Reader Review of the Week: 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

"Family of Four" from Los Angeles was in search of the perfect family vehicle — something that was easily maneuverable, versatile and fuel efficient. The family settled on the 2012 Toyota Highlander Hybrid for its comfortable, quiet ride and superb fuel economy. For all the reasons why Family of Four chose the Highlander Hybrid over the likes of the Honda Pilot and Lexus RX, continue reading below. Once you're done, write a review about your own car here.

Most Popular Car Seat Checks

Parents, grandparents and caretakers know what a pain it can be to install child-safety seats into a car. Imagine doing it over and over and over again. That's what our Car Seat Check team does nearly every week as it tests new cars to find out how easy it is to use the Latch system.

Car Seat Checks are performed by Cars.com editor Kelsey Mays, Cars.com photographer Ian Merritt and Cars.com editor and certified car-seat technician Jennifer Newman.

Toyota Recalls 420,000 Cars, SUVs and Minivans

Toyota has issued a voluntary recall to a correct a potential defect with the power steering pump. The recall affects about 283,000 Toyota and 137,000 Lexus vehicles in the U.S, the company says.

In the recall are V-6 models of the following vehicles:

• 2004 Toyota Avalon
• 2004-05 Toyota Camry
• 2004-05 Toyota Highlander
• 2004-05 Toyota Sienna
• 2004-05 Toyota Camry Solara
• 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
• 2004-05 Lexus ES 330 
• 2004-05 Lexus RX 330
• 2006 Lexus RX 400h

No four-cylinder models are involved in the recall, Toyota says.

Cars.com Reviews the 2011 Toyota Highlander

There isn’t much to complain about on the 2011 Toyota Highlander, according to Cars.com Managing Editor David Thomas. The vehicle is quiet, comfortable and capable against newer competitors like the Ford Explorer. Not much has changed on the 2012 model year compared with the 2011 model, so this review will serve shoppers of that vehicle, too.

2011 Toyota Highlander Review

Vote for the Cars.com's Shoppers' Choice Award

Cars.com's annual popularity award is back. We have found the 10 most popular new-car models that shoppers are not only searching for on Cars.com but are contacting dealers about. These models also receive positive consumer reviews.

This fervent interaction delivers a top 10 that might surprise some enthusiasts, but probably not the people who buy and sell cars.

Voting for this year’s Shoppers' Choice awards will be conducted entirely on Facebook, so go vote, share it with your network and get your favorite car the shiny trophy when it's announced Jan. 10 on the eve of the Detroit auto show.

Shoppers' Choice finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Audi Q5
• Dodge Challenger
• GMC Terrain
• Honda Accord
• Honda Pilot
• Kia Soul
• Ram 1500
• Subaru Outback
• Toyota Highlander
• Toyota Sienna

2011 Toyota Highlander: Car Seat Check

This Car Seat Check was originally published in October 2011 on MotherProof.com.

The 2011 Toyota Highlander is a three-row SUV that appeals to many parents because of its ingenious flexible seating in the second row and its standard third row. The second row has a three-seat bench with a removable center seat that can be stowed in the bottom of the center console. Removing the middle seat creates two captain's chairs and a walkway to the third row. A center console can be easily installed between the captain's chairs.  The Highlander seats eight.

For the Car Seat Check, we use a Graco SnugRide 30 rear-facing infant-safety seat, a Britax Roundabout convertible child-safety seat and Graco high-back TurboBooster seat.

Cars.com's $37,000 SUV Shootout

Cars.com's editors continue to dissect some of the most popular car segments in the country. We've tackled midsize sedans, compacts and small crossovers, but what about the vehicles of choice for people needing three rows of seats? The three-row crossover/SUV segment is booming with the entry of the redesigned Ford Explorer and Dodge Durango. However, tried-and-true picks like the Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and Chevy Traverse held their own in our competition. We even threw in the smaller Kia Sorento. Oh, and they all had to be priced under $37,000 as-tested.

See which one wowed our editors and our real-life test family.

Cars.com $37,000 SUV Shootout

MotherProof.com Car Seat Check Recap

The 2012 Hyundai Accent's redesign delivered a more fuel-efficient and spacious ride, especially on the hatchback body style. So how does the new Accent hold up as a carrier of small children in car seats? Installing two child-safety seats in the rear was a cinch, according to MotherProof.com.

2011 Toyota Highlander: Car Seat Check
2012 Dodge Charger: Car Seat Check
2012 Hyundai Accent: Car Seat Check

Toyota's U.S. Production Returns to 100%

Toyota confirmed that production at its North American plants has returned to normal this week. The news comes after nearly five months of slowed production due to limited supplies from the automaker’s Japanese part suppliers. Toyota’s 13 North American plants make the company’s best-sellers in the U.S., including the Camry, RAV4, Corolla, Highlander and Sienna. In all, nearly 70% of the cars Toyota sells in the U.S. are made in North America.

The recovery is ahead of schedule; Toyota originally stated that it didn’t expect to get everything up and running again until November or December at the latest.

The company will now focus on replenishing dealer inventories with overtime and Saturday shifts at some plants. Toyota expects there to be a 15% increase in its supply in the last three months of 2011.

The company also says that construction work on its 14th North American assembly plant, a Corolla factory in Mississippi, is almost complete. Production will begin there in October, employing 2,000 workers. 

Recall Alert: 2006-07 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h

Toyota is recalling 45,500 Toyota Highlander Hybrid and 36,700 Lexus RX 400h crossovers from the 2006 and 2007 model years due to a defective power module. Some of the transistors on the module were “inadequately soldered” during manufacture and could become damaged.

If the parts do fail, the car will alert drivers with warning lights on the gauge display and then enter either a fail-safe or “limp home” mode. In a worst case scenario, the entire hybrid system will fail and the car will be essentially dead.

The recall will begin in mid-July when Toyota is able to obtain enough replacement parts to address the full recall. For more info, owners can call Toyota at 800-331-4331, Lexus at 800-255-3987 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 888-327-4236.