BobEB
New Jersey
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Is anyone flat towing a Highlander 4x4 hybrid?, also what experience has anyone had towing a 4x4 hybrid?
Thanks,
bob
BobEB
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slabman
Plano TX or somewhere along the road
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I was thinking the same thing. We know Toyota isn't hot about wanting us to tow their cars, but this and the Ford hybrid are about the only SUV's with decent mileage.
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Peralko
San Antonio, Texas
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The Ford hybrids; Mariner and Escape, are flat towable, the Highlander is not. The Highlander hybrid uses both front and rear elactric motors, and Toyota warns severe hybrid drive damage could occur if towed flat.
Just read Ford is upgrading their hybrids for 2009, so they could be worth the wait.
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kmb1966
Houston
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Peralko wrote:The Ford hybrids; Mariner and Escape, are flat towable, the Highlander is not. The Highlander hybrid uses both front and rear elactric motors, and Toyota warns severe hybrid drive damage could occur if towed flat.
Just read Ford is upgrading their hybrids for 2009, so they could be worth the wait.
And WAIT you will. Ford is going to only make 25,000 of these 2009s. It is crazy. According to Ford, it is not a parts or battery problem with the Escape. They made a "business decision" to only produce 25,000 Escapes. Bad business decision if you ask me. This car is nearly always sold before it hits the dealer lot. I'd be stamping these things out left and right if I were Ford. I'd have the Explorer and Expedition available by special order only. Sometimes I wonder if the Ford marketing department realizes that you should make more of what you sell, and make less of what doesn't sell.
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slabman
Plano TX or somewhere along the road
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Right-on. And some wonder why the Japanese mfrs. are kicking butt and the domestic guys are sucking? I've never been able to understand their thinking either. Why can't we find other towable hybrid/high mileage models to pick from?
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amxpress
Clayton, NC
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FYI,
The Highlander hybrid only has rear motors on the 4X4 model.
You can tow the 2 WD model with a dolly.
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slabman
Plano TX or somewhere along the road
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I haven't owned a U.S. model car (gotta be careful how I say that) for 20 years. And that's because they don't give us what we (I) want. 
Chrysler doesn't have a hybrid that I am aware of and GM puts hybrid in their big trucks (Trucks? Go figure), but why not in the smaller cars and SUV's that we can tow? And then we know about Ford.... DUH? Personally, they all can go broke if they don't want to listen to the marketplace.
I choose to tow a Toyota product which is not recommended, but they do everything else for me I'm will to take the chance. If I blow the tranny, it's worth it to me.
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Peralko
San Antonio, Texas
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amxpress wrote:FYI,
The Highlander hybrid only has rear motors on the 4X4 model.
You can tow the 2 WD model with a dolly.
The Highlander hybrid only comes in 4x4 for 2008 and cannot be towed flat. Any front-wheel car can be towed on a dolly.
* This post was
edited 05/25/08 04:55pm by Peralko *
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Peralko
San Antonio, Texas
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kmb1966 wrote:Peralko wrote:The Ford hybrids; Mariner and Escape, are flat towable, the Highlander is not. The Highlander hybrid uses both front and rear elactric motors, and Toyota warns severe hybrid drive damage could occur if towed flat.
Just read Ford is upgrading their hybrids for 2009, so they could be worth the wait.
And WAIT you will. Ford is going to only make 25,000 of these 2009s. It is crazy. According to Ford, it is not a parts or battery problem with the Escape. They made a "business decision" to only produce 25,000 Escapes. Bad business decision if you ask me. This car is nearly always sold before it hits the dealer lot. I'd be stamping these things out left and right if I were Ford. I'd have the Explorer and Expedition available by special order only. Sometimes I wonder if the Ford marketing department realizes that you should make more of what you sell, and make less of what doesn't sell.
I'm not waiting--I got my hybrid. But for those who may be interested in the Escape or Mariner hybrids, the wait could be worthwhile. However, the wait could be long with limited production.
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amxpress
Clayton, NC
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Sorry,
Wasn't up to date on my data.
Pass the crow.
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