2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is one of the brand’s largest SUV offerings, right next to the more rugged Sequoia. If you’re not familiar with it, the Grand Highlander is essentially the larger version of the popular Highlander SUV, as its wider, taller, and longer to allow for more interior volume and a greater sense of presence on the road. I spent a week with the large family hauler and was impressed with its roomy cabin and easy driving dynamics.

In addition to its large interior, the Grand Highlander is fitted with all of the tech features you could want or need. But the real story is its hybrid powertrain, which you wouldn’t think would be very impressive with all the weight it has to pull. But at the end of the week, I couldn’t believe the gas mileage it achieved.

Exterior

Before I get to the car’s powertrain, I will say that it’s a good-looking car for a large SUV. The Grand Highlander Hybrid has a bold and sleek design, thanks to a redesigned grille and streamlined LED headlights. The larger body size compared to the standard Highlander makes it feel more substantial and extras like the 20-inch wheels take it up a notch.

For reference, the Grand Highlander is 6.5 inches longer, two inches taller, and 2.3 inches wider than the Highlander, but it doesn’t give up its handsome styling. Additionally, the hands-fee power liftgate makes loading cargo a lot easier.

Interior

Sitting inside the Grand Highlander Hybrid, it’s easy to tell that it was built with families in mind. There’s room for up to eight people and the third row is even spacious enough for three adults.

My five-foot, eight-inch frame fit back there with a little headroom and legroom to spare, but getting in and out of the third row is a little cumbersome. I wouldn’t want to sit back there for a long road trip, but short commutes would be fine. There are even a couple of USB-C ports, cupholders, vents back there to keep everyone charged up and relaxed. That said, that large amount of room in the third row is what puts the “grand” in Grand Highlander.

The second-row seating area has a lot of head and legroom as well, thanks to well-bolstered captain’s chairs that can be adjusted a multitude of ways. There are also HVAC controls, a household outlet, and heated seats as well. As for cargo space, there’s a decent amount of room for all your gear with the seats folded up. But when you fold them down, there’s enough room for a large grocery haul or a weekend getaway with some luggage.

Drivetrain and Driving Impressions

Under the Grand Highlander Hybrid’s hood is a hybrid system that pairs a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with a couple electric motors, giving you 245 combined horsepower to work with. That powertrain is connected to an eCVT, which optimizes the engine performance and fuel efficiency, and utilizes and on-demand all-wheel-drive system, so you can change drive modes depending on the situation. In real-world driving, the Grand Highlander’s porky weight and large dimensions don’t hinder the experience.

The large SUV drives smaller than its size implies as it is easy to maneuver in tight parking lot situations and city streets. On the highway, the Grand Highlander has a smooth and comfortable ride, with little road and wind noise to speak of. Fuel economy is where this SUV really thrives as the EPA estimates that it can get up to 36 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. During my week of driving on city streets and the highway, I averaged 35.4 mpg, which is insanely good considering how big this vehicle is.

Technology

The tech in the 2025 Grand Highlander Hybrid is as modern as it gets. The centerpiece is a 12.3-inch touchscreen that’s super easy to use and comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa. Everyone stays connected, thanks to multiple USB-C ports and an optional Wi-Fi hotspot. If you’re into music, the available JBL sound system is a worthy upgrade.

Safety

When it comes to safety, Toyota loaded the Grand Highlander with the latest features. The bulk of these features reside in the Safety Sense 3.0 suite, which includes:

• Adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic
• A pre-collision system that detects pedestrians
• Lane departure alerts with steering assist
• Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts 

When it comes to three-row SUVs, these features plus the vehicle’s hefty structural design, make the Grand Highlander Hybrid one of the safest options out there.

Summary

The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid hits all the right notes. It’s very spacious, packed with modern features, and is surprisingly efficient. I seriously was not expected to achieve over 30 mpg in this thing, but it blew me away by achieving so much more.

Considering this SUV starts at around $44,000 and up to around $60,000 for the highest trim level with all the boxes checked, I think it’s a steal. It’s also on par with competitors like the Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and Mazda CX-90 PHEV. But for my money, I think the Grand Highlander Hybrid trumps them all when it comes to overall drivability and value per dollar.