A typical lunch break for almost every
lagosian on paid employment in VI/Ikoyi, involves hitting the lunch room and
eating some overtly expensive meal and rushing back to your desk all within ‘the
hour’. When your lunch break permits you doing something else you love so much,
chances are that you have the best job in the world.
My lunch break on for the last day of the 1st
month of 2013 involved reviewing a 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. G.O Gbo showed
up at my office around mid day after a prior engagement with his entry level
spec’d Highlander. It had Toyota’s 3.3L V6 mated to an electric motor, milk
colour cloth seats and a 6CD stereo system with steering mounted controls. I’d
never driven a hybrid ever, so needless to say I was excited!!!!
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| 2007 Highlander Hybrid |
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| Hybrid logo |
1st time starting the car leaves everyone who attempts it embarrassed. Cranking up the engine a the turn of the key is made with an electric motor. It leaves you confused as you would expect from driving a conventional petrol engine at start up, some kick off noise. Slide from P-D and u aren’t even sure if the car is on, switch on the AC though, and the petrol engine comes alive. The car makes use of a drive by wire system, so throttle modulation takes a lil getting used to.
I eagerly waded through Ligali’s traffic as
we left the car park letting the battery power the car; we were soon gonna be
on water corporation road where at 1.30pm, I knew I’d have a few seconds to
experience just how much power lurked underneath the hood. I finally get my
chance and my fat right foot flattens the throttle; Gbo is thrown back into his
seat and boy did that needle climb!!! **why do people hate the prius**??? This is
1 hybrid I can own. Power is smooth, linear and instantaneous. Unfortunately, all this power is routed
through a CVT box, so I panic when at 130Km/H I’m still waiting for 2nd
gear to kick in. I now understand why several Murano owners drive so ever
slowly on the road. It’s a very uncomfortable and un-nerving sensation which
goes against every known feeling you’ve ever felt behind the wheel or in a car.
It’s a continuous long hum that never seems to end.
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| Hybrid Synergy Drive |
My joy ride is cut short as I approach 150km’H
by a sluggish Range Rover Vogue coasting at about 40Km/H. not being a dual
carriage way I am mandated to call on the brakes that happen to use
regenerative technology felt very spongy** like you had loads of air in the
servo** for the 1st second or there about, you get the feeling the
car wont stop. Just when you’re about to freak out, you actually feel the car
coming to a halt.
The on board trip computer returned a fuel
consumption average of 16MPG in real hard world use*EPA ratings are 28MPG*. In comparison
to a friend’s Murano with a trip computer average of 9MPG, this baby is
alright.
Verdict; The Toyota Highlander Hybrid for
2007 provides a different approach to building a hybrid car. It has loads of
power. Engine start and stop are barely noticeable.
Would I buy1: YES. With
a return MPG of 16, it’s a nice way to join the trending Eco green party