Is this a sign that the Hybrid craze is dying out? No post on here in quite a while and now the HyHiChat site seems to have been folded up (or maybe it was bought out)? PS - Yes this is an identical post to the ToyotaNation site since both of these sites seem to have gone "dormant"

I was wondering the same thing. Just bought an 07 base Highlander Hyubrid, and wanted to look through all the posts and see what I could learn about the car.

I have an Escape hybrid, so I have some experience driving hybrids. Interestingly, the L position, analagous to the B position on the HiHY tranny is a big help to get high mileage on an escape.

The Escape has a tach instead of an energy meter on the left. How do I tell if the
Highlander ICE is running or not? When I drive with the screen with the battery-engine-tire icons and the arrows that show flow, AND I don't see the engine icon, is the ICE off?

Thanks.

Mark Mooney

I'm sure there's just a temporary lull in sales before the 2007 season gets into full swing.
Don't worry about the ICE on or not. Trying to run this car in EV mode actually decreases MPG unless you can make it all the way to the highway for a recharge. If you switch the display to current mpg (The barely readable bar graph) you can easily see when the ICE is off because your mpg will be at max. I think the base has this display, I have the Ltd with Nav so I'm not sure. The key to increased MPG in the city limits is to coast as long as possible. My best MPGs come from areas with long hills (30+mpg). I do mostly in town driving, my Avg is in the low 20's.
On the highway, the car meets (even exceeds) EPA estimates much more readily. Leave the hypermiling to the 4 cyl cars, you'll be happier.

The B position will hurt gas mileage on the Highlander. It is only for providing engine braking when on long steep downhill runs.