For many years, if you wanted the biggest SUV from Toyota you'd be buying a Sequoia. Debuting in 2000, it's Toyota's full-size SUV built specifically for the North American market, and is now on its third generation, built atop the same TNGA-F platform as the Tundra pickup. But the Sequoia is a big vehicle, so a few years ago Toyota's design team decide that there was an opportunity to launch a new vehicle that's a bit bigger than the popular Highlander, while still being smaller than the Sequoia. Enter the Grand Highlander, a mid-size crossover SUV launched for the 2024 model year.
I owned a Toyota Highlander for many years and found it a great vehicle, easy to drive and quite reliable, so when the company offered me a chance to drive the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Nightshade Hybrid, I was ready to go. "Nightshade", by the way, refers to a trim set that replaces white and silver accents with black ones, giving it more of a stealth appearance with black badges, mirror caps, grille trim, door handles, and lower trim. The vehicle they dropped off was in Cement Grey with a Black interior:
Its appearance definitely marks it as a cousin of the Highlander, and it's really not much bigger: 6" longer, 2" wider, 3" taller, and the wheelbase stretches to being 4" longer, but those differences are important, particularly for the third row seating. The black door handles are, of course, part of the Nighshade trim. At a certain point, SUVs all, well, look alike, with the interior where they differentiate...
Dominating the dash is the spacious 12.3" infotainment screen that's neatly integrated into the dash lines, along with classic air vents, plenty of storage, cup holders, all told, a pretty standard Toyota dashboard. The benefit of the standardization is that if you're familiar with one Toyota, you're familiar with them all. Disadvantage is that there's not much luxury here, it's not the Lexus TX (the equivalent vehicle from Toyota's upscale partner brand). The Grand Highlander is a family hauler with lots of space and a respectable 3,500-pound towing capacity.
Toyota also has the Hybrid MAX edition of the Grand Highlander that brings the towing up to 5,000-pounds and, more importantly, bumps up the horsepower, adds a turbocharger, and generally gives you a full size SUV that can hit 0-60 in 5.6 seconds. The cost of this is lower fuel efficiency and a higher price tag. But at least it's an option!
Moving back to the infotainment system you can see that the screen is completely taken over by Wireless CarPlay (or Android Auto), which works out because you can access all the standard Toyota infotainment settings through the "Toyota" app on your smartphone. Both Apple and Google are eager to control everything on a car's control system, something Apple refers to as CarPlay Ultra and Google calls Android Automotive OS, though it's still in early roll-out, and not announced for any Toyota or Lexus vehicle.
The climate control center has a modern feel to it with the target temperature shown on a display integrated into the knobs, along with symmetric seat warmer / cooler. A nice upgrade that's rolling out to the many Toyota vehicles in their extensive lineup.
The steering wheel controls are pretty standard, though I found the information controls (top left) a bit confusing in how they interacted with the display areas of the main gauge screen:
This is bright and easily read, which is much appreciated, particularly if you're a parent and you have rowdy kids in the back. Notice also the fuel efficiency: This is a three-row SUV and it's delivering 35.3 miles per gallon. EPA ratings are 36/32, higher city and highway, and an average of 34mpg. This is the upside of Toyota's excellent hybrid drivetrain and engine system - including its continuously variable transmission - that gives such great fuel efficiency to so many of its vehicles. It's no wonder that companies as diverse as Ford and Nissan have licensed elements of the Toyota hybrid tech in the past.
Years ago, a family member had a Land Rover that I would drive on occasion. I always hated how little in-vehicle storage options it had, which makes me particularly appreciate all of the extra storage options with the Grand Highlander. A fine example is the additional storage below the center console, as shown above. That's in addition to the two cupholders and the deep additional well - along with both a spot for Qi wireless charging and a second spot perfect for having a charged phone sit, safely tucked away from distracting the driver.
Higher end design does appear in a few spots, including the rear climate controls for second row passengers:
A very nice setup, coupled with the dual USB-C charging ports, all as part of the base Grand Highlander model. Speaking of second row seats, here's the legroom offered:
Not only is that entirely acceptable, but even the third row seating has reasonable legroom:
Candidly, not a lot of legroom, particularly if the second row seat is tilted back, but it is adjustable so that row three is great for younger family members and, with a bit of adjustment, functional for older children and more agile adults. In this third row, notice again the cup holders. The third row can also be completely folded down if you prefer more cargo space.
When I drive larger vehicles like the Grand Highlander, I tend to keep the third row folded down - it folds completely flat - and keep the additional seating available on demand. Then the vehicle suddenly feels really quite large. Fold down the second row seats and it's plenty of space for car camping (though you'd probably want to add a mattress).
If you drive solo or have a partner and a single child, this is probably more SUV than you need, but if you have a big crew, or lots of friends, or are moonlighting as a driver, there really is a lot to like about the Grand Highlander. It's a nice mix of utilitarian design with some modern upgrades coupled with lots of interior room and the great Toyota hybrid drive system. It's fun and easy to drive, the sound system can definitely keep the crew entertained on the road, and it even adds a few off-road features for people who ask for more from a family car.
2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Nightshade Hybrid, powered by a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission. BASE PRICE: $52,610.00. Options included: Panoramic View Monitor, Panoramic Roof, wheel locks, all weather floor lines, connected services. AS DRIVEN: $56,818.00.
Disclosure: Toyota loaned me the Grand Highlander to drive for a week in return for this candid write-up. This article originally appeared on PlanetDave.com with the title 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is Bigger on the Inside and is republished with permission.
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