2024 Toyota Grand Highlander fills the 3-row gap

Despite having three three-row SUVs in its lineup, Toyota had a glaring hole in its showroom thanks to these vehicles all having compromised packaging. 

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander represents the third three-row SUV in Toyota’s lineup, and it fills a big gap left by the compromised packaging in both the smaller Highlander and the full-size Sequoia.

With a TCC Rating of 7.0 out of 10, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander features a usable third row, good overall packaging, a trio of powertrain options, easy-to-use technology, and sharp design. But the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride are nicer inside, the Hybrid Max efficiency disappoints, and there’s still a bit of compromise in the packaging.

After covering nearly 900 miles during family road trips over a week, I uncovered some pros and cons of the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander.

Pro: Toyota Grand Highlander fits the entire family and gear

The Toyota Grand Highlander fixes the Highlander’s space issue thanks to a 3.9-inch longer wheelbase. At 5-foot-10 I can fit behind myself in all three rows comfortably, and there’s still 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row up, which is 4.6 cubic feet more than the Highlander. More importantly there’s 5.8 inches more legroom in the Grand Highlander’s third row than in the Highlander, which translates to enough leg-, foot-, and head-room for an adult to sit in the way back. Ironically, it’s more spacious and comfortable in the third row of the Grand Highlander than in the larger Sequoia. With the third row folded, there’s 57.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which was enough to haul my daughter’s two duffles from sleep-away camp, plus our family of four’s luggage for a vacation weekend at the lake. The Palisade and Telluride’s space advantage has been eclipsed by over 11 cubic feet behind the second row.

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Con: Toyota Grand Highlander features a sloped cargo area

A quick look at photos will show a flat cargo floor even with the third row of seats folded. But it’s somewhat deceiving. In reality, the entire cargo floor slopes towards the rear cargo area to make that fold-flat situation work. This is because the hybrid powertrain’s battery pack lives beneath the third-row seat bottoms. This wouldn’t be that big of a deal, but Toyota didn’t create a raised lip like the Ford Explorer features (Ford calls it an Apple Catcher, which is aptly named) to prevent items like groceries or soccer balls from rolling out of the back as soon as the cargo door’s opened.

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Pro: Toyota Grand Highlander offers powertrain choices

Base Grand Highlanders are powered by a 2.4-liter turbo-4 rated at 265 hp, but the more interesting powertrains are the two hybrids. The Hybrid model pairs a 2.5-liter inline-4 with a motor generator for a combined 243 hp. My tester’s Hybrid Max powertrain paired the 2.4-liter turbo-4 with two motors and a 6-speed automatic transmission for a combined output of 362 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. For a (Grand) Highlander it’s quick. This is like twin-turbo V-6 power with a 0-60 mph sprint of 6.3 seconds in a large SUV. The power transitions are smooth and the engine note has a surprisingly deep grumble with a bit of V-6-like gruffness.

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Con: Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max under achieves on fuel efficiency

The Hybrid Max powertrain is the most powerful option in the Grand Highlander, but it’s not supposed to be the least efficient. With EPA ratings of 26 mpg city, 27 highway, and 27 combined, the Hybrid Max powertrain falls in the middle of the Grand Highlander’s efficiency ratings. But in reality over the course of 893 miles of a highway road trip with varying speeds of 60 to 80 mph, it only averaged 23.8 mpg. That’s similar to the non-hybrid V-6 Telluride and Palisade, if not worse. You can have efficiency or power, but not both. Fuel misers will want the regular Grand Highlander Hybrid.

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Pro: Toyota Grand Highlander looks like an SUV

While the Highlander became softer for this generation with certain bits that look like they are melting, the Grand Highlander swings the other direction. With an upright cabin, crisp lines, and blocky front and rear ends, the Grand Highlander looks like an overgrown RAV4.

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Con: Toyota Grand Highlander’s bland interior

There’s no arguing the Grand Highlander’s family-friendly interior that includes seven USB ports (enough for each passenger), 13 cup holders, and three rows of adult seating. But its overall interior design and materials are more in line with the latest Honda Pilot than the Palisade and Telluride that have softer, better grained materials and shiny metallic trim. There’s no pizazz in this Toyota, just function. At least the Grand Highlander’s volume knob for the radio has been moved to the driver side rather than way over on the passenger side like in the Highlander.=

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander provides compelling reasons for buyers to pause before buying a Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride thanks to three rows of adult seating, an SUV-like look, and functional interior controls. The introduction of the Grand Highlander fixes a problem for Toyota while in turn creating a new one for the competition. 

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2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max Limited AWD

Base price: $44,465, including $1,335 destination

Price as tested: $55,800

Powertrain: 362-hp hybrid, all-wheel drive

EPA fuel economy: 26/27/27 mpg

The hits: Lots of power, SUV looks, lots of room, good packaging and lots of space

The misses: Hybrid Max not real-world efficient, bland interior, sloped cargo floor