Sorry to late to the party. I own both an 07 FEH and an 07 Highlander Hybrid.

The Highlander can get nearly the same gas mileage in town as the FEH when you drive it like you have to drive the FEH to get great gas mileage.
i.e. coasting, working to get into ev, and so on. I get 32 on short trips (2.8)miles with either. I get 34 (FEH) and 30 (HiHY) on longer country trips like 14 miles or so.

The FEH has to be tickled, or tricked into dropping into ev. You either shift to L at just 40, then jump back to drive after you see the tack bounce once, or you do a double tap on the brake pedal to get it to shut down.

The HiHY just drops to ev when you take your foot out of it.

The FEH will go 38, 39 miles per hour in EV on a flat surface, in no wind, or on a slight downhill. When you exceed 40, even on a long downhill, the ice starts back up, wether connected to the drivetrain or not, i.e. it will start up while coasting in neutral.

The HiHy will go 43 or so against a wind, or on a slight uphill in Ev.
It will drop to ev on a good downhill on the freeway at freeway speeds.
Consequently, if you work it, you can get near to the same city milage as the FEH +-2 mpg....

On the highway on long trips (like Barstow to Tampa), the FEH will ask you to stay at 60 t0 63 to get the good mileage (34-36 if you are careful).
If you aren't in that sort of mood and are just banging along with the rest of the traffic at 75-85 or the like, you get 24-28 depending on temperature and such.


The HiHy won't get the high numbers on a light cruise, BUT you can drive it like you stole it (all day at 85-90 across the desert) and still pull 28 or so. I drove the HiHy from Petaluma to Providence by way of Eugene, Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Indianapolis and like that, then back through Atlanta, down through New Mexico across route 66 last summer. 8500 miles. Averaged 28.5. Got passed maybe 3 times.

Compared to the HiHY, the FEH sounds tinny and buzzy at speed.
It accellerates slowly. The HiHy will turn a 15.1 quartermile (4wd) in stock form at sea level.

Having said that, I drive the FEH daily on in town trips and use the HiHY if I need to run down to San Jose, or perhaps LA. It's heavier, quieter, and yeah, it costs $10 grand more.... and my wife likes it better.

MM