2024 Toyota Highlander vs Grand Highlander

What’s the Size Difference Between Highlander vs Grand Highlander?

The 2024 Toyota Highlander is a big rig with three rows. It doesn’t seem like it could get much bigger, but that’s exactly what the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander does. It adds more space on the third row and expands the cargo area.

This new 3 row SUV is 6.5-inches longer and 2 inches taller. This allows for 6 inches of extra third-row legroom and more than 2 inches of additional shoulder room.

Why Do They Look So Different?

The 2024 Toyota Highlander is designed along the lines of another 3 row Toyota, the Sienna minivan. Grand Highlanders get their own style. A trapezoidal, hammerhead grille definitely makes a different statement. It’s six-sided dramatic appearance is in contrast to the Highlander’s equal-sized dual grilles.

Highlanders are more angular whereas Grand Highlanders balance boxy fenders with smooth lines and a luxury feel to the design.  

Inside the Grand Highlander starts out with higher quality materials and craftsmanship. It has an upper trim feeling even before you wander into Limited or Platinum trim territory. Cockpits are marked by a more symmetrical dashboard design.  

What Do Parents Need to Know?

Parents may have many concerns -- from keeping their kids safe to making life a little easier on the go. The Highlander and Grand Highlander are designed to handle a crowd and keep them happy. They are definitely designed with safety in mind, and they offer the complete suite of Toyota Safety Sense.

This includes an emergency autobrake to respond to unheeded forward collision warnings, pedestrian detection and related dangers. Other standards include the lane keeping assist, road sign assist, dynamic cruise control, and more.

What Do Drivers Need to Know About the Grand Highlander vs Highlander SUVs?

If you are looking for the most fuel efficient 3 row SUV around, you’ll want the regular hybrid edition of the Highlander or Grand Highlander. If you want the most powerful engine without sacrificing efficiency, you’ll want the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max.

When equipped with all-wheel drive, the regulars and the Grands have extra help. With Dynamic Torque Vectoring on gas models, there’s a multi-terrain select mode to help with mud, sand, dirt, rocks and more. This selection also comes with the Hybrid Max all-wheel drive system.

The Hybrid models have their own Trail Mode. This helps with terrain challenges and ensures that the vehicles have adequate traction in the face of weather challenges.

What Trim Level is Best?

When it comes to the Highlander vs Grand Highlander, there are lots of choices. All Highlander trims come in a choice of gas engine or hybrid. It even has some Nightshade Hybrid editions, stretching its number of price points and styles even further.

Meanwhile, the Grand Highlander comes in 3 trim levels for gas models, 2 trim levels for hybrids and 2 trim levels for Hybrid Max powertrains.

If you check the chart below, you’ll see that the Grand Highlander starts off with more goodies. Since it is a premium product, Toyota doesn’t hold back. Yet the Highlander offers the same goodies and will add them as you climb the trim ladder.

Bonus: What Vehicles Compare Against the Highlander and Grand Highlander?

You can learn a lot by looking at who are the competitors for these two rides. The Highlander competes with 3 row SUVs such as the Ford Explorer. The Grand Highlander goes up against the Volkswagen Atlas, Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride.

In fact, the luxury-level trims of the Grand Highlander have been compared to the Cadillac Escalade. Toyota hits all the highlights but doesn’t expect the Cadillac’s luxury price. The new Grand Highlander is considered a Car and Driver 10Best.

Now that you know more about the Grand Highlander and how it fits into the Highlander family, check out these two SUVs side by side at our Phoenix metro Toyota dealership. Schedule a test drive.