Toyota shifts from Highlander to hybrid in Miss.

11/07/2008 03:59. “t plant currently produces the Tundra SUV, which will be consolidated at Toyota's Texas facility in spring 2009. The Japanese automaker plans to halt” // Press-Register - al.com

06/07/2008 18:28. (Chicago Tribune (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Like Kermit said, it's not easy to be green.

While most automakers are reducing output of midsize and full-size sport-utility vehicles as consumers flee the gas-guzzlers, we opted to test one SUV that deserves to be produced in greater numbers: the 2008 Toyota Highlander hybrid.

When powered by a 3.5-liter, 270-horsepower V-6 gas engine alone, Highlander is rated at 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. With a 3.3-liter V-6 and a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack for a combined 270 h.p., the rating swells to 27/25. The city side benefits most, of course, because the hybrid starts and keeps going at low speeds in battery mode without any need for gas. It also shuts the gas engine off at the stoplight rather than wasting fuel idling.

Then,... // TMCnet