- Question 1: What is the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition?
- Question 2: What is the fuel economy of the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
- Question 3: What’s the difference between a Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid?
- Question 4: Where is the 2022 Highlander Hybrid’s battery located?
- Question 5: Does the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid quality for a tax credit / incentives?
- Question 6: How much does a Toyota Highlander Hybrid cost?
- Question 7: Does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid need to be plugged in?
- Question 8: How do you drive a Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
- Question 9: Is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid a good car?
- Question 10: Where is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid made?
- Question 11: Can the 2022 Toyota Highlander tow?
- Question 12: How does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid work?
The 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a three-row SUV, and one of the market’s most popular choices for shoppers after a family-ready ride that’s roomy and comfortable with a strong reputation and fuel-efficient hybrid power.
The Highlander Hybrid isn’t your best choice if you’re after a sporty drive, lots of horsepower, or a quiet and smooth engine. Still, with three seating rows, plenty of space, and increased resale value in light of rising fuel costs, these downsides are easily overlooked by shoppers, who Toyota says are commonly new to the Toyota brand and primarily married.
Translation: the market’s interested in hybrid SUV’s, and the Highlander Hybrid is pulling a lot of families in for a closer look, then sealing the deal.
Below, we’ll answer 12 of the internet’s most popular questions about the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
Question 1: What is the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition?
The 2022 Bronze Edition of the fourth-generation Highlander is exclusive to hybrid-powered AWD models, and bridges the gap between the Hybrid XLE and Hybrid Limited.
Bronze and copper colours are hot interior design elements in homes these days, and here the shopper can bring those into their driving environment with bronze-coloured wheels, bronze interior stitching and seating accents, and more.
The Bronze Edition builds on the Highlander Hybrid XLE trim grade and includes a hands-free power tailgate, rain-sensing wipers, a digital rearview mirror with wide-screen display, ambient lighting, 10-way driver’s memory seat, a 1,500 watt power outlet and more. Upgraded door sills and additional padded surfaces dial up the richness of the cabin.
2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition Photo by Justin Pritchard
Question 2: What is the fuel economy of the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
The combined fuel consumption of 6.7 litres per hundred klicks means this big 3-row uses about as much gas as a Corolla Hatchback.
A notable advantage? City and highway fuel consumption is nearly identical, thanks to the Highlander’s hybrid engine. Where most vehicles use plenty more gas in stop-and-go driving, the Highlander Hybrid is just as efficient driving around town as it is cruising on the highway, meaning it can save city-dwelling drivers an especially large amount of fuel.
2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition Photo by Justin Pritchard
Question 3: What’s the difference between a Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid?
The Highlander Hybrid has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid engine that runs on regular-grade fuel, and generates a total output of 186 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), and the Highlander Hybrid has an electronic on-demand AWD system.
The Highlander with standard gasoline engine uses a 3.5-litre V6 that runs on regular grade fuel and generates 295 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain uses an 8-speed automatic transmission and AWD, though front-drive configurations are available with both hybrid and gas power.
By the numbers, a non-hybrid Highlander AWD uses 10.3 litres of fuel on average for every 100 kilometres it drives. In the Highlander Hybrid, only 6.7 litres of fuel is needed. Versus the conventional V6, you’ll save about four litres of gas, every 100 kilometres you drive.
For Canadians driving 25,000 kilometres per year, that’s a potential savings of $1,600 annually (assuming a price of $1.80 per litre). The cost of switching to a Highlander Hybrid is about $2,000, meaning payback from fuel savings is fast.
Note that the Highlander Hybrid makes less power than its V6-powered sibling: 243 hp from the hybrid, versus 295 from the non-hybrid.
2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Photo by Justin Pritchard
Question 4: Where is the 2022 Highlander Hybrid’s battery located?
The Highlander Hybrid has a conventional 12-volt battery that’s located in the rear of the vehicle, and its hybrid traction battery is located underneath the second-row seat, where it doesn’t use up any useful space. This means no compromise to interior storage space or cargo flexibility.
Question 5: Does the 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid quality for a tax credit / incentives?
No. In Canada at this writing, incentives apply to plug-in hybrid vehicles and fully-electric models, not standard hybrid models like this one. To put that another way, Canadian EV rebates are only for vehicles with a plug — not the case for the Highlander Hybrid at the current time.
Question 6: How much does a Toyota Highlander Hybrid cost?
The opening ask for a 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid in Canada is $46,750 for an LE AWD, while the Hybrid XLE AWD packs in more comfort and connectivity features from $49,650 — and $3,430 more than that gets you into the Bronze Edition model.
The Hybrid Limited AWD makes it $55,190, and the top-dog Hybrid Platinum AWD steps in at $57,490.
Question 7: Does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid need to be plugged in?
No. The Highlander Hybrid has no plug to connect, and no battery that the driver needs to charge. Its built-in hybrid battery is automatically recharged as you drive around, so there’s no need to connect to any external power. Just put gas in the tank, and you’re good to go.
Question 8: How do you drive a Toyota Highlander Hybrid?
An interesting question wirth an easy answer: the same way you drive anything else.
Everything relating to the operation of this SUV’s hybrid system is handled automatically at all times. There’s no driver decision-making required, ever. Hop in, buckle up, put it in gear, and drive as you normally would.
Some drivers may choose to use Eco or Sport mode to match their driving style, and many hybrid drivers choose to coast to a stop as often as possible to help maximize the efficiency of the hybrid engine, which helps save fuel.
That’s all optional, of course: the Highlander’s hybrid system is designed to be totally self-sufficient and invisible; you’ll hardly even notice it’s there.
2022 Toyota Highlander Photo by Renita Naraine
Question 9: Is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid a good car?
That depends on what you like. If you like an SUV with three seating rows that’s safe, spacious, comfortable, and built for excellent fuel efficiency, then you’ll probably find it a great machine. If you’re a sportier driver who prefers something powerful, fun and flashy, this might not be the best choice for you.
My main praise for the Highlander Hybrid came from its ride quality, easy-to-use interior, excellent digital rearview mirror and headlights, and very reasonable fuel efficiency. I did wish for a bit more power, a bit less wind noise, and a quieter engine.
Question 10: Where is the Toyota Highlander Hybrid made?
At Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI)—a plant initially brought online in 1996 to build Toyota’s full-sized trucks, following a ‘build-where-you-sell’ ideology. This plant has built a lot of Tundras in its day, and since 2009, it’s been building the Toyota Highlander.
2022 Toyota Highlander Photo by Renita Naraine
Question 11: Can the 2022 Toyota Highlander tow?
Yes, up to 3,500 lbs. when properly equipped (and 5,000 lbs with the non-hybrid model).
Question 12: How does the Toyota Highlander Hybrid work?
The standard four-cylinder gasoline engine runs on fuel stored in its gas tank. The engine has a built-in electric motor and generator, combined as a single unit, that lives inside of its transmission. The engine and its built-in electric motor work together, making it a hybrid engine.
When you’re driving, the electric motor can be used as a power boost, or even as the sole means of driving the vehicle in some situations with the gas engine switched off and not using any fuel. The electricity used by the electric motor is stored in the traction battery pack, located under the rear seat.
It charges up automatically, meaning the electric motor is always ready to help the gas engine do less work, saving fuel.
By the way, AWD-equipped Highlander Hybrid models have an extra electric motor in the rear of the vehicles, and it’s used to drive the rear wheels as part of the AWD system — no rear driveshaft required.
2022 Toyota Highlander Photo by Renita Naraine
Keyword: 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid: Your Questions Answered