2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

We enjoyed going on a road trip to Northern Ontario in the 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid limited edition. We loved the smooth and comfortable drive, and think that this vehicle is perfect to go on road trips or for everyday use close to home. This stylish vehicle has all the convenient features active families need.

We drove the 7 seat fully loaded, pre-dawn Grey Mica hybrid SUV. The features include Keyless Entry with Hatch Release, all-wheel drive (AWD), touch screen display audio, 60/40 split reclining and flat-folding 3rd row seats, cruise control, automatic headlamps, backup camera with in-dash display, and more.

Safety Features

There are six active safety technologies of Toyota's Star Safety System in the 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid – Antilock Brake System, Brake Assist, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Vehicle Stability Control, Active Traction Control, and Smart Stop technology, which work together to help drivers avoid potential accident situations. 
It also has Toyota's Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert system and Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert system, and more that is really useful while driving. 
There are eight standard airbags, including a drivers’ knee airbag and a passenger seat cushion airbag. 
We like that there are automatic rain-sensing wipers, which is useful to have so we can concentrate on the road. 

Comfort and convenience

The 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid has a heated steering wheel, front heated and ventilated captain's seats, heated 2nd row captain's seats, and three-zone temperature control, which allows the passengers to set the temperature to their preferred level.

Tilt and Telescopic Steering Wheel is comfortable when driving. The Steering Wheel Audio Controls allows to change the audio system, make hands free calls, and set the GPS destinations using voice command. 
There is a drivers' seat and mirror memory system, eight-way power adjustable drivers' seat and four way adjustable front passenger seat. 

The seats use a combination of leather and SofTex seats, which is wonderful for families with young children, as the synthetic leather seat material is designed for easy cleaning and resisting spills. SofTex is also soft to touch, and weighs half as much as genuine leather and generates around 85% fewer CO2 emissions and 99% fewer Volatile Organic Compounds than conventional synthetic leather. 

Everyone in the vehicle will enjoy the Panoramic Moonroof, as it for both the front and rear seat passengers to enjoy. 

There is a flip up rear hatch window to conveniently take or put smaller belongings without opening the power back door. 

Accessing and operating the vehicle is easy, as it has Keyless entry with hatch release and uses a smart key system with push button start.

We think it would have been better if the clock display wasn't pushed to the back on the separate hub, as it was not visible to the passengers in the back. 

We also found during the day it was difficult to read the display screen, as the sun's glare made it unclear.  We also had some issues with voice recognition, and the screen menus for audio and GPS kept freezing a few times; I assume these could be fixed with a software update.  

Storage

We found the storage ideas in the 2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid clever and useful. The in-dash shelf with easy cable management gave us quick storage and easy access to smaller items. 

The larger roll-top centre console has doors that open forward and back to reveal two storage spaces. One of the spaces is for small items, and includes a 12V socket. The large one can hold a laptop or larger devices. 

Technology

The Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive has a hybrid system that never needs to be plugged in. This vehicle features a 3.5L Atkinson Cycle V6, a high torque electric motor-generator and powerful traction battery. 

We can connect the iPod to the 12 speaker JBL Synthesis audio system to display artist, song, and album art. We can set the audio so the passengers in the back can hear it or mute it. 
The 8" touchscreen with Bluetooth capability displays audio, Premium Navigation system, advanced voice recognition, integrated SiriusXM Satellite Radio, and SMS to Speech or Email to Speech offerings. 
The Driver Easy Speak adds a built-in microphone up front that transmits the drivers' voice to rear seat passengers through the back speakers, with the touch of a button on the audio display, so we can speak with ease.
There are two front 12V accessory power outlets, retained accessory power and one middle 120V Accessory Power Outlet.

It has 10 more rated horsepower than the gas model, which we can feel when we drive it.  
This fuel efficient vehicle uses almost 30% less fuel, and has cleaner emissions as well.

One of the main features we enjoyed in this Highlander crossover SUV is its fuel efficiency. The eco-friendliness of this vehicle is good for the environment and our pockets!

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