Toyota Highlander Hybrid

wastead

HI, in your wait times reply, you commented about a state sales tax deduction. Can you nail that down a bit. I can't find any other information about this. Thanks

wastead

Found it. NY's law expired in Feb 2005. Need to wait and see if Gov. will sign a new bill for next year's taxes.

toyotaken

As in the normal Highlander and RX, there are no Mechanical differences between the two vehicles as far as I know and have been able to research. The only differences are the Sheetmetal and "toys".

Ken

cdptrap

Dear lerrnt

You can make this comparison right on the Lexus website.
Go to their website, select the RX400h. Then select "compare vehicles". Once there, select 400h as first/base vehicle and then select Highlander Hybrid as the vehicle to compare against. When fine tuning the Highlander model, be sure to select 4WD and the Limited model. This comes closest to comparing oranges against oranges.

You will see the point for point comparison right from the horses' mouths. It is best you do this yourself so you can decide what features are most important to you.

The most obvious differences that caught my family's attention are that 400h has:
1. Driver side knee airbag.
2. Roving code security.
3. Part-time AWD versus Full-Time 4WD for HH.
4. Significantly lower Payload rating than HH.
5. Rear stabilizer only versus Front+Rear stabilizers on HH.
6. Multi-link rear suspension versus Mcpherson Struts on HH.
7. Tilt and Telescope steering.

Hope this helps.

dmbflorida

To me, the most significant difference is that the Lexus Hybrid 400 has only 5 seats max compared to 7 seats max offered by the Highlander Hybrid. However, the Highlander's third row has only two small bench seats which come up from the cargo floor.
.
The fuel consumption of the Lexus is:
EPA estimated rating of 31/27 mpg City/Highway. Its estimated 29 mpg EPA Combined rating is comparable to that of the average compact sedan (27.6 mpg); average for SUVs in this class is 15.1 mpg.

With all the extras provided by the Lexus, both SUV's compare reasonably close IF a buyer wanted to have all those extras and to pay for them.

We need a 7 seat SUV though so the HH is the best choice for us..

ulev

In regards to the recent post on comps 'tween the RX 400 & HH.
My info indicates that the HH 4WD is NOT 'full time', as it only 'kicks in' when the system notices wheel slip. I do not care for 'all time 4 WD' as I think it is a waste of fuel and resources.
As to the ordering of this vehicle...I've been there before, starting with my 1972 240 Z...a lot of hype and mis-information leading up to force one to buy at the price the dealer wants to get..I hope Toyota gets a 'handle' on these dealers as it reflects poorly on the Company. Their experience with the Prius should offer some comfort.
Mydealer here in North West Indiana took my deposit back in Dec 2004.
I rec'd an E-mail from Toyota that the vehicles were available for ordering.
The dealer contacted me as well and actually 'spec'd out the vehicle (color & options) and placed the order via computer. I was surprised that Toyota would acuually 'spec out' an order, as it always seemed to be 'take what comes in off the
truck'. Maybe it's just the 'down home' honesty we have here in the Mid West...

gparker

Wastead...I think you mis understood my tax note. In 2005 tax year you can deduct state sales tax from your federal income tax if you itemize deductions.
That helps anyone buying a car or high ticket items for one year only, unless Congress extends this. That's why we ordered a HH Ltd and a Prius now. You can do a Google or Yahoo search for "state sales tax deduction off Federal income tax" search, and get tons of information. Or go to www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=133209,00.html
and get the info right from the IRS. This has not been publicized much in the press, like it's a secret, but available to all of us who itemize.
Also, with Bush's energy bill, notice the deduction for hybrid vehicles has simply vanished. That $2500 deduction will not be available after the 2005 tax year. If you buy a Hummer, you can get a credit, but not on a sensible hybrid! Absolutely amazingly stupid, and makes me wonder if our "energy policy" is not in reverse.
Anyway, the state tax and the credit combined credits really shrink the price difference for the hybrids, of any flavor, but only for 2005. Hope that helps you, and many other readers of this forum.

stevedebi

Woah, that is just wrong. The IRS URL explains that the law gives the taxpayer the option of deducting either state sales tax (on all purchases, not just hybrids), or state income taxes.

Living in California, I'll take the state income tax deduction, thank you.

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=133209,00.html

"The American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 gives taxpayers the option to claim state and local sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes when they itemize deductions. This option is available for the 2004 and 2005 returns only."

gparker

Stevedebi...you are very correct. If I live in CA I would agree 100 percent. However, we live in Nebraska, a very rural place, where state income tax is very low, even for the fortunate ones of us that have a high income. I usually pay the state a few hundred, or sometimes $1200 like this year. The sales tax we spend, especially with two new vehicles again, is much much higher than our state income tax. So, in our case the state sales tax gives us a much higher advantage when deducting from the federal tax. Depends on where you live. Thanks for bringing the point up, so anyone, depending on residence, can make their own decisions. I was simply trying to help those who could do better by being aware of the one year deduction, and the vanishing credit on hybrids after this year. Thanks again.

gagrice

and the vanishing credit on hybrids after this year

Actually it was supposed to be lowered in 2005 and was extended another year. It is a Deduction and not a Credit of $2000. Those in the top bracket would save about $700.

nsxwes

I ordered a Highlander Hybrid Limited 4WD with Navigation. It should arrive at the dealership about the first week in June. I am interested in the integrated running boards that I see on many Highlanders. I did not see that as an option when I placed my order. Is this a dealer installed option?

toycash

Actually, the suspension and 4WD systems are identical.

The running boards are available either dealer- or port-installed.

nsxwes

Does anyone know the approximate price including installation of the color matched running boards?

dmbflorida

From what I have read in various message forums and from my own experiences, dealerships all have different order procedures.
Some dealerships put a Buyer on a Waitlist without a specification of the HH to be purchased*.
Some dealerships put a Buyer on a Waitlist with a specific HH order**.
Some dealerships will not put a Buyer on a Waitlist either because the list is too long or because that dealership does not use a Waitlist at all.
Some dealerships take a deposit while a few do not. Deposits which are required differ as to amounts and refundability.

* I am on two Waitlists, with $500 refundable deposit at each. Neither dealership has asked me for a specification of the HH I want to buy. Both have said that they would let me know when they know their allocations so I could select one according to my Waitlist position (#2 at one dealership and # 10 on the other). This is a good procedure for me since I will decide when I know what my choices are.
**While I have not been asked for a specification of the HH I want, my daughter was put on a RX400h Waitlist at a Lexus dealership which asked for a specific color and package to be ordered. This dealership salesperson expects to "trade" cars with other dealerships to fill her order in 30 days from today. Note: this salesperson has switched his "story" about ordering several times so we don't know what is really the truth.

Considering the different allocations each dealership in the U.S. will get, I don't think it is really known about what will be available to an HH Buyer.
In my experience in buying the Prius 2004, I ordered a specific Prius "from Japan" in October, 2003 and bought a Prius in July, 2004 from that same dealership. I bought a Prius which was unexpectedly available and my "October, 2003 order" was not really processed (for me). I decided to not take a chance on getting what I specifically wanted and accepted a color I did not prefer. I have no real idea about when the order I made would have been available.

At this time, I am debating whether to buy a base model HH without an additional package or to get a "loaded" Limited model without the navigation. Since the base models likely will not be available for awhile, I might be waiting for a long time.
As long as I can buy in 2005, I do not care about the delay.

Another topic: We saved maybe $700 (I don't recall the exact amount) on the Prius using the IRS "clean fuel" reduction of our gross income amount on the 2004 return. We were not able to list the sales tax as a deduction because of the way we claimed deductions on that return. We live in Florida so the only other advantage to us is the HOV lane use decal we can get if we ever needed it. By comparison, my son in Colorado will really save a lot of money from both the federal and state "benefits" from buying a SULEV car and using it instead of a "polluting car". However, he does not have the money or desire to buy a new hybrid car.

dmbflorida

I just received this message from a dealership where I am on a Waitlist:
"The only info I have so far is the first model out will be the Limited and not the base model. I still have not heard any specific dates for delivery. I don't think Navigation will be on all the (first) ones" He also said that, in the SE District, most of the HH would have Toyoguard, an option which costs $699.

fizban

Our dealer put us on the wait list in Oct (w/deposit), then in early April got our specific order (color/options/etc.). When Toyota gave the go-ahead (about a week later) our order went in with the others.

toycash

The "official" on sale date is June 1st, at least in the Chicago region.

dunebuggy

My dealer here in Kansas City called me last week with notification that there were two HH's
coming on there first truck in June with no name on them. I was told that these vehicles
were not allocated to anybody so I put a $1000 deposit down on one. So apapparentlyoyota has
some extra HH's. We bought A Prius in February 2005 from A dealer in Colorado and all
I had to do was call. No waiting lists. I just hope the HH is all that and I can get $4000 tax
credit!

otis1

I'm glad that you're able to get a HH w/o waiting, but I don't understand how 2 cars can come in with no one's name on it? doesn't the first person on the list have claim to the first car or right of first refusal?

second, are you in KC, MO or KC, KS? I'd be interested in this $4000 tax CREDIT.

rmanchi

I wanted to find when there will be a major revamp for the HIghlander. Looks like the major change will come in model year 2007 which will apply to the hybrid highlander for that model year.

According to Information Edmunds' has:

2007 Model Year Highlander

======================================================

What Edmunds.com Says: The Highlander will become even more humanized in its next version, borrowing plenty of cues from the FT-SX concept vehicle.

What We Know: Scheduled to appear in the fall of 2006, the next edition of the Highlander will ditch its utilitarian design for a shape closer to the FT-SX concept shown at the 2005 Detroit auto show. Although its will grow in most dimensions, the next Highlander will retain a manageable, easy to drive size. A larger V6 is expected with output in the 280 horsepower range. Like the current model, it will be offered in both front- and all-wheel drive, with a hybrid option virtually guaranteed. A hybrid version of the current Highlander is scheduled to go on sale this June, more than two years prior to the fully redesigned version of the vehicle.

=========================================================

dunebuggy

I'm in KC MO, and the reason for the no name on two cars is that the colors and option packages
didn't match the waiting list. The tax credit is $2000 per vehicle if bought in 2005. We own a 2005 prius and with the Highlander we can expect another tax break.

tomslyck

Kansas City is a little outside of my level of comfortable driving. Here in Los Angeles, the waiting lists are sizeable - especially on the west side of town. I thought I would make a smart move and call Bakersfield since they're in the middle of the state and the HH highway mileage is only marginally better than the regular Highlander. We were told that we might get one in November.

The Santa Monica dealership doesn't even have a waiting list. They're calling their movie star clientele to sell them one-by-one.

otis1

The tax credit is $2000

is this a missouri state tax credit?

upstateny5

My dealer in upstate NY (above Albany) said that most of the initial vehicles will be the Limited Models but there will also be some base models. I have a deposit on a base model and they are going to get at least 2 Limited models with no idea of when mine may come in.

tsotsi

I just got a call from my dealer in south Florida that they are getting their first HH, a Limited model with navigation system for 41k. Even though I am first on the list I want a base model so some other lucky buyer will get this one. I expect this forum to start heating up as people get their HHs and let us know how they like them.

bghybrid

I was reading this past week, May 05, that GM and Damilier Chrysler are about to ink a contract and build their own Hybrid. They do not want to go the same route that Ford did, they both wish to have engineering creativity in the Hybrid that they finally come out with, so, yes GM and Chrysler both are aware of the market. The question is how long will it take these two companies to have cars on the road? I have also learned that Nissan has a litium, light weight battery that Toyota is interested in, so Toyota and Nissan are working together. I just do not know to what extent. I am aware that Nissan has been building most of their new vehicels so they all can be converted to Hybrids very easily. The world is changing in the Automotive areana. The Big 3 are no longer the companies that every other manufactur want to be.
Regarding quanties of vehicles, the reason I heard that Lexus pushed back its date of delivery is so when they started running advertisements, they would be able to sell to all customers and not have the long wait that Prius had.

jabnva

The following review of the HH is in the 5/20 USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/reviews/healey/2005-05-19-highlander_x.htm

gagrice

The whine and very slight, vague roughness of the test vehicles are troubling. But if Toyota eliminates those imperfections, then Highlander hybrid is an attractive package for those who don't need a roomy third row and aren't put off by the steep price. Don't be blinded by Toyota's reputation, or by hybrids' outsize appeal. For the premium price, after all, everything about the Highlander gas-electric should be exceptional.

If the HH uses the same exact running gear as the RX400h, does the RX suffer from these problems?

boylan13

Hey, upstateny5,

How are ya? And who/where is your dealer? I've been e-mailing and calling some dealers in the NYC area and getting very few firm answers on pricing and availability. Queensboro Toyota first told me $10K premium, then $5K, then "make me an offer." My offer was MSRP. They were not impressed.

The notable exception to the madness is Prestige Toyota in Paramus who told me they will be charging MSRP (no premium), so we're on the list at #20 with a refundable deposit. They tell me their first allocation will be 9 units, but they were not sure yet which options they would have.

If your guy will be getting a Limited with NAV in June and is charging MSRP, we might be interested so please let me know who is your dealer!?

Thanks,

-Chris

otis1

How many people are waiting for base models vs the limited HH? I wonder if the ratio of orders reflects the ratio of production allocation. Just cruising Ebay, and reading some posts here, it seems like if you want a Limited model, there's "unspoken for" units available for immediate pickup.

I realize why Toyota might want to introduce the more expensive models first (more $$$), but I wonder if this is just part of the initial rollout, or if this will be a consistant theme. My impression is that most people don't want the Limited w/nav.

BTW I'm waiting on a base 4wd with the option pkg.

dmbflorida

As a followup to comments that the Lexus Hybrid SUV - RX400h has a whining noise and a rough engine, that has not been my experience at all. I bought the Lexus RX 400h recently and my daugher bought an identical Lexus last week also. Our SUV's have fantastically quiet, smooth, stable, comfortable and quiet riding. In fact, it is because of this and other "luxury" features that we bought the Lexus. This is my first really expensive luxury car and I am enjoying it greatly.
I still have a deposit on the Hybrid Highlander because a family member might want to buy it but I personally don't plan to buy the HH now because I only need one car. The HH purchase probably will be a base model and I/we expect to wait for this model.

btw, both my daughter and I bought RX400h vehicles which were refused by the persons who made the order. The Lexus dealership is very motivated to trade cars with other dealerships with transportation directly from the port. I also was told that buying at the end of the week at Lexus would give a buyer the best total price (I negotiated on accessories). Evidently, if a RX400h is still on the lot on a Saturday, that lowers the dealership's next allocation by that number (of RX400h).

I love the hybrid cars. I will only buy that technology. I also was motivated to buy because the Prius 2004 I traded-in had a high value and it lessened the sales tax I paid for the Lexus (trade-in price subtracted from the new car price).

btw, if anyone is interested in a very low mileage, excellent condition Prius 2004, I would recommend the one I traded-in. You could email me at dmb1529@yahoo.com
if you want to know the dealership's name and info on the Prius.

upstateny5

Chris,

My dealer is about 150 miles north of Albany but is only taking orders from people who are truly local which I appreciate as I never would have been high on the list if they did otherwise.

Sorry that this isn't a resource for you.

Carole

fishngriz

yes acaba, one (a limited with Nav package) sold on ebay last week for $45,000 from a dealer in Rochester NY. any one else seen any ads for sale in classifieds in Los Angeles area?

fishngriz

Anyone seen any prices in newspapers, websites or auctions sites for highlanders that are coming in in June? I've only seen one sold in advance on ebay and also a right to buy the first one that arrives on ebay. Do you think they will sell for the same premiums as the Prius did?

tomslyck

We're waiting on the Limited and would prefer the 4WD, but will take FWD. Navigation is not anything we're excited about, but we'll probably have to take it. I hear most, if not all, of the Limiteds are coming with it.

cdptrap

We got ourselves on a list with a local dealer (San Jose Capitol Toyota, San Jose, CA) and they are selling it MSRP. I believe my wife spec'd Limited without NAV.

If they try to up the price after arrival, we will walk away from the deal. Not interested in getting into a bidding war over a car. It is already expensive enough.

If we really need a hybrid and are willing to pay $5000 over MSRP, we might as well buy the Lexus RX400h.

ka7eii

Hello,
Has anyone in the Salt Lake City, Utah area pre-ordered a Highlander Hybrid? Which dealer(s) have you worked with. My wife and I are ready to order a base AWD model. Spoke with two dealers on the phone. Karl Malone Toyota in Sandy said they will sell for MSRP but the $500 deposit would not be refundable. Larry H. Miller in Murray said they would put me on their list without a deposit and when my turn comes up, I can take or leave whatever they have at that time.
We are not in too big of hurry to get the vehicle. Just wondering what others in this area have done or plan to do.
Thank you.

pat

Consider buying a hybrid? Reconsider after you learned about the long wait? Whether or not you chose to add your name to the waiting list, a reporter is hoping to hear your perspective. Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com with your daytime contact info by May 27, 2005.
Thanks,
Jeannine Fallon
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com

nsxwes

I just spoke to my dealer. My Highlander Hybrid is scheduled to arrive sometime between March 31 and June 6. I should have the VIN number tomorrow.

tomslyck

Very cool!! Make sure and give us your first impressions.

nsxwes

I meant sometime between May 31 and June 6.

upstateny5

Congrats - I am particularly interested in learning if that noise is gone which they referred to in one of the reviews.

No word yet on my base model and when it will arrive but my dealer gets new allocations at the end of this month.

dmbflorida

I just received this message from a Toyota dealership in central Florida:
"I have a Highlander Hybrid coming in early June. It is The limited model with ivory leather and Silver Sky mettalic exterior. It also has the touch screen DVD Navigation system. They won't be available any nicer than this one....It is priced at $41,588.00 MSRP. We will not be adding any type of dealer addem\ndum or dealer markup on this vehicle, so, this is a chance to own one for an outstanding price! Your total figure based on 6% sales tax and $40.00 to transfer a tag is = $44,541.98 ".
I will not pursue this, myself, since I have other "plans" but maybe someone else would be interested?? I did not post the name of the dealership because I was not sure if it would violate Edmunds' policy for posting.

tomslyck

If they're trucking it across the country from California, tell them to save the gas and just drop it off in Hermosa Beach.

stevedebi

"I did not post the name of the dealership because I was not sure if it would violate Edmunds' policy for posting. "

I think it is OK to post the dealer name, just not Salesmen names or phone numbers.

nsxwes

Hopefully my wife and I will be driving our Highlander Hybrid within a week or so. I will be very disappointed if there is the a noise as described in one of the reviews. I should note that there have been many reviews on the Highlander Hybrid (pre-production) and all that I have read have been very complimentary and only the one review mentioned a noise. BTW, I discovered that the factory color-keyed running boards can be ordered and installed at the Port - which I did.

nimhrod

DVD & 115v on minisite...Does anyone know if the DVD entertainment package, which carries a 115v plug, will be on the new hybrids?

Go to this Toyota minisite-

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2004/highlander/minisite/printall.html

It says that it will be on them.

By the way, is there a pic anywhere that shows this car with the running boards I hear so much about?

Thoughts?

dmbflorida

Alan Jay Toyota is the dealership. I think it is in Sebring, Florida.

Now that we have purchased two new Lexus 400h SUV's, I believe we will want a basic Hybrid Highlander for another family member and we are prepared to wait to get it, hopefully without package # 1.

nimhrod

Am curious about your " "ivory leather and Silver Sky" description. I was told (and this is on the website) that the ivory leather interior is not available with the Silver paint.

tsotsi

Even though I am number one on the waiting list for a HH at a south Florida Toyota dealer, I just got discouraging news. My dealer says that the distributor for five southeast states is not planning on ordering any base model HHs without the option package. Because of the way I am going to use the car, I wouldn't take a moon roof if it were free. When I asked how long before the distributor will change its policy I was told "possibly never."

Can anybody tell me if this is the case everywhere in the country? I don't mind going out of state to get the HH I want. It seems ridiculous to buy a nice car that is not quite right. I guess I can fly pretty much anywhere in the country for the money I would save, not getting a package I don't want. Any information will be appreciated.