2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is all about frugal practicality. For starters, it’s one of the roomiest SUVs in its class, with adult-friendly 3-row seating and cargo space that’s among the best in its class. Add a hybrid powertrain that returns up to 36 combined mpg, and you’re getting hybrid efficiency with family-friendly utility and no compromise. The available 362-horsepower Hybrid Max powertrain adds some muscle while still returning a respectable 27 mpg. Of course, it also comes with Toyota’s famous reliability and resale value, making the Grand Highlander Hybrid a smart and sensible choice in family SUVs.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of hybrid SUVs, including the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid.

Following the introduction of the Nightshade Edition for 2025, there are no notable changes to the Grand Highlander Hybrid for 2026.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid starts at $46,205 for the base LE trim, and models with the Hybrid Max powertrain begin at $56,685. All-wheel drive is standard on all but the XLE trim, where it’s a $1,600 option.

Some hybrid 3-row SUVs like the Kia Sorento Hybrid and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid are a little more affordable than the Grand Highlander Hybrid, but they’re also smaller. There’s a Hyundai Palisade Hybrid on the way for the 2026 model year, and we expect it to be priced similarly to this Toyota. If you want more space and the same fuel economy at a lower price, the Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan is worth a look.

Before buying a Grand Highlander Hybrid, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid resale value is above average for the segment. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The 2026 Toyota Highlander Hybrid is powered by a 245-hp hybrid 4-cylinder engine matched with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). All-wheel drive (AWD) is standard in all but the XLE trim, where front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard and all-wheel drive is optional.

This base hybrid powertrain motivates the LE, XLE, Limited, and Nightshade models. Thanks to the low-end thrust provided by the electric motor, the Grand Highlander Hybrid feels about as quick as the non-hybrid, despite having less horsepower. We found the Grand Highlander Hybrid smooth and steady on the highway and easy around town, although its plus-size proportions can make parking lots feel a bit tighter.

While most of our editors would go with the regular hybrid powertrain for better efficiency, buyers planning to haul full loads of people, gear, or a trailer might want to consider the more muscular 362-hp Hybrid Max drivetrain. It’s optional in the Limited trim and standard in the Platinum model. This potent powertrain is more suitable if you’ll actually be using all of those seats regularly. We like that the turbocharged Hybrid Max setup uses a 6-speed automatic transmission, which contributes to a more spirited driving feel than the frugal CVT.

Fuel Economy

The Grand Highlander Hybrid makes a strong case for itself here. The entry-level hybrid system achieves 36 combined mpg (37 city, 34 highway) with front-wheel drive or 34 combined mpg (36 city, 32 highway) with all-wheel drive.

The powerful Hybrid Max powertrain — which is standard in the top Platinum trim, optional in the Limited, and comes with all-wheel drive — runs to 27 combined mpg (26 city, 27 highway).

For comparison, those figures are in the same ballpark as the Kia Sorento Hybrid and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid. The new-for-2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid gets 34 combined mpg.

The Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is one of the roomiest family SUVs in its class, up there with the Chevy Traverse and Volkswagen Atlas (neither of which has a hybrid option). If you’re looking for a real minivan alternative with a third row of seats that’s actually comfortable, this is one of your best options.

For starters, it seats up to eight. A pair of second-row captain’s chairs is standard in all but the LE trim, resulting in a maximum occupant count of seven. However, the XLE and Limited offer an optional 3-person bench, which is standard in the LE. The Nightshade, Max Limited, and Max Platinum are 7-seaters exclusively.

Maximum legroom in the second row is 39.5 inches, almost an inch better than the regular Highlander. That’s about average compared to most 3-row rivals, but the third row has generous legroom of 33.5 inches. That’s a significant 5.5 more inches than the third row of the non-Grand Toyota Highlander and its hybrid counterpart.

The Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid boasts 20.6 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third row (pretty good), 57.9 cubic feet behind the second row (really good), and 97.5 cubic feet behind the first row (nearly class-leading). We’ve made real Costco runs in the Grand Highlander Hybrid with kids in tow, and it got the job done comfortably and efficiently.

We’re so enamored with the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid’s back seats and cargo area that we almost forgot to mention what the interior is like for the front-seat occupants. This Toyota has a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless smartphone connectivity, three drinks holders (including one for a large bottle), and wireless charging. Cupholders, USB-C ports, and storage cubbies are generously placed throughout this practical interior, which we love to see in a family hauler.

We’re pleased that the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid has its own unique aesthetic, distinct from the regular Highlander. Its boxiness outside is what gives it such a huge interior, and its tasteful design gives it an upmarket feel, especially in the Platinum trim. The Nightshade trim with black wheels and trim pieces adds some nice visual variety to the lineup.

Two efficient powertrains
The Grand Highlander Hybrid’s base hybrid powertrain returns up to 36 combined mpg. The stronger Hybrid Max powertrain is still pretty efficient, netting 27 combined mpg while generating 362 hp. Meanwhile, the non-hybrid Grand Highlander can only get up to 24 mpg combined.

Up to 8 seats
Some SUVs in this class only have two seats in the third row, but the Grand Highlander Hybrid has three. That means it has a total of eight seats with the second-row bench seat or seven seats with captain’s chairs.

Tons of cargo space
The Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid has one of the roomiest cargo holds in its class. Behind the third row is 20.6 cubic feet of room, and behind the second row is 57.9 cubic feet. Fold down all of the back seats, and you get a cavernous 97.5 cubic-foot cargo bay.

12.3-inch display
The standard infotainment system in the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid has a sizeable 12.3-inch display and handy connectivity features like wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. An available JBL 11-speaker audio system brings your tunes to life.

7 USB-C ports
You won’t hear any complaints about dying devices from the passengers in this family SUV. Seven USB-C ports throughout the expansive cabin ensure topped-off phones and tablets for painless road trips.

Toyota Safety Sense 3.0
The standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system in the Grand Highlander Hybrid bundles safety features like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams, and Proactive Driving Assist, which can help with braking and steering in city and highway driving.

The 2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid offers a choice of two drivetrains. The LE, XLE, Limited, and Nightshade’s setup consists of a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine augmented by an electric motor to generate 245 hp. The non-hybrid has 265 hp, but a little sacrifice for lower emissions isn’t so bad.

The most potent turbocharged Hybrid Max configuration is available in the Limited trim and standard in the top Platinum trim. It develops 362 hp from an electric motor and a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine. Unusually, Toyota also quotes a torque figure for this drivetrain, a meaty 400 lb-ft.

Every other trim but the XLE has all-wheel drive as standard, and each uses a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The Max also has all-wheel drive as standard, along with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

The Max drivetrain has a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds, while the more modest version can still handle 3,500 pounds.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Toyota’s new-vehicle warranty conforms to the class norms of three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first, with powertrains covered for five years or 60,000 miles. Hybrid batteries have a 10-year or 150,000-mile warranty, whereas the typical arrangement is eight years or 100,000 miles. Toyota also includes complimentary scheduled maintenance and roadside assistance over the first two years or 25,000 miles.

Safety

In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid received an “Acceptable” rating in the Small Overlap Front and Headlights categories and the top “Good” rating in every other category. Those are pretty good scores, but not good enough to earn a Top Safety Pick designation. The Grand Highlander Hybrid earns the top 5-Star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).