Is the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid the best 3-row Toyota SUV? The standard Toyota Highlander is a great hybrid SUV but the 3rd row is extremely tight. The Toyota Sequoia is a much larger 3-row SUV but it sits on a truck platform and demands a higher price tag. So is the Grand Highlander the best 3-row SUV that Toyota currently offers?
Performance
Engine – The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander is available with a few different engine options. There’s the 2.4L turbocharged gasoline-only 4-cylinder, a hybrid version of the 2.4L turbo engine, and this efficient hybrid version. Under the hood is a 2.5L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder with assistance from a couple of electric motors. Total output is 243 hp (181 kW), if you look at Toyota Canada’s website, or 245 hp (183 kW), if you look at Toyota USA’s website. Regardless, 2 hp won’t make a big difference. The engine produces 175 lb-ft (237 Nm) and this hybrid powertrain is capable of towing up to 3,500 lbs.
This hybrid powertrain was designed with efficiency in mind which is why it doesn’t provide the “pushed into the back of the seat” feeling when putting your foot down like the Hybrid MAX powertrain. In Sport mode, this powertrain feels a bit more immediate but it’s still not as punchy as the more powerful hybrid system of the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. Despite that, the speed increases at a reasonable pace. I never felt as though I was impeding anyone behind me when setting off from a stop and merging onto a highway wasn’t an issue. What was an issue was the noise produced by this 2.5L engine when it needed to provide power. It’s not a pleasant sound and it is quite loud under harder throttle applications.
Thankfully, the engine is silent when the SUV runs on only electricity. For the most part, this only happens at city speeds, so below 70-ish km/h, while on highways, it rarely turns the engine off. The Grand Highlander does have an EV-only mode which is activated by a button on the center console. This allows the car to accelerate a bit more quickly using only electricity but it gets automatically disengaged at speeds above 35-ish km/h.
Fuel Economy – But although this version of the Grand Highlander is not as quick as the other versions, it is extremely fuel efficient. It is rated for 6.6 L/100km (35.6 MPG) in a city and 7.4 L/100km (31.8 MPG) on a highway. I managed to average 6.7 L/100km (35.1 MPG) during my time with the SUV. That is far better than the 9.3 L/100km (25.3 MPG) I managed with the Hybrid Max version and about double the fuel efficiency that I managed with the Sequoia.
Transmission – Paired with this engine is an eCVT. It does its job of keeping the engine’s rpms in the “sweet spot” depending on the throttle application. On highways, it keeps the engine’s rpms as low as possible for better fuel economy. It doesn’t try to replicate virtual gears under full throttle applications but does give you a few to choose from when shifting the gear selector from D to S.
Braking – The brakes on the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander provide an ample amount of stopping force. The brake pedal allows for quite a bit of movement which allows for smooth stops but it’s light on feel. Regen braking recuperates some energy for the battery with the engine turning on to provide engine braking when the battery is fully charged.
Handling – The Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is not a particularly fun 3-row SUV to drive. It has light steering without much feel and there’s a decent amount of body roll through corners. Plus, when it’s pushed hard on twisty roads, it will understeer with plenty of tire squeal.
Having said that, handling dynamics are not the forte of this SUV. It was designed to provide a comfortable environment and be easy to drive for anyone. That is exactly what the Grand Highlander Hybrid provides. The light steering makes it easy to park, the turning circle is quite small for the size of this SUV, and the understeer makes it safe and easy to control on the limit.
The hybrid system is AWD but there’s no physical connection between the engine and the back wheels. Instead, an electric motor provides power to the back wheels when it’s required. The battery is never fully depleted so the SUV will always have just enough power for the back wheels. However, don’t expect this 3-row SUV to be able to take you deep into the woods or desert on a family adventure. This is most comfortable in the urban jungle.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Being a family SUV, the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is supposed to be comfortable. I’m happy to say that it is. The suspension easily absorbs big potholes and uneven manhole covers. The shunt of the tire hitting the edge of a big bump is rounded off and not much gets transferred into the cabin. Additionally, the big seats are plush. I did not feel any pressure points but I did feel my bum feeling numb after long commutes to work.
Interior Space – With the 2025 Grand Highlander being a bigger vehicle, it has a lot of passenger space. Front occupants are treated to the most of all three rows with taller individuals having no issues whatsoever with leg or headroom. Additionally, with the seat in its lowest position, I found myself still having excellent visibility over the hood, to the side and a decent view out the back with the 3rd row headrests in their upright position. But if you want an unobstructed view out the back, the Grand Highlander is available with a rear camera mirror. However, this option is only available on the Platinum trim with the Hybrid Max powertrain.
The second row seats are also spacious for taller individuals though the legroom is not quite the same as the front seats. But behind my 6’4” driving position, I did not feel squished like as though my knees were up to my chest. Headroom is also good with the panoramic sunroof. This large SUV comes standard with bench seats with captain’s chairs replacing the bench on the higher trim models. Thankfully, the Captain’s chair option does not cost anything.
The 2nd row seats move fairly far forward when accessing the 3rd row. The 3rd row can accommodate 3 individuals though that will be a tight affair. For 2 individuals, however, it’s actually not a bad place to be. Obviously for someone that is 6’4” like myself, leg and headroom in that row is tight. But it is a lot better than the standard Toyota Highlander. I’d be ok to sit back there for a short drive across the city. The 3rd row seats have plenty of cupholders, you can fit child seats there (in addition to the 2nd row), and there are USB-C ports to either side.
Behind the seats, the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid has 586 L (20.7 cu-ft) of space. With the 3rd row seats folded, the cargo capacity increases to 1,640 L (57.9 cu-ft). Behind the front row of seats, the Grand Highlander can swallow up to 2,761 L (97.5 cu-ft) of cargo. That’s just over 2 meters from the back of the front seats to the power liftgate.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – On highways, the most unwanted noise that intrudes into the cabin is that of tire noise. However, it’s not any worse than in some other 3-row SUVs like the Kia Telluride. The engine is quiet when you’re driving normally around town but as I mentioned earlier, it gets noisy when it has to work hard. Additionally, the transition from electric propulsion to the gasoline engine turning on is seamless.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE Hybrid starts at $54,160 CAD ($45,380 USD) with this Limited demo vehicle having a starting price of $64,495 CAD ($51,710 USD). These are the only two trims available for the Grand Highlander in Canada with this Hybrid powertrain. In the United States there’s a less expensive version called the LE which has a starting price of $44,210 USD.
Gadgets – For the Canadian market, the Grand Highlander Hybrid XLE comes standard with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, a 10-way power driver’s seat and an 8-way power passenger seat, a 6-speaker audio system, the large 12.3” infotainment touchscreen, a wireless phone charging pad, and a power liftgate.
Opting for this Limited trim will add a panoramic sunroof, heated outboard rear seats, ventilated front seats, leather upholstery, a full digital driver instrument cluster, and an 11-speaker JBL audio system.
Interior Design – Toyota has given the Grand Highlander a simple and straightforward to use interior design. There are a lot of areas for small items to be stored. The climate controls are all physical buttons & knobs. And most of the materials are soft to the touch. However, in this Limited trim, the interior looks a bit bland when compared to the interior of the Platinum trim. Toyota have tried to spruce it up a bit with faux wood trim but it still doesn’t have the same “wow” factor as the interior of the Grand Highlander Platinum.
Exterior Design – If there was a standardized definition for an SUV, this would be it. The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid looks big but even with its enormous size, I don’t think that it has much road presence. It looks like a generic SUV. Take away the Toyota badge and it could be a Honda, a Hyundai, a Kia, a Ford, or whatever else.
Safety – Whether you opt for this Limited or the base XLE, the Grand Highlander is equipped with standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 along with multiple airbags to keep all occupants safe across all three rows of seats and rear cross traffic alert. Moving up in the trim levels will add surround view cameras, rear cross traffic alert with braking, front cross traffic alert, lane change assist, and traffic jam assist. One cool thing about the surround view cameras is that by moving forwards or backwards a bit while the cameras are activated will show an invisible car so that you can see what’s underneath it.
Warranty – The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km basic and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty with the battery being covered for 10 years / 240,000 km. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here.
Conclusion – Thanks to its spacious cabin, easy driving demeanor and efficient powertrain, the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander is the perfect 3-row hybrid SUV on sale right now for large families. The closest competitor would be the Mazda CX-90 PHEV which has a similar starting price but that one is a plug-in hybrid and not a self-charging hybrid like this one. However, the Mazda doesn’t have quite the same refinement as this, plus, it’s hard to beat Toyota’s legendary reliability.
Thank you to Toyota Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Toyota.ca
2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Gallery
