Overview & Reviews

Toyota has completely redesigned the Highlander Hybrid for 2008. Although this hybrid crossover SUV is considerably larger than its predecessor, its gas mileage is just as good.

• Hybrid drivetrain offers a useful compromise of performance and fuel economy, thoughtfully designed cabin with reconfigurable second-row seats and a habitable third row, quality interior materials.

User Reviews:

Showing 1 through 10 of 65.00

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  08 Highlander Hybrid Ltd. w/ Nav - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Bill of CA - October 15 - 11:10 am

  Coming out of a 00 Lexus RX300, I tend to compare the Highlander w/ that SUV. The driving position is not as comfortable as I cant rest my elbows on either armrests when Im driving. The rest of the SUV is good for hauling my family of 5 around town. DVD system w/ wireless headsets is great b/c I can listen to my music while the kids watch their Cartoons. The Nav works OK, but sometimes it sends me in circles. The 2nd row configuration is what sold me on this SUV; it gets you close to what a minivan can do. It misses the minivan in cargo space aft the 3rd row-its just enough for a folded Combi single stroller, but not much more. It makes up by getting better MPG than the minivan-at a cost.

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  Careful of the Paint Job - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By nasoj1 - August 23 - 5:56 am

  I am mostly happy with the Hybrid. However the paint is beginning to blister in small areas the size of a pencil eraser. I have found that this type of paint problem has been found before with Toyota vehicles. I have had the SUV for about five months now and the dealer told me to contact Toyota USA to resolve the problem.

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  Very Happy - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Ohio Driver - July 6 - 8:00 pm

  I have owned my 08 Highlander Hybrid for just 5 days but I am very happy. I am a discerning consumer and I researched and thought about thiw vehicle for 5 months before purchasing. I have owned Toyotas for 23 years and this is the best out of the gate. It is actually smoother and quieter than I expected and rivals my Avalon - BUT the pick-up power is till great!

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  2008 Highlander Hybrid a success - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By TLB - November 7 - 11:56 am

  The Highlander Hybrid is almost everything we hoped for, typical Toyota near perfect fit and finish. Mileage is averaging 25 after 1st 1200 miles. High tank on Oregon Coast trip of 29 MPG, low tank MPG 23. My experience with hilly areas with any hybrid CVT produce lower mileage figures and holds true with the Highlander. I have owned Escape, Prius and Civic hybrids with this being smoothest drive train transition of any hybrid. Decision between RX 400 and waiting for Highlander has been good one. More room and seating configurations, better mileage.

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  Toyota Highlander - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By RICHARD12342 - September 13 - 5:40 pm

  I just bought this vehicle because of a desire to do my part against OPEC and I needed a new one. The car started out with a mileage of 11.5 miles per gallon on the dash board computer. After approx 120 miles it is up to 22.5. So far I am disappointed because I am expecting to get the sticker mileage of 27 MPG. I was shocked and disappointed by the lack of luggage room when the fold away seats were unfolded. Folded there is plenty of room for stuff. I missed having my headlights turn on automatically when needed. I love the key less operation but because of the quietness I have gotten out of the car with the car still "running." roof needs protective strips to protect carrying baggage.

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  If you want to be Green.... - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By JR - July 26 - 5:50 am

  We bought this car for my wife (but of course I had to get it with all of the toys for me). We looked at the GMC Acadia, Mazda CX-9, and the Toyota Highlander. None of the above really compared to the highlander in terms of style, options, and reliability. Initially we were not considering a hybrid, but one came to the lot in our area. With gas now approach $3.50 a gallon, I am beginning to think we made a good decision. With our 3rd tank of gas, we are averaging about 26.2 mpg. This should improve as we break in the engine. The navigation takes a bit of practice to master, but after taking one evening to sit down and learn it, it is quite simple.

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  New owner - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Monte521 - June 18 - 1:23 am

  I have had the 2008 Highlander Hybrid for only a short time so there are some items I cannot yet address. The car is very comfortable and quiet. Handling is good, but I have not yet had an opportunity to test it in harder driving (twisting roads, etc.). It is much larger, inside and out, than the 2007 model. The biggest shortcoming is rear visibility. The rear window is so darkly tinted that nothing can be seen when backing in the dark. (Obviously, the rear camera helps a lot in this case.) The second is the ugly color choices. I was able to purchase it for a few hunderd dollars under list.

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  Fuel Economy Disappointing - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Chris - June 6 - 1:06 am

  Bought 11/2007. Traded a 07 highlander limited because wanted better mpg. Thought a 2008 highlander hybrid would be a good choice. So far not the case. We are paying much much more and getting the same mpg as the 07 highlander. A hybrid should get better than 18 mpg. Tried different octanes and so far nothing has worked. Very, very disappointed and stuck with it.

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  Finally, a 2008 HiHy! - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By BanditoB - April 10 - 8:30 am

  I was fortunate in finding a 2008 Highlander Hybrid Limited in one of the colors that I wanted, Iced Amethyst Mica, and equipped the way I wanted it, everything but Nav and RES, that wasnt either special ordered for someone or already claimed! I picked it up last night, so its a little early to make any firm commitments about anything, but so far were off to a great start. Ive not noticed any build or fit and finish issues and I am pretty meticulous about these things. Driving it is a pleasure and makes me intensely curious about what, exactly, is going on under the hood. This will be a vehicle thats fun to drive and will also keep me intrigued for a long time to come.

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  A Keeper - 2008 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By Design Professional - February 20 - 3:36 am

  Since purchasing our Toyota Highlander Hybrid in December of 2007, weve driven nearly 9,000 miles. The car sees cold and snow when we visit Colorado in the winter and extreme heat when we visit Arizona in the summer. It is comfortable in both extremes. Very good in snow and ice, and quite at home on Mexico beaches. Weve averaged 26-27 MPG with little effort, but we do drive somewhat slower with gas at $4.00. The interior features are a little more than we desired, but we wanted leather seating. The backup camera is hard to see when its sunny and we have a small hard to detect rattle in the dash. Were sure Toyota will find the rattle and well keep the car until it has a plug-in accessory