2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Revealed: No More Tight Third Row

The 2024 Grand Highlander brings Toyota’s SUV model count to eight.

Ahead of the 2023 Chicago Auto Show, Toyota late Wednesday night revealed the 2024 Grand Highlander. As the name suggests, this new model slots in between the existing Highlander and Sequoia as a larger, more spacious three-row SUV. The new model also offers exclusive features over the regular Highlander, including a more powerful turbocharged hybrid powertrain.

It’s no secret that the current Highlander has one of the tighter third-rows in the segment. The Grand Highlander’s mission objective is to remedy that. The new model grows 6.5 inches (165 millimeters) in length and roughly two inches (51 mm) in height and width. Toyota says there’s a “spacious adult-sized third row,” and that tracks. In fact, the Grand Highlander’s way-back, with 33.5 inches (851 mm) of legroom, nearly matches big brother Sequoia. It beats it on third-row headroom, too: 37.2 inches (945 mm).

It will be pretty easy to spot the Grand Highlander on the road as well. Not only is it a bigger rig than the non-Grand model, it features wholly different bodywork, despite sharing the same TNGA-K platform. The GH trades out the smooth surfaces, narrowed lights, winged grille, and Supra-aping rear shoulder of its little brother for a blockier, simpler look. The rectangular head- and taillights and gaping front grille align more closely with the RAV4 and 4Runner. The angled D-pillar and its lower shutline in particular is pure RAV4. Wheel sizes are 18 inches on the lowest trim, and 20s everywhere else.

The engine lineup is familiar, with a new addition at the top. The torquey 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder from the refreshed 2023 Highlander serves as the base engine. Also shared with the existing three-row is the 2.5-liter hybrid setup. Both are available with the choice of front- or all-wheel drive in America. Toyota didn’t quote performance figures for either, but we expect them to line up with the Highlander: 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet for the turbo, 243 hp and 175 lb-ft for the hybrid. Toyota does estimate that the Grand Highlander Hybrid will be capable of 34 mpg combined, however. That’s just 2 mpg worse than the regular Highlander Hybrid.

At the top of the range sits the Grand Highlander Platinum. Like the Crown Platinum, it boasts the new Hybrid Max powertrain, which consists of the 2.4-liter turbo-four, a pair of electric motors, a six-speed automatic transmission, and a unique, performance-minded all-wheel drive system. This setup is good for 362 hp and an even 400 lb-ft of torque; enough to scoot the Grand Highlander to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 6.3 seconds. When equipped with the turbo engine and AWD (either hybrid or not), the Grand Highlander offers six selectable drive modes.

The interior evolves the cleaner design direction Toyota debuted in the Mirai and Crown. The dashboard features a small shelf ahead of the passenger, with a dedicated USB-C charging port. A wider center console is altogether cleaner in execution, with three cupholders and Toyota’s latest pint-sized shifter. A sliding lid opens up access to the center console storage, keeping the armrests available for, well, arms to rest. The passenger-side of the transmission tunnel features a small cubby, too. XLE models use Toyota Softex for the seating surfaces; Limited introduces leather to the mix. The Platinum trim gets some snazzy bronze trim highlights, too, plus heated and ventilated second-row seats.

Second-row passengers get their own climate control panel, cupholders and pair of USB ports with the captain’s chair setup; the third row has the latter two, as well. All told, there are 13 cupholders inside the Grand Highlander.

Toyota’s great new infotainment system is standard in the Grand Highlander, showing up on a 12.3-inch touchscreen on all trims. There’s also an available digital instrument panel, which impressed us in the refreshed 2023 Highlander.

As the penultimate step up the Toyota SUV ladder, the Grand Highlander comes with just about everything Toyota can offer. Useful available technology includes a digital key, Wi-Fi hotspot, power-folding mirrors, touch-free power tailgate, head-up display, 360-degree camera, and more. There is also a 100-watt power outlet in the Limited and Platinum (bumped to 1,500-watt in hybrid models).

Toyota will build the 2024 Grand Highlander at its Princeton, Indiana plant. The Japanese company says to expect pricing and on-sale dates later this summer, which suggests a launch around the final third of the year. As you read this, AutoGuide is on the ground at the reveal event, so expect our video preview very soon.

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