debating between a 11 Highlander or HH

[zmilin]

Hello all. Ive been lurking your site for a few weeks now as I will be in the market for a new vehicle this year. Im pretty much set on a Highlander, just don't know if it'll be the regular or hybrid so Im hoping you can offer some insight.

Some background on me and my experiences with a Highlander....
I currently own a 00 Montero limited with 306K miles. Love my MS but its a pig at 15-19mpg.
My girlfriend bought a 07 highlander a couple years ago and I have to say it is one very decent and reliable little SUV. A couple years ago when Seattle was hammered by weather its performance in the snow and ice covered roads won me over.
I have since driven the newer body styled Highlander and I felt it didn't drive as nice as the 07. Keeping in mind it was a rental and rentals get abused beyond belief.

So...my concerns...
I read the thread about the HH being a poor performer in the snow. I wont be driving in deep snow like one person mentioned in that thread BUT Seattle does get some snow and icy roads on occasion. What is the consensus on winter conditions where snow (no deeper than a few inches) is concerned INCLUDING icy road conditions on occasion?

I know its not a sports car but please tell me it doesn't suffer from as much body roll as I experienced with the rental I had.

Lastly...Ive never owned a hybrid anything...how does the reliability, maintenance costs, ability for audio system upgrade and aftermarket alarm/remote start in comparison to average?

Thanks for your time on my questions!
Z

[pesticide1480]

I have a 11 Highlander and love it so far,I getting 25 mpg with it and I think it drive wonderful.Its not the hybrid its the limited all in all I think it a great suv.I'm not into all the audio up upgrades so can't tell you anything there.I'm finding out ther is not a lot out there yet for things like bug shields and acc. like that.I guess its to new, but they will be coming.Good Luck I don't think you can go work with a Toyota!!!!

[jeffs3820]

Here in WI we get a decent amount of snow. It's not the fact that the hybrid performs poorly in snow, its the OEM TIRES that perform poorly. The standard Toyo A20s are just plain crappy tires. In dry weather they are comfortable and quiet but they will be worn out by ~20,000. In snow they just have poor traction. Until recently, there weren't many alternate tires in the 19" size. I changed out the Toyo A20s at 15,000 miles and put on Toyo Versado CUV in the stock tire size. This winter the vehicle is doing great in the snow. No issues at all. Goodyear, Toyo, Bridgestone, and others are offering good tires in the stock 245/55/19 and in the 255/55/19 size you have even more choices. Good tires have really helped to transform the vehicle. I have had no issues in winter other than the OEM tires.

The hybrid does get good gas mileage...better in warmer temps than colder temps and this is true of all cars but especially so for hybrids. The hybrid drivetrain takes a long time to warm up in the cold before it contributes to efficiency. If you do longer trips in the cold, great. If you just do lots of short trips in temps below 40 F than you basically have a non-hybrid vehicle. My vehicle mpg average since 2008 is 24.4 mpg...I mainly do lots of short trips, some highway. In stop & go driving it does real well and gets up to 28 mpg with lots of electric/hybrid contribution. Your mileage will vary. If you mainly do highway driving, the hybrid will not contribute much.

Does the car handle well? The 2008-2011 model is larger than the 2007 so that is maybe why you experienced more body roll. The larger tires in the limited should help and when I changed out the Toyo A20s the car did drive and handle better...especially in the wet and snow. However, the Highlander is not a car built for handling. It's a SUV and handles as such.

My hybrid vehicle has had ZERO service calls in the 21,000 miles of ownership. Sure, there are more noises and rattles in the winter but all Highlander owners experience these...they go away in the spring. Very minor issues. I had the dealer chase down a few but they are very minor.

Can't help you on audio upgrades...the JBL system is fine for me after I added XM. I didn't bother with remote start...if one wants maximum efficiency, letting the car idle and warm up will really kill the gas mileage so it was not for me.

You need to drive both hybrid and non-hybrid...some folks hate the CVT transmission. It IS different, sometimes reminds me of an outboard motor in a boat but like anything, you get used to it. When I bought mine the difference in price was about $3,500...you have to take that into consideration. The hybrids have been doing really well in the resale department...and with gas over $3/gallon I expect this trend to continue.

Hope this was helpful.

[TrailDust]

My opinion generally reflects what jeffs3820 said. The Highlander performs extremely well in snow and ice conditions, but IMO I'd rather have the ability to turn off VSC/TRAC with the all gas HL than not have it with a hybrid. Also, you're far enough north so that cold weather is a factor, and if you read through some of the cold weather threads in the Highlander Hybrid forum you'll see that poor mileage is a common complaint when below the mid-40s in temperature. As for body lean, I've never felt it has much relative to other SUVs, and I own the Base model not the Sport. If body lean is a concern from an avoidance maneuver at freeway speeds issue, then I'd say don't worry as the VSC/TRAC system does an incredible job of keeping the vehicle straight and stable. I feel more stable, more secure in my Highlander than I do in my Avalon. IMO, go with the all gas HL.

[Camread]

2011 HH gets the 3.5L V6

[ranjaxt2012]

to compare.

http://www.toyota.com/compare/#h_select

some of the key features that Toyota does not have is Memory seats + Navigation Override issue (please read about it).

also look at the Honda link just in case.

http://automobiles.honda.com/tools/c...=&Mode=&Photo=

[dennydp]

I just bought a new 2011 Highlander Limited.Depending where in the Seattle area you live/commute the Highlander should be fine.Keep in mind when its a sheet of ice and you have stock tires you are limited no matter what vehicle you have.The hills in Seattle can be wicked. Im still not sold on the hybrids,they are getting better all the time but still not for me.

[synch22]

we have a 2010 HiHy limited in Seattle, not sure it is worth the premium but for sure dont do it to save any gas money or recoup the premium paid. We are getting around 24 mpg right now in the cold weather, we are in the city so there is quite a bit of hill driving. Other than that we bought it more because we dig the technology and ride. Would purchase it again no regrets.

[dennydp]

Originally Posted by synch22

we have a 2010 HiHy limited in Seattle, not sure it is worth the premium but for sure dont do it to save any gas money or recoup the premium paid. We are getting around 24 mpg right now in the cold weather, we are in the city so there is quite a bit of hill driving. Other than that we bought it more because we dig the technology and ride. Would purchase it again no regrets.

Thats the main thing.If your happy all is good.Ive got the gas version and im happy so far

[zmilin]

Originally Posted by synch22

we have a 2010 HiHy limited in Seattle, not sure it is worth the premium but for sure dont do it to save any gas money or recoup the premium paid. We are getting around 24 mpg right now in the cold weather, we are in the city so there is quite a bit of hill driving. Other than that we bought it more because we dig the technology and ride. Would purchase it again no regrets.

24 MPG in the city is pretty respectable. Much better than the 15 I get

[zmilin]

Originally Posted by dennydp

I just bought a new 2011 Highlander Limited.Depending where in the Seattle area you live/commute the Highlander should be fine.Keep in mind when its a sheet of ice and you have stock tires you are limited no matter what vehicle you have.The hills in Seattle can be wicked. Im still not sold on the hybrids,they are getting better all the time but still not for me.

Yeah....love those videos I see every time it snows of downtown. I know ice is ice and theres nothing that will change that. I was just so impressed with my g/f 07 a couple years ago when downtown was like a frozen moon surface. That thing just gripped all the way there and back (I drove her to work and wen to pick her up).

I guess its not so much the 4wd but the traction control the Highlander has is so much better than anything Ive ever driven.

[Camread]

'10 HH has the 3.3L while '11 HH gets the 3.5L