Toyota Highlander Hybrid

The Highlander Hybrid has long been one of our top-Rated SUVs, notably for its cushy ride, comfortable cabin, and smooth powertrain. It has roomy second-row seats and a tight, but usable, third-row seat that now folds in two sections. For 2011 the Hybrid got a mild freshening and a new 3.5-liter V6, bumping power output to 280 horsepower. It now returns an impressive 26 mpg overall, the best of any SUV. The car can propel itself solely on electric power at low speeds. Handling is sound and secure, but not particularly agile and the steering feels vague.

The second-generation Highlander Hybrid used the same smooth, 3.3-liter V6 engine as the first-gen model, which combined with three electric motors produced 270 horsepower, the same as the V6 engine alone in the regular Highlander. Acceleration is essentially the same as the non-hybrid version but you get an impressive 24 mpg overall compared to 18 for the regular AWD Highlander. The Hybrid can propel itself solely on its electric power at low speeds. The optional third-row seat is suitable only for kids. While the handling is secure, it's not very agile. The fuel savings might not justify the extra cost of the Hybrid for some.

The first-generation Highlander Hybrid's 3.3-liter V6 was augmented by three electric motors that together result in a net total of about 268 hp. Not only was the Hybrid quicker than the conventional model, it also returned 22 mpg overall in our tests; the regular AWD V6 only returned 19 mpg. The hybrid can propel itself solely on its electric power at low speeds, and as such, is eerily quiet. On AWD models one of the electric motors is dedicated to the rear wheels. The optional third-row seat is only suitable for kids. Handling is sound and secure, though not particularly agile.