What is Toyota thinking with the 2024 Grand Highlander? The new affordable three-row SUV is so good it competes effectively against the company’s new luxury Lexus TX model, which is based on it.
If you’re in the market for a large, comfortable, good-driving SUV with loads of technology and premium touches, check out the 2024 Grand Highlander before Toyota realizes what they’ve done and raises the price. The least expensive Grand Highlander XLE starts at a ridiculously low $45,020. Even the top-of-the-line Platinum Hybrid MAX AWD version is only $58,125 — which is just a little more than the entry-level Lexus TX 350 and well below the upper trim levels. A lot of buyers who compare the Grand Highlander to an equivalent Lexus TX are likely to say, thank you very much, but I’ll keep the change. And I predict they’ll be very happy.
I thought this would eventually happen when the big three Japanese car companies created their own luxury brands. Honda, Nissan, and Toyota use some of their affordable vehicles as the foundations for their more expensive Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus cars and SUVs. That has worked well so far because the upgrades are so substantial. But the companies have kept improving their affordable vehicles and offering more and more premium features on their top-of-the-line models — reducing the distance to their entry-level luxury models.
The 2024 Grand Highlander has crossed that line in large part because it is already a larger and more upscale version of Toyota’s popular Highlander, which was introduced as one of the first midsize three-row crossover SUVs in 2001. That means it has always been designed like a car instead of being based on a truck, giving it a more comfortable ride and better mileage, while still being available with all-wheel-drive. The Highlander was also one of the first SUVs of any size to offer a hybrid powertrain that improved mileage even more — up to an EPA estimated 35 miles per gallon, which is impressive for any three-row vehicle.
The 2024 Grand Highlander is not merely a fancier version of the Highlander, however. It is a full four inches longer, with the additional length creating just about the only third row of seats in a midsize SUV that can carry adults in comfort. Toyota also squared off the rear flanks of the Grand Highlander, giving it a boxier appearance, accented by the massive front air dam repeated on the Lexus TX. The result is a substantial looking SUV that can be mistaken for a full-size, but is easier to drive in downtown traffic. All-wheel-drive is standard on upper trim levels.
The front cabin of the Grand Highlander is basically the same as its smaller sibling, with the exception of the 12.3-inch display, which is upright instead of integrated into the dash. The result is a more formal look, as befitting grandness. The infotainment system is still the same easy to use version available in other Toyotas. A 7.0-inch gauge cluster digital display is standard, but upper trim levels get a larger, all-digital 12.3-inch gauge display.
The Grand Highlander is available with three turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The base 2.4-liter inline produces 265 horsepower and is good for up to 23 miles per gallon, according to the EPA. Car and Driver found it could go zero to 60 in 7 seconds, which is typical of three-row SUVs. Two hybrid version are also offered. The 2.5-liter is rated at 245 and can get up to 37 miles per gallon. The Hybrid MAX 2.4-liter pumps out a more impressive 363 horsepower. Car and Driver said it can hit 60 in 5.6 seconds, which is very quick for such a large vehicle. The EPA estimates it can get up to 27 miles per gallon.
Drive and traction modes are chosen by buttons arrayed around the shifter. On the AWD versions, they feature an impressive selection: Eco, Normal, Sport, Mud & Sand, Rock & Dirt, and Snow. Unlike some vehicles, the Sport mode significantly improves acceleration.
All Grand Highlanders also come with a suite of driver-assistance features Toyota calls Safety Sense 3.0. In addition to basics such as blind-spot monitoring and automated emergency braking, they include adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlamps, and a road sign recognition system.
My test 2024 Grand Highlander was the top-of-the-line Platinum AWD version with the Hybrid MAX engine. In nearly a week of testing, it was always supremely comfortable and drove with a confidence-inspiring sense of stability. When pushed, the exhaust produced a satisfying growl, but the ride was otherwise as quiet as a genuine luxury vehicle. I drove it back from Mudfest 2024 in the Olympia area to Portland through several heavy downpours and it never missed a beat.
The interior was also a step or more above Toyota’s already high standards. The leather seats looked and felt rich, and most of the plastics were soft to the touch. Hard plastic was kept to a minimum, and even that was accented by tasteful gold trim, once again reinforcing the grandness.
Toyota may have created a whole new quasi-luxury standard with the 2024 Grand Highlander. Off-road Toyota enthusiasts will still choose the truck-based 4Runner (based on the Tacoma) or Sequoia (based on the Tundra). But for day-to-day family driving, budget conscious buyers who want to pamper themselves should thank the company by checking it out right away.
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander
Base price: $45,020 (base XLE FWD)
Price as tested: $59,878 (AWD Platinum - as tested)
Type: Midsize three-row SUV
Engines: Turbocharged 2.4-liter 4 (265 hp, 310 lbs-ft); turbocharged hybrid 2.5-liter 4 (245 hp, TBD lbs-ft); turbocharged Hybrid MAX 2.4-liter 4 (363 hp, 400 lbs-ft – as tested)
Transmissions: Continuously Variable Transmission; 8-speed automatic; 6-speed automatic with paddle shifter (as tested)
Drive and traction modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Mud & Sand; Rock & Dirt, Snow
EPA estimated mileage: 37/34 (hybrid 2.5 FWD); 26/27 (Hybrid MAX - as tested)
Towing capacity: 3,500 pounds (hybrid 2.5); 5,000 pounds (Hybrid MAX 2.4)
Overall length: 201.4 inches
Curb weight: 6340 pounds
Final assembly: Princeton, Indiana
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