Toyota will use this week’s 2023 Chicago Auto Show to present the new Grand Highlander, a three-row SUV slotting between the mid-size Highlander and full-size Sequoia.
Revealed on Wednesday, the Grand Highlander will start sales later this year as a 2024 model, offering buyers a third row that Toyota says is big enough to comfortably fit adults, along with three powertrain options, and plenty of standard features. The standard Highlander also has three rows of seats.
The Grand Highlander rides on a stretched version of Toyota’s TNGA-K front-wheel-drive platform that’s also found in the Highlander. Buyers will be able to choose between front- or all-wheel drive. Powertrains will include a choice of a 2.4-liter turbo-4, a hybrid with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, or a Hybrid Max spitting out 362 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque.
The Hybrid Max will come standard with all-wheel drive, and performance estimates include a 0-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds and a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds.
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander
Inside, Toyota fits a 12.3-inch infotainment screen as standard. Below it are physical controls for frequently used functions, and then a configurable storage area that can fit a tablet (with the internal tray removed) and also features a wireless charger, two USB ports, and three cupholders. Additional cupholders and individual USB ports are also found in the second and third rows.
Buyers will be able to choose between seven- and eight-seat configurations. Maximum storage is 98.0 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.
Toyota will offer the Grand Highlander in XLE, Limited, and Platinum grades. Even the base XLE will come equipped with a long list of standard goodies, including 18-inch wheels, roof rails, heated side mirrors, a 10-way power-adjustable driver seat (and an 8-way front passenger seat), a power tailgate, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alerts, and an auto-dimming mirror.
Production will be handled at Toyota’s plant in Princeton, Indiana. The plant is where Toyota builds the Highlander, and it is also earmarked to build a three-row Lexus SUV, a vehicle that will likely be a twin under the skin with the Grand Highlander. Rumors point to the Lexus being called the TX.
Availability and pricing information for the Grand Highlander will be announced this summer.
