Execs: A number of house for passengers and cargo; refined, quiet trip; two hybrid powertrain choices
Cons: The lesser hybrid powertrain is noisy and gradual; considerably costly beginning worth
The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander, is, as its identify suggests, grander than the tried-and-true Highlander. Which means it’s greater, with extra room for individuals and cargo, together with a 3rd row that’s truly usable for adults. There’s extra happening right here than merely some inches added to the again of a daily Highlander, nevertheless. Though the 2 share underlying mechanicals, the Grand Highlander diverges from there with bolder, dare-we-say “grander” styling, extra commonplace tech, and the choice of a performance-oriented hybrid to go along with the shared gas-only and effectivity minded hybrid powertrains.
The Grand Highlander leaves a wonderful first impression, and will completely be in your quick record in the event you’re in search of a three-row household hauler, up there together with the venerable Hyundai Palisade, Kia Telluride and Honda Pilot. The numerous alternative of powertrains offers the Toyota a bonus over these rivals as properly. That’s very true of the bottom hybrid’s distinctive gas economic system, however we should warn you that it’s additionally a bit gradual and grumpy-sounding. However, if it’s in your funds, the lover Hybrid Max offers you some further effectivity whereas offering significantly better, simpler efficiency.
Inside & Know-how | Passenger & Cargo Area | Efficiency & Gas Financial system
What it is wish to drive | Pricing & Trim Ranges | Crash Rankings & Security Options
What’s new for 2024?
The Grand Highlander is an all-new mannequin in its first mannequin yr.
What are the Grand Highlander inside and in-car expertise like?
The Grand Highlander’s inside is pretty standard, however nonetheless has trademark Toyota options just like the cabinets within the sprint and up-to-date touchscreen infotainment system. For higher or for worse, there is not an enormous distinction in inside high quality from the bottom fashions to the extremely specified variations. They’re all put collectively properly and have gentle, high quality plastics. Increased trims have engaging leather-based choices and a few upholstered sprint panels, however a few of the painted plastics and pretend wooden trim do not feel good sufficient to justify the pricing, significantly when the cabins of the Telluride, Palisade and Mazda CX-90 rival entry-level luxurious SUVs.
The centerpiece of the Grand Highlander’s inside is its 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is commonplace throughout all trim ranges. It seems fashionable and reacts rapidly to inputs, however we miss the bodily menu buttons Toyota used to incorporate with its infotainment system (particularly a House button) and dislike that there isn’t any longer a split-screen view. Getting in between the Toyota and commonplace Apple/Android interfaces is especially irritating. Transfer as much as the Restricted trim, and also you additionally get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster as a substitute of the analog gauges and 7-inch show within the XLE. The Platinum trim comes with a head-up show, as properly. There’s additionally a wi-fi cellphone charger, in addition to seven USB-C ports within the cabin, together with the third row. The Grand Highlander additionally provides digital key expertise, which lets you use your cellphone to get in and activate the car, however it requires a Distant Join subscription.
How massive is the Grand Highlander?
The Grand Highlander is a three-row car, with a roomier third row than the tight confines in the best way again of the usual Highlander. It’s now snug sufficient that we wouldn’t shrink back from letting adults sit again there, with a tad extra leg- and shoulder room than the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. The remainder of the cabin is roomy, too. The second row will be had with a bench seat or captain’s chairs, permitting for seven- or eight-seat configurations. No matter the place you sit, you’ll have a wholesome quantity of head- and legroom.
It additionally has extra cargo quantity than the smaller common Highlander, most notably 20.6 cubic ft behind the third row, which is greater than most rivals and nearly as a lot because the beneficiant Kia Telluride. Which means you’ll be extra more likely to truly carry alongside baggage or groceries with out having to fold the third row seats (or spend money on a roof-top cargo field). If that’s not sufficient baggage house, there’s 57.9 cubic ft behind the second row and 97.5 with each rear rows folded.
What are the Grand Highlander gas economic system and efficiency specs?
The Grand Highlander is obtainable with a alternative of three powertrains, two of that are hybrid. The bottom energy plant is an all-gas turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine offering 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, put to the wheels through an eight-speed computerized transmission. With front-wheel drive, gas economic system is rated at 21 miles per gallon metropolis, 28 mpg freeway and 24 mpg mixed. All-wheel drive sacrifices a simply little little bit of that mileage, at 21/27/23 mpg within the XLE, and 20/26/22 mpg within the Restricted and Platinum trims.
The effectivity providing is the Grand Highlander Hybrid, with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine paired with an electrical motor and battery. It’s much less highly effective, with 245 system horsepower, however will get higher gas economic system. In front-wheel drive, it will get 37 mpg metropolis, 34 mpg metropolis and 36 mpg mixed within the XLE. Add all-wheel-drive system to the XLE (it provides one other motor, which completely powers the rear wheels), and it sees 36/32/34 mpg. These are the identical figures because the Restricted with front-wheel drive. The Restricted AWD will get 35/31/33 mpg.
The third powertrain providing is the Hybrid Max, which supplies up some gas economic system for the most effective efficiency within the lineup. It pairs the hybrid system to the two.4-liter turbo, making a mixed 362 system horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. It makes use of a six-speed computerized transmission for a extra conventional driving really feel. The Hybrid Max is barely provided with all-time all-wheel drive, and will get 26/27/27 mpg, which is best than the gas-only Grand Highlander, however not almost as environment friendly as the opposite hybrid powertrain.
What is the Grand Highlander wish to drive?
Whereas we advocate skipping the gas-only powertrain on the small Highlander in favor of the hybrid, we discover the alternative is true, right here, assuming that you just’re not in search of most gas economic system. We don’t hear the as a lot of the tough sound of the four-cylinder within the Grand highlander, letting the wholesome torque and responsive transmission shine, and giving it a extra refined expertise.
The Grand Highlander’s primary hybrid is way much less pleasing. Its 245 hp is reaching its limits with 4,455 to 4,710 kilos of curb weight to haul round. Mixed with the hybrid powertrain’s electronically managed CVT, it strikes gradual and sounds strained, the identical as it’s in our long-term Toyota Sienna. However, like with our Sienna, the gas economic system is simply so gosh-darn spectacular that you just may have the ability to forgive it – particularly as no competitor with a comparably massive inside provides something prefer it.
The Hybrid Max is a sweetheart of a powertrain, with a meaty torque band that permits for easy, simple acceleration, and the six-speed means it is not always interrupted by shifts or trying to find gears. It is a surprisingly growly powertrain, helped partly by considered software of the seamless synthetic sound enhancement. And with the full-time all-wheel drive and beefier rear motor, the ability cut up is extra evenly distributed. This leads to less-pronounced understeer when powering via corners. This all makes the Hybrid Max far and away essentially the most pleasing powertrain, and we want Toyota would supply a detuned, extra environment friendly model to supplant the common hybrid.
Whereas there are important variations in powertrains, the Grand Highlander’s trip and dealing with are just about the identical throughout the road. Up entrance is a MacPherson strut setup with a multi-link unbiased association on the rear, and the shocks are non-adjustable. Every Grand Highlander does have totally different driving modes, however they primarily modify throttle and transmission response — even the steering appears unaffected. The tuning is unquestionably towards consolation and management. It glides over bumps, and stays regular. Dealing with is not fairly as keen consequently, what with the softness and physique roll. The cabin can be impressively quiet. So so long as you are not trying to hustle your sensible hauler, you will be happy with the Grand Highlander.
What different Toyota Grand Highlander critiques can I learn?
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander First Drive Overview: ‘Grander’ in measurement, energy and worth
That is our first expertise behind the wheel of the Grand Highlander, which we discover is an enchancment over the usual Highlander in way over simply its measurement.
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Cupholder Mega Take a look at: Will the Nalgene bottle match?
The Grand Highlander has 15 cupholders. We examine all of them out and see which of them will match an outsized water bottle.
What’s the 2024 Grand Highlander worth?
The bottom trim for the Grand Highlander is the XLE, which, with the gas-only powertrain and front-wheel drive, begins at $44,405 together with $1,335 in vacation spot. All-wheel drive provides $1,600 to that. The bottom Grand Highlander Hybrid XLE begins at $46,005.
The XLE fashions have a good record of ordinary tools, together with 18-inch wheels, LED head- and taillights, energy liftgate, digital key expertise, three-zone computerized local weather management, adaptive cruise management, rain-sensing wipers, SofTex leatherette upholstery, second-row sunshades, a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wi-fi cellphone charger and 7 USB-C ports.
Options that present up on the higher trim ranges embrace 20-inch wheels, heated leather-based seating, a digital instrument panel, head-up show, digital rear-view mirror digicam, panoramic glass roof, ambient lighting, JBL premium audio system. There are not any sporty or off-road trim ranges accessible (but) for the Grand Highlander.
Pricing for the 2024 Grand Highlander lineup is as follows:
- XLE FWD: $44,405
- XLE AWD: $46,005
- Restricted FWD: $49,195
- Restricted AWD: $50,795
- Platinum AWD: $54,880
- Hybrid XLE FWD: $46,005
- Hybrid XLE AWD: $47,605
- Hybrid Restricted AWD: $52,395
- Hybrid Max Restricted AWD: $55,375
- Hybrid Max Platinum AWD: $59,460
What are the Grand Highlander security rankings and driver help options?
Customary security tools consists of computerized emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keeping help, highway signal recognition, computerized excessive beams, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning techniques, and adaptive cruise management. Additionally accessible are entrance and rear-parking help with computerized braking, a panoramic parking digicam system and Site visitors Jam Help (which permits fingers free-driving on freeways at 25 mph or much less).
The Toyota Grand Highlander has not but been crash examined by both NHTSA or the IIHS as of this writing.
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