2019 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited-Platinum V6 AWD-I new car reviews

Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited Platinum V6 AWD-I. Try saying that mouthful 5 times fast.

Long name aside, the list of changes to the 2019 Highlander are rather small.

From Toyota:

For 2019, the Toyota Highlander receives numerous exterior upgrades across all grades. For the LE, LE PLUS and XLE grades for both gas and hybrid, a new black bodyside rocker panel has been added.
For the SE grade, exterior upgrades now include black headlights, black tail lamps, black bodyside rocker, black wheels and black chrome LED fog lamps. For the Limited and Platinum grades for hybrid and gas, the 2019 Highlander comes standard with chrome LED fog lamps.”

Our full-tilt Limited Platinum came in at $48,630, with delivery and handling driving the final price up to $49.939.

Other staff views

David S. Wallens David S. Wallens
Editorial Director

Toyota’s SUV enjoy stable footing in today’s SUV market. You just know what they’re going to deliver, and usually it’s something rather rock-solid.

Just about everything about this one felt rubbery, though, and I don’t mean that in a good way. Rubbery, numb steering. Rubbery, numb drivetrain response.

It looks good and the cockpit controls were easy to figure out, but I just couldn’t get past the driving dynamics.

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Comments
spacecadet
spacecadet HalfDork
6/21/19 11:47 a.m.

MY dad gets 32mpg around town in his luxobarge RX450H... and this thing is rated at 30 mpg... hybrid and EV tech was literally the best thing to happen to SUV's. 

Tashaawrence
Tashaawrence New Spammer
1/20/20 1:43 a.m.

New support system for new car, Whole descriptions for the car is here only. Come if you want to buy or also come if you are waiting to find [the best canoes].  Easily read all descriptions which are important for [cars and canoes!].

Dave M
Dave M HalfDork
1/24/20 6:16 a.m.

I'm wondering who reads that and decides, hmmm yes, I need to pay this person on a cheap car racing forum to do a really bad job writing my PhD dissertation for me?

Vigo
Vigo MegaDork
1/24/20 2:10 p.m.

In other news, the new-new Highlander Hybrid averages THIRTY FIVE mpg. Guys, a 35mpg 3-row.  

I mean, i'll check back in when there's Fuelly.org data to corroborate, but compare this to.. a 34mpg C-max hybrid. A 39mpg CR-Z.  Hell, a 26mpg 2020 Explorer hybrid!  Toyota hybrid SUVs are the E36 M3 even compared to other hybrids and blow non-hybrids out of the water for sheer practicality. 

I briefly had a 2006 HiHy (highlander hybrid) that i got cheap because it was misdiagnosed. It's got ~225k and works great. It doesn't get anywhere near the mpg of the new ones, but it DID get better mpg than most of the other 3-row suvs of that time, and it sure as hell got WAY better mpg than all the other SUVs (all the others as if there were many) of that time that were as fast as it.  It was a great car, i sold it cheap to another family member and still maintain it. I'd absolutely buy a newer one if i got an equivalently good deal. I have total confidence that the new one is a truly exceptional car as a highly efficient people mover. The only thing that probably beats it out in that arena is that the Pacifica PHEV can technically go electric only for some distance. 

Jordan Rimpela
Jordan Rimpela HalfDork
1/24/20 5:59 p.m.

I honestly don't remember this car. Weird. 

I'm glad the canoes love me. 

Vigo (Forum Supporter)
Vigo (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
4/27/20 10:53 p.m.

Lol

 

 

On a related note I recently picked up a 2dr Toyota Echo and im waiting for the 1st tank to run out so i can verify that a 2100lb 1.5L economy car of 20 years ago is actually only as efficient as a new Hybrid 3-Row SUV. 

Stealthtercel
Stealthtercel Dork
7/4/20 10:30 a.m.

So, how many canoes can you fit in a Highlander, anyway?

irish44j (Forum Supporter)
irish44j (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
7/4/20 4:52 p.m.
JamesKing said:

Thank you very much, this is an incredible review.
I really love Toyota, for me it is a symbol of power and reliability.
My friend recently won money on the site for this car. It was unbelievable. 
I look forward to new reviews.

It goes without saying that, anywhere in the world, when you see someone driving a Toyota, your first thought is a) it is a powerful automobile or b) the owner must be a great and powerful person to own such a car.  It is no coincidence Vladimir Putin owns 16 Corollas. 

Vigo (Forum Supporter)
Vigo (Forum Supporter) MegaDork
7/4/20 11:38 p.m.

Comedy aside (.......) , a plug-in Toyota Rav4 Hybrid is now faster 0-60 than 95% of all enthusiast cars in human history.  Also 40 mpg/extreme reliability/ blah blah/ blah.  Toyota hybrid SUVs are a great barometer by which to figure out that you are in fact completely jaded to the incredible march of progress.

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