this review helpful

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Good Horse

Written by: Timothy on 01/29/2009

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/3rd Row (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I am using for the past one year and definitely worthy in buying this still it costs more. Good for long drives and slow driving will save more gas. Seating comfort is excellent with lots of room for the legs. Altogether a good one and also good for carrying more goods in the back than the old models.

Favorite Features

Comfortable seats, less noisy, smooth engine.

Suggested Improvements

Interior design needs more attention also exterior painting gets dot spots soon. FM radio without antenna.

2 out 4 people found this review helpful

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Perfect vehicle for us

Written by: Nicmo on 12/24/2008

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

Owned 1 month. So far this car is perfect for our needs. Has plenty of power, big nav/back up screen, good stereo sound, quiet ride. Waited 3 yrs for the 2010 RX 350 and finally saw it at the SF Auto show. It looked essentially the same as the old version, which we didn't care for, only slightly bigger. While at the show checked out all the Xs (MDX, RDX, FX, EX) but for the money there was no comparison, at least from a tech side and sitting in the showroom, plus this runs on regular gas. The next weekend we test drove them all except the 2010 RX which is available in Feb and found the all wheel version of this car to be as good as any of the others.

Favorite Features

Large Nav/ backup screen. Comfortable seating position, and third row seat.

Suggested Improvements

memory seats for the driver's seat

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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08 HH

Written by: rtower on 12/22/2008

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/3rd Row (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

Highway mileage is great, 28 mpg at 70+ mph. We live at the top of a hill, + 650' over the valley where we shop and work; so my town driving isn't great, around 21 mpg, but 10+ mpg over the Yukon I had before at the same run. My major issue at the moment is the big tires on the Ltd edition, Toyo 245- 55-19, are a problem as I can't find chains to fit. With freezing rain over snow, chains are required on all roadways. The Toyo tires are just OK on the ice & snow, but I can't get any of the excellent Michelin X-type tires to fit the wheels. Comfort is pretty good, but I miss the roomyness and soft leather of my old Yukon Denali, woos, I'll make due. Overall, quite satisfied with the HH.

Favorite Features

The hybrid system works well and the highway and flatland mileage is good. The third seat is clever and has come in handy while staying out of the way, much better than the Denali. Not an off-road rig, but then neither was the Yukon. Good turning radius and reasonable handling under geeser demands.

Suggested Improvements

Still thinking about this one. The owners manual says to put chains on the front wheels, now to find chains that will work, I'm worried about some close tolerance between the tire and the strut if I can find chains to fit. Still evaluating overall. Plenty of power.

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Great SUV, Terrible XM

Written by: ToyotaMan on 11/26/2008

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I've had this car for 6 months now. I'm averaging 27 mpg in mixed driving. I really love the way this car drives and looks. The 2nd row seats are very roomy and great design. The 3rd row that I thought I would never use, has saved the day on several occasions. I love every single thing about this car except for one. The XM radio receiver I had installed at my dealership came with a little surprise. Toyota engineers didn't think to make the radio display scroll information. It only displays 13 characters. So while I'm enjoying the wide range of music, I get to play a guessing game if the name of the band or song are more than 13 letters. Huge disappointment!

Favorite Features

Ride, quietness, MPG, great looking SUV. Really good power with econo button off.

Suggested Improvements

Better XM display of songs. Make fog lights an available option on the base Hybrid (even the dealer won't install them).

6 out 7 people found this review helpful

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Nearly Perfect

Written by: JShue on 09/29/2008

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

There's nothing bad to say. I'm getting great gas mileage for an SUV, 24-32 mpg. You have to pay attention to your driving style to get it though, no fast accelerating, etc. It handles really well for you non-sports car drivers. It's easy to drive, fun and very comfortable. Tons of room, head and legs, unless you are 6-2 and try to fit in the third row, although that still was better than any small car backseat I've been stuffed in. The standard features with the base model are good enough although mine came with the popular plus package which came with more features than I would have asked for. This vehicle was simply better than anything else I researched and/or test drove.

Favorite Features

Comfortable, roomy, flexibility with 2nd-3rd rows, styling, power, fuel economy and reliability.

Suggested Improvements

Ala-carte options, I have some that I don't really need and probably would have added a better stereo or something. No important improvements though.

13 out 13 people found this review helpful

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Shocked

Written by: pondscum on 09/28/2008

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

Being an engineer I way underestimated this vehicle. The better half primarily drives it but I look forward to the rare opportunity to "steal" it. Our location uses ethanol in the fuels. We are now at around 10,000 miles and getting around 29 MPG (note using Mobil1 synthetic oil). I think it was a little lower when it was new. The hybrid system is seamless and a pleasure to drive. The seats and controls are well positioned thus comfortable to operate. Handles great and is comforting to know every time you hit the brakes a great deal of energy goes back into the batteries.

Favorite Features

Towing package is standard. There is a small funnel mounted to the block under the oil filter, no mess oil change. Rear tires are electrically driven only, less mechanical drag on the system. During towing the CVT and hybrid system are incredibly smooth and peppy.

Suggested Improvements

The only thing I miss is a compass.

11 out 11 people found this review helpful

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Love it

Written by: highlandreview on 09/21/2008

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited 4dr SUV AWD w/3rd Row (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I just bought this car 1 week a go with only 7 miles on the odometer. I put 900 miles on it in one week (went on a road trip). I have averaged 26 mpg both in city and highway. I drove over a nail and a warning light showed me that I was losing psi in one of the tires. Without this feature I could have been stuck late at night on the road with 2 young kids. I stopped at the nearest gas station, filled up with air, and made it to my destination safely. I have a fully loaded limited hybrid and love it! The kids watched movies on the dual tv headrests while I listened to my iPod and called family via the voice activated blue tooth feature.

Favorite Features

Bluetooth, iPod aux, voice activated navigation w backup cam, tire pressure readings, mpg consumption, movable middle 2nd row seat, lots of space for backpacks in second row, 3rd row when needed for extra passengers, moon roof, headrest tv(s), smart key, good ground clearance, lumbar/ thigh support

Suggested Improvements

Upgrade nav dvd to allow no-lock out when passenger weight detected, display which tire needs air, allow iPod control via steering wheel - improve voice recognition for telephone number (sometimes had to repeat number 6-7 times before the computer understood -and English is my native language ;)

5 out 5 people found this review helpful

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Toyota Highlander

Written by: RICHARD12342 on 09/08/2008

Vehicle

2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid 4dr SUV AWD (3.3L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)

Review

I just bought this vehicle because of a desire to do my part against OPEC and I needed a new one. The car started out with a mileage of 11.5 miles per gallon on the dash board computer. After approx 120 miles it is up to 22.5. So far I am disappointed because I am expecting to get the sticker mileage of 27 MPG. I was shocked and disappointed by the lack of luggage room when the fold away seats were unfolded. Folded there is plenty of room for stuff. I missed having my headlights turn on automatically when needed. I love the key less operation but because of the quietness I have gotten out of the car with the car still "running." roof needs protective strips to protect carrying baggage.

Favorite Features

Hybrid although a large capacity hybrid battery would allow for more electric travel. Keyless operation is wonderful. Backup camera

Suggested Improvements

Automatic headlight turn on. Needs a better owners manual made just for this car. Larger hybrid battery for longer electrical running.

10 out 15 people found this review helpful

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