We really like the mission statement and execution of Toyota’s new Grand Highlander. It’s practical, well-designed, and fits a clear need.

The Toyota Grand Highlander fills a niche that has long been asking to be addressed. The three-row, but still midsize while offering an adult-friendly third row sector is a spot that is underserved and now very in demand. The Kia Telluride best filled this niche up to now and it’s good to see a competitive Toyota jumping in.

The Grand Highlander won’t cause horripilation when first driven. It’s not speedy, fun, or any other exciting adjective. It is, instead, extremely practical and fairly good looking. The kind you marry, not the kind you party with.

The Grand Highlander isn’t based on the Highlander it shares a name with, having a different chassis and larger overall size and build. It is, however, not a departure from the popular Highlander model’s core mission: family hauling. The Grand Highlander adds a third row that even six footers can fit in and cargo space to match.

With over four decades of doling out trusted automotive advice and extensive vehicle knowledge, both behind the wheel and under the hood, Car Talk's founder and original Tappet Brother Ray Magliozzi shares his first-hand experience test driving the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander.

The closest competitor to the Grand Highlander is the well-established Palisade, with its excellent third row and very well-done interior. The new Toyota, however, has more cargo space and is offered with efficient hybrid options.

Similar to the Palisade, but even roomier, the Telluride is a strong competitor to the Highlander. It is also not offered in a hybrid option, though, giving the Grand Highlander a bit of edge.

Of those listed here, the CX-90 is the most dynamic of the three-row options. It’s a fun drive with a good amount of interior room. Its third row is not nearly as roomy as that in the Grand Highlander, however, and cargo space with the third row in use is miniscule by comparison.

Starting price for the new Toyota Grand Highlander is about $45,000 plus delivery. Most buyers can expect to be close to $50,000 in final purchase, however, after delivery fees and additional accessories are added. Still a great price for a crossover-SUV of this size.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander is an all-new model in the Toyota lineup. It’s loosely based on, but has a separate chassis from the Highlander. It adds over five inches of third row legroom plus more cargo space and more headroom in the back.

This first generation of the Grand Highlander is designed to accommodate buyers with needs for more passenger space without having to resort to a full-sized SUV.

The Grand Highlander comes standard with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. This outputs 265 horsepower to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. This is the version of the Grand Highlander we tested, as the hybrid models were not yet available.

We found that the little turbo-4 was adequate for the Grand Highlander, which is a relatively bulky machine compared to its standard Highlander cousin. We weren’t impressed with the acceleration feel, especially under a nearly-full passenger load (six in all). The engine is aimed more at efficiency than at power production, which can mean it lacks confidence in some situations. Especially freeway onramps and steep inclines.

In the hybrid models, which include a Grand Highlander Hybrid and a Hybrid Max, the geared transmission is swapped for a continuously variable transmission. The hybrid’s engine goes up to 2.5 liters, with two electric motors added. The Hybrid Max stays with the 2.4L turbo, but adds an electric motor. The hybrid has a 245 horsepower total output while the Hybrid Max raises that to 362. Both of these have a far superior acceleration feel thanks to the immediate torque the electric motors provide.

The Grand Highlander otherwise maneuvers well for its size and is a comfortable, well-mannered drive in most situations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet crash tested and reported on the Toyota Grand Highlander. It is on their list to be completed this year, but as of this writing has not yet been published.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has published favorable results for the Grand Highlander in crash tests conducted. This Toyota received a second-best Acceptable rating on the small overlap frontal crash test and for its headlamps. It otherwise received top scores of Good on all other tests. Including child safety seat LATCH installation.

Toyota as a brand enjoys a high reliability expectation and a reputation for excellent dependability. The Grand Highlander, being a totally new model, however, has no history to judge its real-world reliability yet. We expect it to do well, since it’s not a far cry from other Toyota products that have proven themselves dependable.

The base model Toyota Grand Highlander comes pretty well equipped for its price tag. The XLE includes a lot of extras like tri-zone climate, heated exterior mirrors, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as examples. The only option is the panoramic sunroof, which we are not fond of.

Upgrading to the hybrid model, which we think is the better setup for the Grand Highlander, comes pretty cheap for the benefits given. Much more bang for the buck there.

Toyota’s warranty coverage isn’t all that special when compared to competitive options. Toyota enjoys a reputation for reliability, but warranty coverage on both Hyundai and Kia rivals to the Grand Highlander is nearly double what Toyota offers.

• Basic: 3 years / 36k miles
• PowerTrain: 5 years / 60k miles
• Hybrid components: 8 years / 100k miles
• Battery pack: 10 years / 150k miles
• If buying used look at our best extended warranties

The Grand Highlander is a completely new model introduced this model year, so used options are not available yet.

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