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I don't usually keep vehicles for 3 years, though I have occasionally. I purchase the XLE as the highest trim I want, it has everything I need. Does the XLE hybrid come in AWD? It's honestly something I haven't researched. I like my 6-cylinders in my HLs.
You can get the AWD in the hybrid. However the hybrid costs more, but in addition to the fuel saving features from electrical hybrid, you are stepping down from 3.5L 6 cylinder to a 2.5L 4 cylinder and losing 1,500 lbs of towing capacity and 52 hp of power.
2021 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD SUV
MSRP: $41,685
MPG: 20 city / 27 highway
Horsepower: 295 hp @ 6,600 rpm
Towing capacity: 5,000 lbs
Engine: 3.5 L V6 Curb weight: 4,370 lb
2021 Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE AWD SUV
MSRP: $43,135
MPG: 35 city / 34 highway
Horsepower: 243 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Towing capacity: 3,500 lbs
Engine: 2.5 L 4-cylinder Curb weight: 4,515 lbs
The way I see it the improvement from 27 mpg to 34 mpg for highway driving is primarily because of the smaller, less powerful engine.
The improvement from 20 mpg to 35 mpg for city driving is because of the smaller engine plus the hybrid electrical fuel saving tricks like turning the engine off while idling or regenerative braking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenlove
The Venza weighed less, so I found the pick up peppy in it as long as it was in sport mode.
For the most part consumers would rather have the more powerful ICE engine instead of money saving hybrid engines. After 17 model years of offering the hybrid Highlander consumers they can't sell more than 30% of them as hybrids. What are the possibilities of converting consumers of the four liter 4RUNNER, and the 5.7 liter TUNDRA, SEQUOIA and LAND CRUISER to hybrid versions?
For some time now the Toyota Tundra has been rumored to get 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 hybrid as it's top powertrain.
Perhap's Toyota's US strategy is simply to stop selling the ICE engines on the West Coast by 2030-2032 and offer only hybrids. By 2035 when California governor wants to go all Battery Electric Vehicles, the public will insist on being able to keep hybrids as an option.
Last edited by PacoMartin; 06-01-2021 at 06:45 AM..
At the highest trim levels for each vehicle they are priced about the same
2021 Subaru Outback Touring XT CVT $39,945
2021 Toyota Venza Limited AWD (Natl) $39,800
It seems like the Outback is roomier on almost all dimensions (1st number outback, 2nd number Venza) with "Front Head Room" the only exception.
It's not just the specs with the Outback; a lot of it is that Subaru sees the Outback as their flagship offering and tends to put more work into getting fine details right for their target buyer group's user experience. I suspect Toyota didn't sit down with a possible Venza buyer's group and conclude that they need to keep the roofline low enough that an average height American could still heft a kayak on the roof rack relatively easily. (This was a criteria for the latest generation of Outbacks)
It's not just the specs with the Outback; a lot of it is that Subaru sees the Outback as their flagship offering and tends to put more work into getting fine details right for their target buyer group's user experience.
Right now Toyota owns 33% of Subaru, and it is possible that in 20 years as Subaru becomes all electric that Toyota will just buy the whole company and make them a subsidiary. In any case Toyota knows all of Subaru's tactics.
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Model year 2021 is the 17th year that Toyota has offered a hybrid version of the Highlander, but the overwhelming majority of buyers in the US opt for the ICE version.
By offering the VENZA strictly as a hybrid, it may not have radically changed the overall sales figures for SUVs in the United States, but it seems to have greatly influenced the number of SUV hybrids sold. It will help Toyota to meet their emissions goals.
I am a little surprised that Toyota does not sell more of them. These five models are in a similar price bracket.
$32,570 VENZA
$34,460 SIENNA
$35,085 HIGHLANDER
$36,125 AVALON
$36,765 4RUNNER
Toyota Sales in US first 90 days of 2021
63,831 HIGHLANDER 195-197″ L x 76″ W x 68″ H
37,263 4RUNNER 190-191″ L x 76″ W x 72″ H
26,578 SIENNA 204″ L x 79″ W x 69-70″ H
13,623 VENZA 187″ L x 73″ W x 66″ H
5,136 AVALON | luxury car | 196″ L x 73″ W x 56-57″ H
The more I drive the 2021 Venza (Entirely built in Japan) I see the quality build..everything thing works as designed..Third Toyota I’ve bought with the J Vin #..2006 Highlander, 2016 Rav 4 Hybrid, & 2021 Venza..No knock on assembly plants in US , Canada, or Mexico..but It’s the first thing I look at on a new vehicle, The Vin#...With Hybrids the Toyota engineering is top notch..You tube videos that explain the hybrid technology by Toyota, & New Venza were very helpful in my purchase of this vehicle..The 40 mpg is a bonus with current events/ gas prices...Sales are building as knowledgeable buyers discover the Venza...Frankly, I had no idea there was a previous Venza..This one is No Relation..
Last edited by john-staten island; 06-07-2021 at 07:53 AM..
Reason: Spell
actually, the venza is not considered an suv, they classify it as a crossover.
In Toyota's reports the corporation uses the term Toyota SUV Division which includes all 7 models.The division sold 243,306 vehicles in the United States in the first three months of 2021. So I am following corporate nomenclature,
TOYOTA DIV. SUV first three months of 2021: US sales with MSRP attached
$21,595 C-HR 10,401
$26,250 RAV4 114,255
$32,570 VENZA 13,623
$35,085 HIGHLANDER 63,831
$36,765 4RUNNER 37,263
$50,400 SEQUOIA 2,037
$85,665 LAND CRUISER 1,896
TOTAL TOYOTA DIV. SUV 243,306
In terms of non-official definitions the first four are all considered crossovers. The only true SUV's (meeting the original definition) are the last three.
The 4runner was modified from a compact pickup truck in 1983-84.
The Sequia was modified from a full size pickup truck, the Tundra, in 2000.
Production of the first generation of the Land Cruiser began in 1951 as Toyota's version of a Jeep-like vehicle.
There is no commonly agreed-upon definition of an SUV, The 1984 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) is considered to be the first SUV in the modern style. A crossover SUV is often defined as an SUV built with a unibody construction (as with passenger cars), however, in many cases, crossovers are simply referred to as SUVs.
Lastly we observe that the RAV4 is significantly outselling any one of Toyota's most popular "cars"
72,520 COROLLA compact
78,151 CAMRY mid-size
5,136 AVALON full size
14,050 PRIUS the original full hybrid electric automobile
Last edited by PacoMartin; 06-09-2021 at 10:54 PM..
More people are returning back to American cars, that's why. Owning a Toyota is getting more pointless each day. Used to be better in the 1990s and 2000s.
With the release of new 2022 Ford Maverick hybrid compact truck today that gets up to 40 MPG in city, Toyota is even more in trouble today than before. The Ford Maverick starts at only $19,999 MSRP base price with 2.5L I4 hybrid powertrain and CVT transmission (automatic).
More people will indeed be returning back to American cars. Bye, bye, Toyota. I told you so...
The news of the demise of a U.S. Land Cruiser was shared by a Toyota dealer some months back. I believe production of the 200 ceased in March 2021.
We purchased our 5th LC in 40 years, a 2019 for ~ $78K. My first, a 1977 FJ55, sold new for $7,500.
The only "major" repair? When my wife parked her DD 1988 FJ62 (replaced by another FJ62), it developed a water pump leak, which I replaced before selling after 18 years.
Toyota says it plans to launch the new (2022) Land Cruiser to markets "all over the world" starting this summer, though we've confirmed with Toyota North America "all over the world" does not include the United States or Canada. Though the 200-series truck represented one of the most capable and reliable cars in Toyota's lineup, slow sales couldn't justify the company spending the money to bring it stateside. We're just as disappointed as you, Toyota fans.
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End of a Legend (IN U.S.A.)
