The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander – Elevating the SUV Experience

The new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander gives you exactly what you expect. This bigger and bolder Highlander adds comfort and style on a grand scale.

For the past few years, the regular Highlander has lost ground to the likes of the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, and Honda Pilot. That time has passed, and the new Grand Highlander is here to regain a strong foothold in the three-row midsize SUV market. This new Toyota SUV is bigger, more spacious, and more capable than the regular Highlander. This new model uses an entirely new platform; let’s see what it has for you.

The Grand Highlander features three distinct powertrains

When shopping for this new Toyota SUV, you’ll find an impressive trio of powertrains. The base system features a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This setup delivers 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque for the drive. This system can be had in either FWD or AWD layout.

Moving up to the first hybrid powertrain, you’ll find a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and two electric motors that make 245 horsepower while using an eCVT to send this power to the wheels. This model can also be had in either FWD or AWD configuration.

The top powertrain is the Hybrid Max model, which pairs a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor. This power setup is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission to send power to all four wheels. The Hybrid Max delivers 362 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through an advanced AWD system.

Choose the base or Hybrid Max powertrain, and you’ll have 5,000 pounds of towing power. The smaller hybrid system gives you 3,500 pounds of towing capacity, which can still be pretty useful.

Get the most comfortable Grand Highlander seats

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander can reach luxury levels of comfort and driving. This impressive new midsize SUV can come equipped with leather upholstery and faux-suede seat inserts with bronze accents. This combination is only available on the Platinum trim, which means you’ll have the Hybrid Max powertrain. This can be a comfortable and powerful combination for your driving pleasure.

How big do the gauges get in this Toyota SUV?

Digital gauge clusters are expected in modern vehicles. The Grand Highlander comes in three trims: XLE, Limited, and Platinum. The base XLE model has a pedestrian 7.0-inch display, but one step up to the Limited model scores you a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster to give you the desired readings. As you also expect, these gauge screens are fully configurable with custom readings to give you the desired information right in front of your field of view.

Toyota didn’t go all tech

The new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander is a brand-new vehicle, and that means there is a fear that this SUV could have all controls built into the infotainment system. Fear not, tactile lovers, Toyota continues to provide physical knobs and buttons under the infotainment screen to make it much easier or you to control the audio volume and climate system. This makes it easy for everyone to enjoy driving the Grand Highlander.

The Platinum trim almost steps on Lexus’s toes

Lexus is Toyota’s luxury brand, and we see many vehicles sharing a platform across these two brands. The new Grand Highlander Platinum is pretty close to crossing the line into Lexus’s territory. These interior trim elements include soft surfaces and attractive trim pieces to provide an upscale and luxury-like appearance.

Something only found in the Grand Highlander

Sharing a name with another SUV means some features appear in both models. Something you’ll only find in the 2024 Grand Highlander and not in the regular Highlander is a set of heated and ventilated second-row captain’s chairs. This feature is reserved for the Platinum trim, which means you have to step up to the top trim to give your rear passengers the comfort they deserve.

Toyota didn’t leave out third-row passengers

Most SUVs with three rows give the rearmost seats some comfort and convenience items, but not nearly as many as found in the other two rows. The Grand Highlander comes equipped with large cupholders and side bins that make room for smartphones and other devices. You’ll also find two USB-C charging ports in the third row on the side of these bins to make device charging easy.

The new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander has everything you want and more. It’s not just a larger version of the traditional Highlander; it takes midsize three-row SUV driving to a whole new level.