2024 Toyota Grand Highlander 4WD Limited Hybrid – Review by David Colman +VIDEO

Think of it as the family bus

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL

Remember when Levi's introduced loose fit jeans with "a skosh more room" for the (ahem) mature set? Well, Toyota remembers, because they've just started selling a loose fit version of their Highlander SUV called the Grand Highlander. Here's how you inflate the former to become the latter: Add 1.8 inches to the wheelbase, 6.4 inches to the length, 2.3 inches to the width, and 2 inches to the height. Unfortunately, the upsizing adds a whopping 551 pounds to the curb weight. But fear not, because Toyota has compensated for that extra quarter ton by offering three new engine packages that provide more than enough power to get your upsized show on the road.

Getting a look at our Limited's Hybrid motor required more effort than it should have because Toyota doesn't fit pneumatic struts to the very heavy hood. So pump some iron when you need to check the oil, because you'll have to pop that hood more than 6 feet 7 inches high with one hand while slipping a wobbly prop rod home with the other hand. Warning: Do not try this if you are shorter than 5 feet 9 inches tall. But in compensation, there are other Grand dimensions of the Highlander you will greatly appreciate such as its cavernous interior space. Fold the third-row bench seats flat and tilt and lock down the second-row captain's chairs and this Toyota presents you with a loading platform as big as the deck of an aircraft carrier.

At first we fretted about the fact that row two's captain's chairs did not fold flat, but in the end, there was more than enough interior space to load our bicycle with room to spare in all directions. In fact, with a little planning, you could pop two bikes through the huge rear door and stack them either vertically or horizontally inside. In our cargo-biased interior configuration, the Grand Highlander offered 98 cubic feet of storage space. 58 cubic feet are available behind row two and 21 cubic feet are on offer behind row three. If you need more volume than that, get a pickup or rent a storage unit.

Toyota offers three engine options for the new Grand Highlander. The base engine (A25-FXS) is a non-Hybrid, turbocharged, inline-4 displacing 2.4 liters, making 265hp, and driving either the front wheels or all four wheels. This base range starts at a price point of $44,465, and carries a tow rating of 3,500 lbs. If you want to tow, you should upgrade to the XLE Hybrid, which costs $46,065 and produces 265hp and 310lb.-ft. of torque from its 2.4-liter Hybrid boosted turbo motor. The Grand Highlander Limited Hybrid we tested is the one to select if you want the best combination of power, mileage (34 MPG Overall), and speed. With a base price of $51,060, and a $425 surcharge for Ruby Flare Pearl metallic paint, its bottom line came to $55,238. This sum brings you Limited level trim plus the A25A-FTS 2.5 liter Hybrid motor good for 265hp and 310lb.-ft. of torque. This intermediate Hybrid supplements the gas engine with a pair of electric motors. Up front, a 134kW unit makes 199lb.-ft. of torque. A 40kW rear motor adds another 89lb.-ft. of torque to the mix. All wheel drive is standard, as is an ECVT transmission.

The third engine option is the Max Hybrid which produces 362 horsepower and 400 lb.-ft. of torque thanks to a compliment of more powerful electric motors and bigger storage batteries. But our test rig seemed quite adequate for tow chores thanks to the immediate infusion of peak torque (210lb.-ft.) at just 1700 rpm. Toyota also equipped our test Grand Highlander with standard trailer sway control.

As you might expect from a two-and-a-half-ton vehicle, handling on twisty back roads was compromised by weight and size. It tracked through turns predictably, thanks to good grip afforded by a set of 255/55R20 Continental Cross-Contact LX20 radials mounted on Limited style 20 x 8J alloy rims.

Although it's virtually impossible to see your front corners from the driver's seat, vision to the rear is actually quite good if you fold the third bench seat flat. We found the front row seats to be too hard and flat to qualify as truly comfortable, but we did appreciate the fact that both were leather trimmed, and fitted with heating and ventilation. We also enjoyed the simplicity of the HVAC control panel and discovered fixed knobs for a large variety of functions that didn't require screen fiddling. The dashboard and the door panels incorporated a pleasing Formica-like material that complemented the purist look of the cabin. Storage space is intelligently contrived and abundant throughout. Three zone climate control keeps everyone happy inside your family bus.

The upsized Grand Highlander makes a useful addition to the Toyota line. It increases your rolling real estate holdings without significantly inflating your initial investment.

2024 TOYOTA GRAND HIGHLANDER AWD LIMITED HV

• ENGINE: 2.5 liter inline 4, turbocharged and intercooled, DOHC 24-valve plus 2 electric motors
• HORSEPOWER: 265hp@6000rpm
• TORQUE: 310lb.-ft.@1700rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 36MPG City/32MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $53,238

HYPES: Living Room on Wheels

GRIPES: Hood Needs Pneumatic Struts

STAR RATING: 9 Stars out of 10

©2023 David E Colman

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Specs

Hybrid

Engine Type -Hybrid

Transmission - 6-speed automatic

Drive Type - All wheel drive

Cylinders - Inline 4

Total Seating - 7

Basic Warranty - 3 yr./ 36,000 mi.

Fuel Fuel type - Regular unleaded

MPG EPA city/highway MPG - 26/27 MPG

EPA combined MPG - 27 MPG

Fuel tank capacity - 17.2 gal.