Toyota’s 2024 Grand Highlander is big. Expanding on the Highlander in every dimension, it aims to deliver a family vehicle that is comfortable and competitive.
Although not as large as the Toyota Sienna minivan or Toyota Sequoia SUV, this expanded crossover features an additional 5.8 inches of legroom in the third row compared with the Highlander. It also boasts 2.5 more inches of shoulder room and an inch more headroom than the Japanese brand’s top-selling crossover.
Toyota said any decline in U.S. sales of the original Highlander, the top-selling large crossover in 2022, is “part of the plan” and will be made up for by customers it gains from this launch.
The Grand Highlander debuted at the Chicago Auto Show and is touted by the automaker as a vehicle for growing families. It comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, with upgraded safety and driver-assist features, including dynamic cruise control, lane keeping and automated headlights. It also has a 12.3-inch touchscreen with the Toyota Audio Multimedia System.
The crossover was designed in the U.S. and is manufactured at Toyota’s plant in Princeton, Ind. It comes standard with a 2.4-liter turbocharged I-4 engine, with two optional hybrid powertrains also available.
We’ve rounded up some reviews of the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander.
“Toyota’s all-new 2024 Grand Highlander, despite its name, is not actually just a bigger Highlander (or a poshed-up one, as Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer is to the regular Wagoneer). The three-row Grand Highlander SUV is actually a completely new vehicle, larger than the Highlander and intended to compete against the likes of the Hyundai Palisade, the Kia Telluride, Volkswagen Atlas and even Jeep’s Grand Cherokee L.
“Visually, it’s pretty easy to tell the Grand Highlander from its non-grand sibling. It’s a bigger vehicle, standing 4 inches longer, 2 inches taller, and 2.3 inches wider. From the front, the Highlander’s algae-sucker fascia is replaced by a more conventional dual-grille arrangement. From the side, the Grand Highlander does away with the Highlander’s exaggerated door-to-fender character lines, instead featuring a beltline that runs nearly parallel to the ground, and it has a thicker D-pillar. Blocky and solid, the Grand Highlander looks unashamedly like the family hauler it is. It’s a handsome vehicle in the way that a Clydesdale is a handsome horse.”
— Aaron Gold, Motor Trend
“Three different powertrains are offered in the Grand Highlander, including two shared with the regular Highlander model. The standard setup is a 265-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder with either front- or all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Highlander Hybrid uses the same hybrid powertrain as the Highlander Hybrid, which combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors to make a combined 243 horsepower. The top-spec offering will include the Hybrid Max powertrain that pairs the turbocharged 2.4-liter with an electric motor for a net 362 horsepower.
“Toyota says the Grand Highlander can hit 60 mph in 6.3 seconds and can tow up to 5,000 pounds with the Hybrid Max setup. We had a chance to drive the nonhybrid and the Hybrid Max in Hawaii and came away impressed with the latter’s quick acceleration and both models’ smooth-riding nature. While the Grand Highlander won’t raise a driver’s pulse on a twisty road, it does serve its purpose well and other than a steering wheel with a too-light feel, it’s nicely set up for errand-running, kid-toting, and road-tripping.”
— Drew Dorian, Car and Driver
“Inside the Grand Highlander, it’s clear that the family is the focal point, not the individual. During their presentation to the media, one Toyota exec mentioned the ‘chaos’ of raising a family. There’s beauty in that disorder, she insisted, and the Grand Highlander is the type of vehicle with an interior that’s flexible, spacious and functional enough to navigate that chaos.
“The driver’s seat, second-row captains’ chairs, and even the third row mostly confirm that ambition. That’ll be a selling point for many families. I found the first two rows generous on space compared to competitors in the segment (roughly $40K-and-up family mobiles). The third row can’t quite fit my 6’2” adult frame without my head hitting the ceiling (in direct conflict with some marketing material we were shown by Toyota), but all the kids in your life—and most adults under 6′ tall—will find just enough headroom and ample leg room back there. Those adults will even feel comfortable for a couple hours back there.
“A key to that third-row space is a seatback that reclines to allow extra headroom. With the 60/40 split seatback reclined in full, most of the Grand Highlander’s 21 cubic feet of cargo space is still available. That’s plenty for a family haul to the airport.
“Perhaps more important than the available room is how easy it is to access the room within the Grand Highlander. The little foot sill beside either of the second-row captains’ chairs is handy for ingress and for vaulting into the third row, or to pick a knee up and reach into the cab and pull your kid out of a car seat. That extra space for leverage makes all the difference. It’s clear that getting the troops in and out of this vehicle was a priority.”
— Kyle Kinard, Road and Track
“The front of the cabin draws elements from recently redesigned models, like the Sequoia and Lexus RX, giving it a balance of a large 12.3-inch infotainment screen, many physical buttons and knobs, and convenient storage.
“The infotainment system boasts a long roster of features and services, with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, mobile WiFi, ‘Hey Toyota’ voice recognition, and connected navigation informed by Google points-of-interest data.
“Long a Highlander staple, a premium JBL stereo is offered with 11 speakers. This is standard on the Limited and Platinum trims.
“The connected features include an SOS button to summon emergency services, automatic collision notification and stolen vehicle location. Plus there are connected maintenance reminders and tracking. “These services come with a 10-year trial period. Yes, a full decade.
“The remote connect service with a digital key can lock/unlock, remotely start the SUV, and check on status. That particular service has a one-year trial period.
“To keep the family’s devices charged, there are seven USB-C ports throughout the cabin, plus a wireless charger up front.”
— Jeff S. Bartlett, Consumer Reports
“To get a Grand Highlander, you’ll be paying a premium. The base model starts at $44,405, which is around $7,000 more than the base Honda Pilot or Kia Telluride, among others. The Grand Highlander does offer a couple extra niceties that will bring the costs closer, such as power heated memory front seats and wireless device charging, but even more comparably equipped, the Toyota is more expensive. The regular Highlander is priced closer to its three-row competitors, but it’s also smaller inside. The regular hybrid starts at $46,005, and the Hybrid Max at $55,375. Those compare favorably against the Explorer Hybrid, about the only competitor in this size bracket, with advantages in fuel economy or power, depending on the version.
“While expensive, the Toyota Grand Highlander is a better Highlander in a number of key aspects, particularly refinement and space, and its powertrain options make it a strong option, particularly if you’re looking to save fuel. That being said, that price premium can’t be ignored, and options from Honda, Kia and Hyundai can offer much of the same refinement and space with better handling, style and off-road capability.”
— Joel Stocksdale, Autoblog