With nearly every other model in the Toyota lineup offering a plug-in model, you might wonder why not the Toyota Highlander?
While the title seems a bit odd considering Toyota is the leading brand in the market when it comes to hybrid technology, including plug-in-style models that come to us in many forms, there is one model that won’t have this technology yet.
For nearly every regular hybrid vehicle in the Toyota lineup, we have a plug-in model to go with it and give us some electric driving that can be easy to enjoy when on the road. There is one model that won’t have a plug-in model just yet, and the reason why makes perfect sense.
No Plug-In for the Toyota Highlander
We love the Toyota Highlander. That’s a simple statement of truth for an SUV that has given us three rows of seats, amazing reliability, and the power needed to get things done. The Toyota Highlander continues to be an SUV that has the latest technology and drive that you want for the daily drive or for going out on the trails for some fun.
We’ve already seen the Highlander offered with a regular hybrid powertrain and a style that makes us smile, but this model is missing the plug-in variation of the powertrain for the drive you want to enjoy.
Why No Plug-In for this Toyota?
If you look at the smaller SUV, the Toyota RAV4, you’ll see a vehicle that does have a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid powertrain to give you the drive you want and the efficiency that you can admire.
The fact that the RAV4 has the variety that you would want to enjoy for your drive every day makes it seem that we would see the same for the Highlander. In the Highlander, the hybrid model is down 50 horsepower when compared to the standard V6 and this power deficiency could be more of a problem in a plug-in model.
The Market Doesn’t Call for it
Currently, the plug-in hybrid versions of most vehicles are the slowest-selling models in the market. This means it could cost a lot of money to develop a PHEV version of the Toyota Highlander that might not catch on well enough in the market.
Rather than do this, the Toyota team is going to keep an eye on sales trends and see how the market will respond to other PHEV models that are currently being offered. This is most likely the right approach to what the Highlander can be.
Still the Right Toyota Highlander for You
Get behind the wheel of the Toyota Highlander that you want to drive and you’ll see an SUV that can be perfect for you. Whether you choose a regular V6 model of one of the hybrid versions that can be right for you to drive on the road.
The team at your local Toyota dealer can help you figure out which version of this SUV will be the one you want to drive, just don’t expect to find a plug-in version of the Highlander when you see the Toyota team.
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