Toyota has dubbed the all-new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander “the last word household SUV.” And numerous that facilities across the car’s third-row house and the flexibility to hold each individuals and stuff. In fact, there’s extra to this new three-row SUV than that. Much more.
First Spin: 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander
Positioned above the usual Highlander in Toyota’s crossover lineup, the Grand Highlander is being positioned not solely as roomier and extra household pleasant, but in addition as extra premium.
Let’s begin the place Toyota has positioned its main focus: inside quantity. Per the EPA, the Grand Highlander boasts between 149 and 153 cubic ft of cabin house. That’s simply shy of the extended-wheelbase Jeep Grand Cherokee L, which is available in at 159. This not solely interprets to a spacious Third-row seating space, however a surprisingly roomy cargo space aft of the Third row, which Toyota demonstrated at a latest media occasion will accommodate seven carry-on luggage.
Toyota means that there’s room sufficient for a 6’, 2” grownup within the third row. Whereas I’m undoubtedly not that, I hung out again there to verify seat consolation and foot room. I discovered that even with the center seat within the far again place, I had 4 or 5 inches between my knees and the again of the seat. Moreover, my ft weren’t trapped below the seat. Once I moved the middle-row seat to the far-forward place, I had most likely 12 inches between my knees and the again of the seat forward of me. That definitely looks like it could accommodate a mean to tall-ish grownup.
However shifting the center seat ahead compromises legroom for these passengers, so there’s going to must be some stage of negotiation between passengers to succeed in optimum territorial assignments.
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The Third-row seats themselves are additionally well-padded and customarily comfy – with one caveat. This row is belted for 3 occupants. I’m going to say that’s a tough nope – except you’re placing three smaller youngsters again there. That’s resulting from hip and shoulder room. When it comes to cargo house, one of many glorious issues Toyota did with the design of the 2024 Grand Highlander is give the car a extra upright stance. This enables so that you can stack the carry-on luggage three excessive, due to this fact accommodating the aforementioned seven examples. (See photograph under.)
One other huge win for the third row: Ease of entry. With the flip of a lever, the 2nd-row seats slide ahead to depart a beneficiant opening to the Third row. There’s even a large step and a hand grip to assist with ease of entry. Whereas this gained’t work effectively with automobile seats within the outboard 2nd-row seats, there may be an choice to have 2nd-row captain’s chairs with a detachable heart console so rear occupants can climb by means of the center to the again.
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OK, so we’ve established that Toyota (largely) succeeded with the cargo/passenger component. However what about every little thing else? Effectively, merely put: It largely did an excellent job there, too.
Inside supplies are good, even on the base XLE trim stage, and you’ve got customary leatherette seating surfaces, 2nd-row sunshades, the flexibility to make use of your telephone as a key (with subscription), heated entrance seats, a 12.3-inch contact display show, Toyota’s new infotainment system, and seven USB-C ports–that cowl the Third row as effectively.
I preferred the padded sprint inserts and seating supplies with the perforated leather-based on the XLE and the suede inserts on the Platinum. Plus, the Hybrid Max fashions get bronze cabin accents, that are effectively positioned and enticing. The one factor that struck me as barely low cost was the plastic sprint accent surrounding the cubby on the entrance passenger facet. I’m unsure what they might have accomplished to make this look higher, however even the top-tier trims didn’t look or really feel proper.
When it comes to experience and dealing with, Toyota did an excellent job right here as effectively. I believed the 2024 Grand Highlander felt planted on the sleek roads, and it dealt with the corners effectively for a 4,300- to 4,900-pound car. Neither my occasion drive associate nor I observed significant physique roll. And, typically, the Grand Highlander felt lots smaller underway than it truly is.
Which brings us to the powertrains.
The Grand Highlander has three under-hood choices. A straight fuel mannequin with a 2.4-liter turbo-charged 4-cylinder engine, a daily hybrid with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid engine, and the brand new Hybrid Max, which features a hybridized model of the two.4-liter.
The Hybrid Max, though it’s a hybrid, prioritizes efficiency over gasoline effectivity. It produces 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, and delivers a brisk, Toyota-promised 6.3-second 0-60 mph run, this whereas incomes an EPA-estimate 27-mpg mixed score.
The Hybrid Max serves effectively within the Grand Highlander. There’s virtually no throttle lag, and acceleration is zippy. With this engine, the Grand Highlander feels sturdy off the road, and has loads of midrange punch for passing and merging.
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The hybrid system itself is clean in operation. That is 100% the powertrain I’d purchase–though you’ll must shell out an additional $11,000 to get it, and although we solely averaged a reported 20 mpg throughout our two-hour analysis. That stated, we had been driving aggressively.
In distinction, the bottom hybrid system felt loud and clunky. I imply, it was high quality, and it definitely will get the job accomplished. However driving it back-to-back with the Hybrid Max simply reveals how phenomenal that new powertrain from Toyota is.
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The 2024 Grand Highlander additionally features a good stage of facilities and options together with a removeable 2nd-row console (with the captain’s chairs), accessible heated-and-cooled seats for the primary and 2nd rows, rear-seat local weather controls, a power-adjustable entrance passenger seat, 13(!) cup holders, an accessible hands-free energy liftgate, head-up show, a entrance heart console that matches a 13-inch pill, wi-fi Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. Additionally value noting: Toyota’s new native infotainment system that can let you know jokes in the event you ask it to. They’re not good jokes, however nonetheless…
Grand Highlander additionally will get all the usual security goodies you anticipate from a Toyota, together with automated cruise management with stop-and-go performance, lane-trace help, blind-spot monitoring, and automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Obtainable security options embrace automated reverse braking, 360-degree digicam show, rearview digicam mirror, and traffic-jam help with hands-free driving (good for speeds as much as 25 mph.)
In fact, this excessive stage of options will value you. The place the bottom worth of the usual front-wheel-drive Highlander L is $37,955, the Grand Highlander begins at $44,405 together with vacation spot.
The total worth lineup, together with vacation spot is as follows:
XLE, fuel, FWD: $44,405XLE, fuel, AWD: $46,005XLE, hybrid, FWD: $46,005XLE, hybrid, AWD: $47,605Limited, fuel FWD: $49,195Limited, fuel AWD: $50,795Limited, hybrid AWD: $51,395Limited, Hybrid Max AWD:Platinum, fuel AWD: $54,880Platinum, Hybrid Max AWD: $59,460
The 2024 Grand Highlander will likely be assembled in Princeton, Indiana, and it goes on sale beginning in July with the fuel and hybrid fashions, whereas the Hybrid Max Powertrain will observe about three weeks later.
Total, I put the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander within the win column. It comes with a beneficiant serving to of normal facilities, an adult-usable Third row, and loads of cargo house. The Grand’s experience and dealing with are noteworthy, too. Whereas it does have a number of quirks (why didn’t they put the heated steering wheel button in a extra logical location?), the professionals far outweigh the cons–that’s in the event you don’t thoughts shelling out the additional dough for the top-tier powertrain.
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2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Gallery
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