2027 Toyota Grand Highlander

Overview

Among three-row family SUVs, the 2027 Toyota Grand Highlander isn’t exciting or stylish, but it’s the pragmatist's choice because of its otherwise faultless design and how well it does its job. Passenger space in all three of the Grand Highlander’s rows is generous, cargo space is cavernous with the seats stowed, and its road manners are pleasant enough without venturing into entertaining territory.

A turbocharged four-cylinder provides decent acceleration while keeping fuel economy in check, and Toyota loads up every trim with a host of driver-assistance features as standard. The rest of the Grand Highlander’s tech is contemporary, if not exactly cutting-edge, and on-the-go connectivity is easy.

Expert Tip: Toyota also sells a Grand Highlander Hybrid with both performance and fuel economy, but we review that model separately.

Where This Vehicle Ranks

#4 in Best Mid-Size 3-Row SUVs

1

Kia Telluride

9.5/10

STARTING AT: $40,735

SHOP Telluride

2

Hyundai Palisade

9/10

STARTING AT: $41,385

SHOP Palisade

3

Volkswagen Atlas

8.5/10

STARTING AT: $43,135

SHOP Atlas

4

Toyota Grand Highlander

8.5/10

STARTING AT: $44,155

SHOP Grand Highlander

5

Honda Pilot

8.5/10

STARTING AT: $44,000

SHOP Pilot

6

Jeep Grand Cherokee L

8.5/10

STARTING AT: $43,725

SHOP Grand Cherokee L

Compare the 2027 Toyota Grand Highlander with the top vehicles in this segment with our new compare tool.

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What's New for 2027?

This year, the Grand Highlander’s XLE trim gets a heated steering wheel standard and a new 18-inch wheel design. The Platinum trim also features a restyled wheel option.

C/D Expert Tip:

If this year's model is largely unchanged and you're comfortable with a lightly used car, you may want to consider shopping previous model years. A one-to-three-year-old model will likely have a warranty and it'll cost less than buying new.

C/D RATING:8.5/10

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

Shop for a 2026

C/D RATING:9.5/10

2025 Toyota Grand Highlander

Shop for a 2025

C/D RATING:10/10

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Shop for a 2024

Shop All Used Toyota Grand Highlander

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

• Engine: 265-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder
• Transmission: 8-speed automatic
• Drivetrains: front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive

The standard setup for the Grand Highlander is a 265-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and front-drive. All-wheel drive is available on all trims; it's standard on the lineup-topping Platinum.

This is a pleasant enough SUV to drive, with more-than-adequate pep in its step for a family hauler. Shoppers will likely appreciate its settled ride and light steering, and while the turbo four emits a hoarse growl when pushed, it quiets down to a nearly imperceptible hum at steady speeds. The Grand Highlander won't raise a driver's pulse on a twisty road, but it doesn’t really need to. It serves its purpose well and is nicely set up for errand running, cargo hauling, kid toting, and road tripping.

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0–60-MPH Times

• C/D 60-mph Test: 7.0 seconds

In Comparison: In our testing, the Grand Highlander posted a reasonable mid-pack time when compared to other mid-size three-row SUVs.

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Towing and Payload Capacity

• Max Towing: 5000 pounds

In Comparison: The maximum hauling power matches the max towing capacity of similar three-row SUVs, such as the Honda Pilot, the Kia Telluride, and some Mazda CX-90 models—but it doesn't come close to the Dodge Durango's 8700-pound limit.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

• C/D 75-mph Highway Fuel-Economy Test: 29 mpg (XLE AWD)
• EPA City Ratings: 20-21 mpg
• EPA Highway Ratings: 26-28 mpg

According to the EPA, the front-drive model earns estimates of 21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. Top-trim, all-wheel-drive Grand Highlanders are slightly less frugal, with fuel economy dropping by about 1 mpg city and 1-2 mpg highway.

On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, an all-wheel-drive XLE model delivered an impressive 29 mpg, about 10 percent better than its EPA highway estimate. For more information about the Grand Highlander's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

In Comparison: The Grand Highlander’s fuel economy is good for the class, besting or matching most rivals.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

First Row: The well-shaped driver’s seat should keep you comfortable for hours, and the dash and center console—while a little busy—feature useful storage areas and put all controls in easy reach.

Second Row: The total seat count depends on whether buyers select a trim with a second-row bench or captain’s chairs, but all Grand Highlanders can fit at least seven people comfortably. There’s enough legroom and headroom in the wayback for six-footers.

Third Row: The last row is usable by full-grown adults, which often isn't the case with three-row SUVs. A few rivals, such as the Volkswagen Atlas, offer even more passenger space in back than the roomy Grand Highlander.

Cargo Capacity: With all rear seats down, the Grand Highlander offers almost as much cargo room as Toyota's Sienna minivan (98 versus 101 cubic feet). Keep the third row up, and you’ll still have a more-than-respectable 21 cubes of space in which to stash your belongings. In our testing, we fit six carry-on suitcases behind the third row and 20 cases with the third row folded; with both the second and third rows stowed, we fit 36.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

• Infotainment: 12.3-inch touchscreen
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
• Audio Systems: 6-speaker stereo (standard), 11-speaker JBL stereo (optional)

All nonhybrid Grand Highlanders come with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen running Toyota's latest software. A 7.0-inch display in the gauge cluster and a six-speaker sound system are also standard, but Limited and Platinum models get an all-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster and an 11-speaker JBL stereo. Toyota fits all but the base model with a wireless smartphone-charging pad, too.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

All Grand Highlanders come with a suite of driver-assistance features. In addition to basics such as blind-spot monitoring and automated emergency braking, the package also includes adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlamps, and a road-sign-recognition system.

• Standard Safety Features: adaptive cruise control, lane-centering assist, blind-spot monitoring
• Optional Safety Features: front and rear parking sensors, 360-degree camera system

For information about the Grand Highlander’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The Grand Highlander’s warranty coverage is typical for the segment. Buyers also get two years of complimentary scheduled maintenance, which is a nice perk that most rivals don't offer.

• Limited Warranty: three years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain Warranty: five years or 60,000 miles
• Complimentary Maintenance: two years or 25,000 miles

C/D Test Results and Specs

Each year, we put hundreds of vehicles through our rigorous instrumented testing regimen. If the data in the chart below is for a different model year, that's because this vehicle hasn't changed from when we last tested it, and the test results remain accurate.

Specifications

Specifications

2024 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE AWD
Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 8-passenger, 4-door wagon

PRICE
Base/As Tested: $46,065/$47,415
Options: panoramic roof, $1350

ENGINE
Turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve inline-4, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in³, 2393 cm³
Power: 265 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 310 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm

TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic

CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.3-in vented disc
Tires: Michelin Primacy All Season
255/65R-18 111H M+S

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.1 in
Length: 201.4 in
Width: 78.3 in
Height: 70.1 in
Passenger Volume, F/M/R: 58/52/39 ft³
Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 98/58/21 ft³

C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 7.0 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.3 sec @ 92 mph
100 mph: 18.2 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.5 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.7 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 113 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 184 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.80 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg
75-mph Highway Driving: 29 mpg
75-mph Highway Range: 510 mi

EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 23/21/27 mpg

More Features and Specs