2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Limited Review

This week I am taking another look at a wonderful SUV, the 2026 Grand Highlander.  The regular Highlander is one of the best-selling SUVs in America, but in 2024 Toyota needed something bigger, but not as big as the Sequoia, so the Grand Highlander was born.  Some think it is just a blown up version of the Highlander, but the reality is that the two SUVs only have a suspension system in common. The Grand Highlander is 6.5” longer, 2.3” wider, and 2” taller than the regular Highlander, but the real plus is the additional room in the 3^rd row and the cargo area, that has 13 cubic-feet more space.

Exterior  

This SUV has a clean, upscale exterior design that looks more substantial than the standard Highlander, with a wider stance, longer profile, and crisp body lines that give it a confident, premium presence without drifting into bulky or truck-like territory.  The Ruby Red Flare paint is beautiful especially with the blacked out logos and 20” black wheels.

Performance

Under the hood is the base engine, the 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that delivers strong, responsive power with excellent low-end torque, making the Grand Highlander feel quicker and more confident than its size suggests. It is paired with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission that does a good job balancing performance and efficiency, with crisp upshifts and unobtrusive operation in everyday driving.  This combo produces 265 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, delivering strong low-end power that also easily gets you up on the freeway.

Beyond the 2.4-liter turbo, the Grand Highlander lineup also offers hybrid powertrains designed for buyers prioritizing efficiency or maximum output. The standard hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with electric motors for excellent fuel economy, while the Hybrid MAX uses a more powerful turbocharged setup with electric assist to deliver significantly higher horsepower and torque without sacrificing everyday drivability.  Although all-wheel drive is available, my test rig is front-wheel drive.

Interior

This is the Limited trim which strikes a well-judged balance between upscale comfort and everyday practicality.

White leather-trimmed seats are gorgeous and cool, there is a power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory, heated and ventilated front seats, and a heated steering wheel.  All-in-all the Limited trim gives it a near-luxury feel, while the clean dashboard layout keeps everything intuitive and simple, something Toyota is known for. 

As you hit the start button, a 12.3” color gauge cluster comes to life that you can configure from the steering wheel. It gives you all the info you could want and it is easy to maneuver.  Two large round gauges as easy to read with the tachometer on the left and the speedometer on the right.  You can configure what you wish between the two.    

Center dash is another 12.3” screen for your infotainment systems.  The multimedia touchscreen houses the wonderful 11-speaker JBL audio with SiriusXM, navigation system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto, settings, the Bluetooth system for your phone, and a terrific 360-degree camera.

The center console has your gear shifter, a couple of cup holders, the Auto Hold button, traction control, and a button to disable start/stop. You also get a cell phone charger.  Drive modes include Eco, Sport, and Normal and each one has it’s own button.  You can raise the lid on the center console, or it has a handy sliding door to access it.

The second-row bench seat is wide, supportive, and comfortably contoured to accommodate three passengers without feeling cramped. It offers generous legroom and headroom. 2^nd row passengers get their own climate-control, A/C vents, USB-Cs, power outlet and the second row are heated.  Access to the third row is easy as the two outer seats slide forward.

The third row will be very comfortable for two adults, there are more USB-Cs, and the 3^rd row seats recline for more comfort.  The reclining feature is huge for adults to give more room.  I wish the 3^rd row seat had power buttons for putting it up or down, but I will say they made it really easy to operate.  There is a hands-free power liftgate to access the large cargo area which offers 21.7-cubic feet with the 3^rd row in place, and all seats down gives you a whopping 97-cubic feet. You can also open the liftgate with the key fob, a button at the rear, and a button on the dash.

Standard Features  

This Limited trim comes standard with leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory, a heated steering wheel, the 12.3” touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3” digital instrument cluster, tri-zone automatic climate control, a power liftgate, keyless entry with push-button start, and multiple USB ports throughout the cabin. It also has a 100-watt power inverter built in to run small appliances, charge computers, etc.

Options

Options on my tester include Premium paint for $475, Panoramic View Camera is $600, a huge Panoramic sun roof is $1,350, an activity mount is $679, floor mats and cargo mat are $388, the upgraded wheels in black are $1,600, illuminated door sills are $375, puddle lamps are $175, wheel locks are $105, cross bars are $375, lights in the cargo area are $350, and black emblem overlays are $258.

Safety

Standard safety equipment on the Grand Highlander Limited includes Toyota Safety Sense with pre-collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane tracing assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, a backup camera, and a full complement of airbags.

MSRP & MPG

Fuel economy is 21 in town and 28 on the highway, 24 combined and it will tow 5,000 pounds. 

MSRP on my tester is $57,065 and honestly, that is a bargain these days for such a roomy, near-luxury SUV that gets great mileage, has plenty of power, and is super-quiet inside.

Verdict

All-in-all, this is a spectacular 3-row and the Limited trim, in my opinion is one of the better buys in the lineup.