First Look: 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander 

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Toyota couldn’t quite wait for the Chicago Auto Show to officially begin before it debuted its new Grand Highlander, launching the three-row midsize SUV the night before show doors opened.  

It might as well have organized the event for three hours, or three days, before, though, because that seems to be the magic number, here. If you remember one figure from all of this, make it three. That’s the number of rows of “adult-size” seating present in the Grand Highlander – enough for up to eight passengers and the entire raison d’être for the “Grand” prefix in this context – as well as the number of powertrains and trim levels. 

Built at the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana in Gibson County, the Grand Highlander carries on a legacy started by the nameplate in 2001, and rides on the TNGA-K platform that currently underpins Toyota’s unibody products, including those with Lexus badges. It offers another midsize option that has more interior cargo (98 cubic feet, with seats folded down) and third-row room than the standard-wheelbase model, without the added overall bulk and more rugged focus of the Sequoia.

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Simplifying things from the outgoing model slightly, Toyota is releasing the Grand Highlander with just three powertrains: a 2.4L turbo gas engine; a 2.5L Hybrid; and the Hybrid Max, which, at 362 horsepower and 5,000 lbs of towing grunt, is Toyota’s most powerful powerplant in a midsize SUV to date. All models will operate in three drive modes (Sport, Eco, and Normal) while just the gas and Hybrid Max models will have access to three multi-terrain settings (Mud & Sand, Rock & Dirt, Snow). And just like in the two-row Highlander, AWD is a standard feature in Canada.

The list of trim levels is also a little shorter, and includes an XLE, Limited, and Platinum grade. More details on the differences further down.

Inside this larger and therefore more adult Highlander, controls radiate from a standard 12.3-inch multimedia display screen on the dash, which also features a wood-effect that runs onto the door panels. Software is set to receive OTA (over-the-air) updates, and comes ready with the brand’s “Hey, Toyota” Intelligent Assist that allows for vocal command of the map or interior settings. An 11-speaker JBL sound system is standard (capable of playing compressed audio in upper trims) as is dual Bluetooth connectivity, and wireless CarPlay.

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This being very much a passenger vehicle, there are plenty of consoles, cup-holders, and convenient USB ports within reach, regardless of where you’re sitting. Seven USB-C charge ports and thirteen cup-holders large enough for a water bottle, to be precise. But the captain still gets the best treatment in the cabin, with access to the heated front seats and steering wheel that come standard in Canada.

Toyota is hoping that a complimentary taste of its new digital service programs will entice users to stay and pay once the freebies have expired — that, or they’ll forget to unsubscribe and end up as paying customers by accident. The 2024 Grand comes with a three-year trial of the app-based Remote Connect program that allows users to start-stop, check stats, turn on the lights, and lock-unlock the vehicle. Drivers can also opt into Toyota’s Connected Services to access digital conveniences like Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Locator, Vehicle Health Reports, and more.

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On top of the Toyota Safety Sense suite, blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert are fitted to all trims, while parking assist is available solely on Limited and Platinum models.

External aesthetics are straight in line with the 2023 Highlander, but with a few notable changes. The front grille has evolved into a trapezoidal “hammerhead” style, the rear bumper is sharper, and black rockers appear above the 18- or 20-inch wheels, for example. And the Hybrid Max also gets exclusive front and rear bumpers and the option for a dual exhaust. Like the all-new Prius, the 2024 Grand Highlander Hybrid and Hybrid Max wear a “Beyond Zero” badge as a symbol of its maker’s steady march toward zero-emissions transportation.

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As for trim details: At the entry level, the XLE grade comes with 18-inch wheels, roof rails, a black grille, power liftgate, and heated outdoor mirrors. With the gas or hybrid XLE, interior trim is done in black. The Limited trim adds features like 20-inch wheels, LED fog lamps, a moonroof, heated second-row seats, and parking sensors. Leather is used to finish the interiors in the gas and hybrid models. At the top end, the Platinum grade rolls on 20-inch alloy wheels and comes with a head-up display, digital rear view mirror, and, in the Hybrid Max, an “Ultrasuede” leather-trimmed interior in portobello or black.

Pricing and sale dates for the 2024 Grand Highlander are expected to be announced this summer.