The 2011 Toyota Highlander and 2011 Highlander Hybrid is designed to meet most off-road driving requirements. Abusive use may result in bodily harm or damage. Toyota encourages responsible operation to protect you, your vehicle and the environment. Seatbelts should be worn at all times. Please do not allow passengers to ride in the cargo area. Towing hitch receivers/ball mount kits are not intended to provide crash protection. Then Toyota Highlander is for you. With seating for up to seven, a versatile 95.4 cubic feet of cargo room1 and remarkable fuel economy, Highlander does provide all the practical things a family needs. But it also offers sculpted sheet metal, a sophisticated interior, an available 270-hp V6 engine and a long list of standard creature comforts. Admit it those are the sorts of extras you were hoping to have.
Maybe you can’t always get what you want. But this sure looks like an exception. 2011 Highlander and 2011 Highlander Hybrid, each with its own distinct styling. But the choices don’t stop there. Highlander is also available with either 2- or 4-Wheel Drive, and a 4- or 6-cylinder engine. There’s only a single Highlander philosophy, however. Not that you’ll mind practicality seldom looks this good.
Toyota knows you’re going to spend a lot of time behind the wheel, so we had our engineers do the same. They logged countless hours in the Highlander, and the result is a remarkable driving experience. Every facet of the vehicle has been refi ned, from the technology at the driver’s fi ngertips to the entertainment options available to second- and third-row passengers. It truly seems like our engineers thought of everything except a compelling reason to get out.
A great deal of attention was paid to the size, shape and placement of buttons, knobs and switches, making Highlander’s controls easy to find and use. Highlander Limited’s and Hybrid Limited’s Smart Key System1 with Push Button Start is a case in point. The available backup camera also makes life a little easier, displaying what it sees behind you on the available dash-mounted Multi-Information Display or available navigation screen.
Passengers can enjoy themselves by watching movies or playing games on the available rear-seat DVD entertainment system,4 with its 9-in. display. Better yet, they can listen on wireless headphones.5 Not that they’re the only ones who get to relax. On Highlander Limited
and Hybrid Limited models, the driver can extend the cushion on the perforated leather-trimmed driver’s seat with the push of a button. Nothing like a little extra thigh support to help you be more comfortable. And, in turn, more focused.
The 2011 Toyota Highlander now comes standard with a 50/50 split third-row seat. It’s a great help in a number of situations, such as when you want to carry six people plus some long and unwieldy cargo. Also available is easy-clean fabric on all three rows of seats. It can seat one, or as many as seven. It can carry anything from a few grocery bags to 95.4 cubic feet of cargo.1 All sorts of bulky items fi t inside easily, since you can fold both the second- and third-row seats fl at from the rear cargo area. And thanks to stadium seating, each row of seats sits higher than the row in front of it, enhancing the sense of space for those in back. Really, when you think about it, it’s not just the seats that have been elevated. It’s the whole concept of versatility.
Three-zone automatic climate control
With Highlander Limited’s and Hybrid Limited’s three-zone automatic climate control system with air filter, nobody has to be too hot or too cold. It offers dual zone climate control in the front, a separate second-row control panel, and rear vents for the second- and third-row
seats, so you can really optimize the temperatures inside the cabin.
Center Stow System
This innovative feature adds to Highlander’s incredible versatility. Beneath the center console, there’s a Center Stow seat that you can pull out, lock in place between the second-row captain’s chairs and fold open. Remove it, and you’ve made a walk-through to the third row. Or replace it with the Center Stow console to hold drinks and smaller items.
Impressive engineering is something you come to expect with Highlander. But you’ll notice it most when you’re on freeway on-ramps and when you’re at the gas station. That’s because Highlander uses an extraordinary technology known as Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) to provide the ideal combination of power, effi ciency and reduced emissions. Now, that’s the kind of performance you can appreciate even when you’re not on the road.
2.7-liter 4-cylinder Highlander’s fuel-efficient 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine uses Dual VVT-i
to help make the most of its 187 hp and 186 lb.-ft. of torque, giving you responsive power. Coupled with a 6-speed Electronically Controlled automatic Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i), this engine allows Highlander to get an EPA-estimated 25 highway mpg rating.1
3.5-liter V6 Highlander An available 24-valve V6 engine uses a Double Overhead Cam (DOHC)
and Dual VVT-i to deliver 270 hp and 248 lb.-ft. of torque with an EPA-estimated 24 highway mpg rating.2 Yet Highlander still manages to achieve an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle II (ULEV-II) rating.
This advanced technology powers 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid in different ways: sometimes
with the gas engine, sometimes with electric motors, sometimes with both. The result is an EPA-estimated 28 city/highway mpg rating,1 plus an impressive 280 net hp. It also makes this a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV). Hybrid Synergy Drive. It doesn’t merely move Highlander Hybrid forward. It moves the whole automotive industry forward.
Energy monitor
Highlander Hybrid’s instrumentation panel tells you more than just your speed. It tells you the mode you’re driving in and lets you see how economically you’re driving, as Hybrid Synergy Drive employs the most efficient source of power. That’s a smart way to go.
EV mode
EV mode is intended for instances when you’re driving at very low speeds for short distances — inching your way out of a crowded underground parking garage, for example. When EV mode is available, Highlander Hybrid uses one of its electric motors. In EV mode, Highlander saves
fuel, reduces noise and cuts emissions since it’s not using its gasoline engine at all.
ECON mode
To help Highlander Hybrid operate economically in normal driving situations, there’s ECON mode. Press the ECON button, then press down on the accelerator: Engine throttle response is modified, which helps reduce fuel consumption. ECON mode can also help when accelerating in low-traction situations like on snow-covered roads.
Starting From initial light or moderate acceleration to low speeds and under certain conditions, 2011 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is powered solely by the high-torque electric motors. Normal Running In normal driving conditions, Highlander Hybrid runs on the gasoline engine and is assisted by the electric motors as needed. Full Acceleration During heavy acceleration, the gasoline engine is used while the battery supplies increased drive power to the electric motors. Deceleration/Braking When slowing, the gasoline engine begins to shut off and the electric motors convert momentum into electricity, storing it in the HV battery. Stopping When Highlander Hybrid comes to a stop, its gasoline engine shuts off to conserve fuel and reduce emissions.
Toyota’s Star Safety SystemTM is a suite of safety features offered standard on every Toyota. On Highlander it includes Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA)3 and Smart Stop Technology (SST).4 Termed “active” safety features, they’re designed to proactively respond in certain situations to help prevent accidents from occurring in the fi rst place.
Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
Differences in grip asphalt under the left-side tires, slick snow under the right, for example can affect brake response. Enhanced VSC works with the Electric Power Steering (EPS) to respond automatically to differences in left-right brake force and help the driver counteract pull with minimal effort.
Traction Control (TRAC)
Using Highlander’s advanced braking technologies, TRAC is a traction control system that helps control wheelspin when starting or accelerating on a slippery surface. TRAC is supplemented by the Enhanced VSC’s steering torque-assist control to help maintain appropriate driving force during straight-line acceleration and offset left-right pull.
ABS, EBD and BA
The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) that’s standard on Highlander is an important element of its active safety capability. Brake Assist (BA) is designed to detect whether the driver is attempting a panic stop, and if so, applies increased braking power. Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) works with ABS and BA to optimize the distribution and amount of brake force between the front and rear wheels, based on driving conditions and vehicle load. When braking during cornering, EBD also distributes brake force between the left and right wheels to help maintain vehicle control.
2011 Highlander comes standard with an Advanced Airbag System that includes both driver and front passenger airbags. A knee airbag further enhances protection for the driver. Front seat-mounted side airbags help provide protection to the driver and front passenger in the event of certain types of severe side-impact collisions. The front seats also incorporate
active headrests, which move up and forward, helping to reduce the severity of whiplash injuries to the driver and front passenger in the event of certain lower-speed rear end collisions.
Roll-Sensing side Curtain Airbags (RSCA) help provide protection for all rows of seats in
certain types of side collisions and in the event of a roll. LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) includes lower anchors and tethers on all outboard second-row seats.
Highlander is well-equipped with what people commonly think of as safety features: airbags, seatbelts and other equipment that helps when the unforeseen proves unavoidable. However, it also offers numerous features that you might not have considered but which can prove useful in helping to keep you and your passengers out of harm’s way. Take a look.
HAC helps prevent the vehicle from rolling backward from a standing start on an incline. When activated, the feature holds the brakes for approximately three seconds as the driver switches from the brake pedal to the accelerator. In a similar fashion, available DAC automatically
modulates the brakes to help provide a slow, controlled descent on steep declines. This helps reduce wheel lockup, preserving the driver’s ability to steer and potentially avoid a collision.
Toyota engineering has always been about making you feel confident behind the wheel. Which is why Highlander offers traction and safety engineering systems that include an available full-time 4WD system. Highlander Hybrid gives you a similar sense of security with Electronic
On-Demand 4WD with intelligence (4WD-i). Standard on all models, Smart Stop Technology is designed to reduce engine power when the brake is firmly applied, helping to bring the vehicle to a stop even if the accelerator pedal is fully depressed.
