Toyota Highlander Hybrid

My wife has fallen in love with the 2013-2008 design of the Toyota Highlander as a family vehicle, so we are looking to replace our 15 year old AWD Astro van with one. I have a few questions concerning them though and want to see what you all think of a tow vehicle.

Looking at the specs of this vehicle, the V6 model appears to be very similar to an Astro van in size and capacity despite being a transverse-engine vehicle. The Higlander weights in at about the same as an Astro, wheelbase is similar too. Looking at capacities, payload is 1,800 pounds...only 200 pounds off from the Astro's 2000, and the tow capacity is 5000 pounds...same as the Astro too. Only problem is that the fuel economy is about the same 17 city, 22 highway for the AWD model (It will need to be AWD, as the Astro is) One of the reasons for getting a new vehicle is to get better fuel economy, as my wife will be driving this vehicle around town for errand running and such when we aren't on trips.

With this being the case, the hybrid model has come into focus...It's fuel mileage is 28/28...perfect, as it's city economy is only a little less than our little Yaris hatchback. The only thing is that the capacities are a bit lower...3500 pound tow, and 1500 pound payload.

We are looking to tow a Palamino Stampede 17, which I pulled across the truck-stop scale headed out to a trip once with just myself and it read 3100 pounds. With the whole family, I imagine we may be pushing close to the 3500 pound limit of the highlander. So, how well do these do towing up to the limit like that? For those of you all that tow with these, what type of fuel economy are you getting? I'm getting about 14MPG towing with my Astro, and am also hoping a newer tow vehicle will grant me another MPG or two. What is the reliability of the highlander hybrid models used in a towing situation? We would like to keep this vehicle for several years and beyond 200,000 miles. I've heard of Prius taxi cabs getting 400K on them without any issues, but they aren't towing anything.

last question, this vehicle will most likely be used on the beach in the outer banks, and for occasionally pulling a boat out of the water. The electric drive is on the rear wheels. Will getting sea water spray in the back end of the vehicle during boat launcing / recovery cause reliability problems? I reguarly drive my Astro down the ramp till the rear wheels just kiss the edge of the water to launch my fathers fishing boat, and am worried that may cause issues.

Tow Vehicles

bikendan
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
first, your Astro was the only minivan to be a truly good tow vehicle.
with the 4.3 Vortec v-6 and that it was built on a ladder frame chassis, it had the highest towing capacity of all minivans and highly prized for that purpose.

second, the Highlander is a unibody construction and smaller v-6.
you're going from the Astro's towing capacity of 5500lbs. to only 3500lbs.
you'll probably get worse gas mileage when towing, not even factoring the strain you'll be putting on a far less capable tow vehicle.

third, i'll bet there's a frontal area limit to the Highlander, which your trailer will exceed.

fourth, the Highlander will only have a tongue capacity of 350lbs., which i'll also bet your trailer will exceed when loaded.
having the extra weight of the hybrid stuff, including batteries, will severely impact its payload capacity.

what does the car's driver door sticker say is the payload amount? don't rely on the internet or manuals.
BenK
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
The Highlander is a CUV derived from the Sienna Mini Van...why it is so close to
your mini van's measurements. First gen Highlander was derived
from the Camery

I'm not a fan of hybrids for towing...or from most of the OEM architectures I've
read up on. Have not read anything on the Highlander hybrid.

Issue is that the batteries should not and do not like to be discharged below
a certain percentage. Harm to the batteries and one main issue is that they will
never fully charge again...has to do with the chemistry inside the battery...maybe
they have improved that point

Electric motors do NOT do well with sea water. Worst are copper wire wound and
most DC electric motors are of that construction...unless this Highlander Hybrid
has an AC motor, but the cost of (losses) in the inverter would negate some MPG

But, that is just my thoughts and hope you find someone who has a long term
experience with this vehicle. My comments from background, reading and training
in the controls industry, which think apply
Fast_Mopar
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
bikendan wrote:
first, your Astro was the only minivan to be a truly good tow vehicle.
with the 4.3 Vortec v-6 and that it was built on a ladder frame chassis, it had the highest towing capacity of all minivans and highly prized for that purpose.

second, the Highlander is a unibody construction and smaller v-6.

I cannot speak to the issues of payload, tongue weight limitations, and hybrid concerns, but I can speak to this other point. A modern unibody structure is at least as capable as a poor flexible ladder frame structure on an old Astro van. If the setup is correct (weight distribution), a modern vehicle like a Highlander will tow better than the Astro. Maybe the hybrid has too many limitations, I don't know and I don't claim to know. But, I have towed heavier trailers than this with both my unibody Ford Freestar van and with a 2002 Astro van, and the unibody Ford tows it much easier with no drama.
cybervanner
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
The Astro van tows my little camper great, and has plenty of interior room in it. I'm a big fan of full-frame RWD vehicles, and if it was my choice, I'd be getting a Tacoma, 4-runner, or one of the new Chevy Colorados. The wife though doesn't like vehicles that feel "big", and likes the softer, more car-like feel of a unibody vehicle, and the rack & pinion steering. The Astro quite a solid vehicle, and that's why I'm reluctant to replace it, but I am hoping the benefits of modern technology though can gain us some in fuel mileage both on road trips with the travel trailer, and around town... just can't afford to have a separate vehicle sitting around just for the use of taking the occasional road trip with the TT, so if we replace, we will need to get a multi-use vehicle.

My company had a few of the Freestar cargo vans. They handled pretty good with the low center of gravity. Never towed with them, but they did haul lots of flat-panel TV's, PA speakers and other heavy audiovisual gear. All of them however had the transmission grenade on them at around 220K to 250K . Was unfortunate, because they all had great engines and chassis in them when the transmissions failed. Never towed with one though. They have great payload capacity I'd be worried about the back end squatting down a little too much with a high tongue weight, as it's already rather low to begin with. Highlander has a pretty high profile suspension, so this doesn't look to be too big a deal with those.
Campfire_Time
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
A couple of things.

The Astro was a marginal tow vehicle at best. I owned one, I know. I loved it, but it wasn't even good for towing a large pop-up. By today's standards the Astro is a lousy tow vehicle.

The Astro is a uni-body with a frame bolted on for extra rigidity.

Astro: 190 HP @ 4,400 rpm; 250 ft lb @ 2,800 rpm
Highlander V6: 270 hp @ 6200 rpm; 248 ft-lbs. @ 4700 rpm

The Highlander with the V6 will probably out tow the Astro. More HP, and longer HP and torque curves. Don't bother with the hybrid. It's stunted for mileage, so while you might be able to tow with it, I don't see that as being a pleasant experience.

Towing a travel trailer ain't cheap. Yes, you can tow up to your capacity, you will be safe, and people will tell it's no problem. However, I can tell you from experience (I towed two trailers at close to capacity with two different tow vehicles) that it's far easier and more pleasant to tow with a vehicle that is properly sized for your trailer, and has a reasonable amount of reserve capacity.
RinconVTR
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
Don't buy the hybrid if you plan to tow with it. All else is fine.
IdaD
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
I've towed a 3200ish (loaded) pop up trailer quite a bit with a 2010 Honda Pilot and it handles it great, so it is possible that a solid modern unibody vehicle can tow small loads fairly well. I generally get 16-17 mpg to boot.

Now the caveats. A Pilot isn't a Highlander, obviously, and it has quite a bit higher tow rating (4500 lbs). It also isn't a hybrid (I don't really know how that would play into things). Lastly, a pop up is a much different animal than full height TT which is going to push a lot more wind.

My sense is that you'd be pushing it a bit with that trailer and TV combo.
carringb
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
Go to the Highlander forums. My brother has a 2014 (yes, a hybrid). The dealer recommended not towing anything (they did get the tow package). The forums seem to suggest that 2,000 pounds is a more realistic limit. Anything heavier, and it will go into power train protection mode, causing it to lose power and shut down once you come to a stop, and the only solution is to let it cool then restart.
wcjeep
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015
Doesn't the hybrid reduce cargo capacity? We are looking at the 2015 Highlander, Ford Edge or 2016 Mazda CX 5. The extra cost of the Hybrid vs mileage gain doesn't really compute for me. Hybrid Camry might make sense.
Hannibal
Explorer
Jan 29, 2015
The motor/generator sits in place of the transmission in my Prius so I thought you were full of beans when you said the Highlander has a motor on the rear wheels. It appears it's in place of the differential in the hybrid Highlander. Never knew that. As much as I like 52+mpg city with my hybrid while DW drives my F250 for her short commute, I too don't recommend towing anything with a hybrid. Not so much the electric motor/generator but the digital variable frequency drive can overheat and fail.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Synergy_Drivehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Synergy_Drive