The Toyota Grand Highlander is the answer to a question few had the thought to ask, what would happen if you took the iconic Highlander and made it bigger and added more tech to good measure? The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander is poised to make a splash but does it have enough in its arsenal of tricks to help carve a slice of the market for itself?
Toyota’s Grandest Highlander Boasts Plenty of Personality
The exterior of the Grand Highlander goes off in its own direction and will be a noticeable departure from its brand mate. While the standard Highlander has a melted look, the Grand version gets chunkier appointments including a larger front grille, slab sides, and a tidy rear end with sleek taillights.
Buyers hoping to get an entry-level L or LE model will not find it here with the base trim here being the XLE. In other Toyota models, the XLE trim is the mid-level offering and as a result, the styling here is a step up from the L and LE Highlanders. Our tester arrived in range-topping Platinum trim with this trim getting splashes of chrome trim and larger chrome wheels.
The look here is roughly what you would expect from others in its segment with the Grand Highlander targeting the Ford Explorer and the Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The latter had us ask Toyota reps whether there was any potential for legal obstacles from rival Stellantis about using the word Grand in its name, but they assured us that everything was fine in that regard.
Luxury Takes Spotlight in Grand Highlander Platinum
The Grand Highlander’s interior is where the extended moniker pays dividends. The cabin is roomier than a standard Highlander and it also comes with higher-quality materials especially on Platinum models. The third-row seats benefit from the larger platform and have room to haul adult-sized passengers though occupants with long legs (like this author) will still have tight knee room to work with.
The dashboard also has a symmetrical design and Toyota stylists wanted to ensure that the space had a high level of usability and ergonomics in four-season driving. Platinum models like our tester don’t get wood trim but comfort is the star of the show here with the front heated and cooled leather seats offering impressive amounts of comfort and support. The second row arrives standard as a bench, but buyers can swap those out for captain’s chairs if they want a seven-seat arrangement.
While the Platinum and Limited trims are tailored towards luxury buyers, the base XLE still comes with an impressive array of standard equipment including a power liftgate, heated front seats, second-row window shades, and several types of charging ports and outlets. A 12.3-inch infotainment system is standard on all trim levels but buyers looking to get the matching digital instrument cluster will have to move to the Limited and Platinum trim with the base XLE model getting a smaller 7.0-inch display.
Hybrid Performance Seals the Deal
Performance for the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander comes from three engine offerings. The base XLE gets a naturally aspirated 265 hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder with front-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission standard. All-wheel drive is also available but only as an option.
A hybrid engine is also available but the 2.4 here gets swapped out for a slightly bigger 2.5-liter that makes a combined 245 hp and gets 37 mpg in city driving. Buyers looking for more power will have to move up to the Hybrid MAX model which is only available in the Limited and Platinum trims. The MAX gets less fuel economy (26/27/27) but makes more power with this engine making a combined 362 hp.
This engine made a strong showing in our Platinum tester and while it will not set the world on fire with some of its driving dynamics, Toyota says that the model can make the sprint to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. That’s not bad for a hybrid-equipped SUV and the extra muscle makes the Grand Highlander a capable everyday commuter. To balance things out, Toyota was forced to swap in a 6-speed automatic which was necessary to help cope with the extra power generated by the Hybrid MAX engine.
The Grand Highlander also delivers strong braking but that’s balanced out by the steering’s lack of feel and some of the slop that exists in the platform when the SUV is tasked with twisty sections of tarmac.
Value Quotient
Pricing for the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander follows the same basic script that we have seen in other Toyota models with the pricing ladder itself being split into two branches one for the non-hybrid models and the other one being reserved for hybrid models.
A base naturally aspirated front-wheel drive XLE model starts at $44,715 with all-wheel drive adding $1600 to the sticker. Prices go up accordingly, but Toyota expects the hybrid models to be the volume sellers with these models starting at $46,415. The Hybrid MAX is the pinnacle of the Grand Highlander family with a Limited version starting at $55,785.
Our range-topping Platinum tester started at $59,870 with our example arriving with some minor options that caused the final price to just crest over $60,000. That figure puts our tester firmly in the race with others in its segment but the main problem is that its pricing puts it too close to the Lexus TX’s first three trim levels. While the Lexus gets higher-grade materials, the performance hardware in these lower trims doesn’t create enough of a divide in raw power to separate the two models and that can make the Grand Highlander a tough choice for buyers especially those that are willing to pay a little more to get a higher quality interior.
Meanwhile, the Grand Highlander also faces a tough challenge from the Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The Jeep has more capability off-road than the Toyota and it also has more technology as well including a passenger side-mounted touchscreen infotainment system.
At the end of the day, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander is banking on some of its unique attributes to make itself stand out. The model is a noticeable improvement over the standard Highlander and the enhanced technology and comfort present in this SUV make it a top-tier contender in the segment. However, with the segment embracing more screens and mobile-focused features, the Grand Highlander will need to polish up on some of the fine details to be an excellent all-rounder.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.