Toyota Highlander long-term test: report 4

The car Toyota Highlander 2.5 Hybrid AWD-i Excel Run By Max Edleston, junior photographer

Why it's here To see if a big, go-anywhere 4x4 can also be an efficient choice

Needs to Be practical, good off road, comfortable for long trips and not break the bank on running costs

Mileage 11,063 List price £50,610 Target Price £48,878 Price as tested £50,595 Test economy  36.2mpg Official economy 39.5mpg

6 November 2021 – Efficiency drive

One of the biggest attractions of the Toyota Highlander for me was its hybrid system. Toyota has been a pioneer of green motoring since the arrival of the original Toyota Prius, so I felt I was in safe hands if I wanted to lower my fuel bills by choosing electrified power.

And the good news is the system in the Highlander lives up to expectations. It’s brilliant at seamlessly transitioning between the electric motors and the petrol engine, which in turn boosts my fuel economy and the distance I can travel between petrol stations.

The Highlander lets me track my green progress, too, because the driver’s information screen in the instrument cluster shows how the system is working and how I can squeeze even more from each tank of fuel.

As someone who is still relatively new to doing a lot of long-distance travelling, being able to maximise my fuel economy by driving smoothly and anticipating any changes in road conditions is a new skill, but it’s one I’m enjoying learning with the help of my car.

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