Critical mass, as stated by Merriam Webster, is a size, number, or amount large enough to produce a particular result. Have hybrid vehicle sales reached such a number? Or maybe it’s more of a tipping point.

Toyota is well-known for its iconic Prius hybrid, but for those who want a more accommodating vehicle, there's the Highlander Hybrid. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Author Malcolm Gladwell, who wrote “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference,” considers tipping points "the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable." Or possibly it comes down to marketing? We tend to eat what we’re being fed. Whatever the reason, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) are not only here to stay, but according to a survey just conducted by JPMorgan, they’ll soon take off in a very big way.

How big? Globally, more than 480,000 HEVs were sold in 2008, a number that represents 1% of totally vehicle sales. By 2020, however, JPMorgan estimates that a worldwide total of 11.28 million hybrid vehicles will be sold each year, boosting HEV sales up to 13%.

The seats are quite comfortable and the seating position is excellent. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

US hybrid sales are expected to reach 20% of total vehicles purchased by this date, so therefore we can expect similar results in Canada, if not a greater percentage due to our higher fuel prices.

If JPMorgan is right, Toyota is in for continued strong sales growth compared to its competition. Certainly other manufacturers build hybrid vehicles, but no brand is as cohesively associated with HEVs as Toyota, thanks mostly to its iconic Prius, the hybrid sales leader with about 75% of the global HEV market. For some, however, the midsize Prius doesn’t fill the bill, and to that end Toyota has been expanding its hybrid lineup over the years to include larger more accommodating models.

The overall layout of controls is good, but the large radio and climate control knobs feel a little flimsy. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

The largest, most accommodating Toyota hybrid is this vehicle, the Highlander Hybrid. Now in the second year of its second generation, the 2009 iteration continues to be a particularly compelling ride. No, it’s not going to light up its tires with a prod at the throttle nor speed along at 250 km/h, but it will move forward with enough energy so as not to hold up traffic thanks to a total output of 270 horsepower and 212 lb-ft of torque, pass quickly when needed and manage it all in an especially efficient manner.

Toyota rates the Highlander Hybrid at 7.4L/100km in the city and 8.0 on the highway, which, for a seven-occupant crossover SUV with room to spare for luggage is ruddy thrifty. I used a little more fuel in the city and on the highway than the estimated mileage, but was still happy with the results considering I live in a hilly area and wasn’t exactly hypermiling.

The rear seat has a switchable central console/seat that tucks neatly into its own compartment below the front centre console. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

The Highlander Hybrid’s CVT gearbox is ultra-smooth when “shifting”, and the crossover also delivers an excellent ride, plus fairly competent handling overall and good for this class. The seats are quite comfortable and the seating position is excellent, matching great visibility through all windows, aided by a rearview camera.

The overall layout of controls is good and the quality of switchgear is reasonable, although the large radio and temp controls, while easy to use in the dead of winter if wearing gloves, feel a little flimsy.

The Highlander Hybrid is a quiet kind of green — a few discreet badges on the exterior and under the hood are the only visual clues that it is indeed a hybrid. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Lovers of soft-touch plastics will be left out in the cold too, as there are none to be found in the Highlander. Fit and finish is mostly good, however, but Toyota is no longer a leader in this respect, with most competitors now either caught up or ahead. Toyota nevertheless does well in resale value, and the brand’s overall reliability is well above average.

But really, where else are you going to find a seven-occupant hybrid? OK, GM offers three versions of basically the same truck, the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, GMC Yukon Hybrid and Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, although these, based on MSRP (my… ahem… guess is that large discounts are available) these are much more expensive than the $42,315 base retail price of the Highlander Hybrid (my Limited model came to $55,800 including Toyota’s $1,440 freight and delivery charge), and the GM competitors are traditional truck-based SUVs rather than crossovers, which is either a positive or negative depending on your point of view. Likewise, Chrysler’s Aspen Hybrid and the Dodge Durango Hybrid could be classified as competitors too. As buying trends indicate, however, Toyota appears to have the upper hand in offering a crossover HEV.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(J004) Standard Black Paint

(J003) Standard Metallic Paint

(0070*) Premium Paint

(J002) Standard Pearl Paint

(B) Comfort Package

(C) Leather Package