The Toyota Highlander is already one of America’s best-selling 3-row midsize SUVs. For many months, it wins that title outright. It’s known for outstanding build quality and resale value, that well-known Toyota reliability, and a nice balance of features for the price.
But Toyota thinks it could be bigger.
A Highlander, but Grand
The company this week teased a new vehicle with a name that tells you most of what you need to know. The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander will make its first public appearance at next February’s Chicago Auto Show.
Toyota says it “grows the SUV family as the ultimate road-trip vehicle.”
For now, that’s about all Toyota says about it. But a teaser photo tells us at least two pieces of crucial information.
First, there’s the obvious. It’s a blurred shot, and all you can make out is the rear of the SUV. That makes sense, as the Grand Highlander is probably mostly a Highlander with a bigger butt. We can’t see the rear overhang as the wheels are obscured. But the point of building a stretched version of an SUV is to add more space for cargo and rear-seat passengers.
So we assume the Grand Highlander gives more living space to the third row and cargo space behind it.
It does look restyled from the current Highlander’s caboose, with two rows of thin LED taillights (two rows — Genesis designers must be seething. That’s their best move).
Hybrid Drivetrain
The other clue is a badge that’s a little hard to make out. The bottom of the tailgate reads “hybridMAX.” That’s the name of a powertrain Toyota has used on the 2023 Crown sedan-ish-crossover-like-thing. The Crown combines a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor, making 340 total horsepower.
We’ll know more in February.
Oh, and we should also note that wherever Toyota goes, its Lexus luxury brand follows, just a little dressier. The Grand Highlander may share much of its architecture with the upcoming Lexus TX.
