2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Road Test and Review

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

A three-row SUV is the ride of choice for many large families. They have high, commanding seating positions; space for everyone inside; and lots of available amenities. Trouble is, they can be frightfully expensive to buy and – especially with gas prices elevated as we write in April 2026 – to refuel.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid takes aim at both those faults. It's a car-based crossover, not a traditional truck-based SUV like the Toyota Sequoia. But at a starting price of $45,025 (plus a mandatory $1,495 destination charge), it's about $20,000 less than the Sequoia. With EPA ratings of up to 36 mpg in mixed driving, it uses 40 percent less fuel than the Sequoia, too. And it has even more space inside than Toyota's classic big-bruiser SUV.

For this review, we spent a week testing a 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade, which cost $57,110. Keep reading to learn all about this spacious yet economical SUV's pros and cons to see if it's the right three-row crossover for your family.

The Hybrid Workings

The Toyota Grand Highlander's base engine is a gas-only turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It's peppy and decently economical for a roomy three-row SUV, with EPA fuel economy estimates of up to 21 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg combined (or about 2 mpg less on a top trim level with all-wheel drive). But that’s nothing compared with the hybrid. 

The Grand Highlander Hybrid adds electric motors to the gas engine – one on front-wheel-drive models, plus a second if you get AWD. The electric motors help you accelerate without using as much fuel, and they can take over fully from the gas engine when you're coasting, cruising, or even accelerating gently. A selectable EV mode lets you lock in a bit of extra all-electric power, but only at low speeds, for short distances, and with a light touch on the throttle. We found it the most helpful in cases like slogging through stop-and-go traffic, circling a parking lot, or waiting in a school-pickup line. When the battery is low or you need to move faster, the gas engine is always ready to help. The engine charges the hybrid's small battery while it's running, and the Grand Highlander also recaptures some energy from braking friction.

You do pay more upfront for the Grand Highlander Hybrid. It costs about $2,000 to $3,000 more than an equivalently equipped Grand Highlander with a gas engine. Plus, you might find it harder to get a good deal on the hot-selling hybrid; we recommend getting quotes from multiple Toyota dealers.

But as we'll discuss, the hybrid brings other advantages to justify its price tag and help pay for itself.

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Hybrid vs. Hybrid Max

Toyota sells two versions of the Grand Highlander Hybrid: the standard model and the more powerful Hybrid Max. Both pair a gasoline four-cylinder engine with electric motors. But the Max has a turbocharged gas engine, boosting its output from the standard hybrid’s 245 horsepower to 362 hp. Even the Max isn’t a sporty thrill ride like the ferocious Ford Explorer ST, but the standard hybrid might feel too sluggish or wheezy for some tastes. We didn’t mind it, but it definitely didn’t feel like a luxury car. The Max isn’t a super-premium product, either – but it gets the job done with less fuss. 

The Max costs more. It’s exclusive to the top two Limited and Platinum trims; the Hybrid Max Limited, $55,690, costs $3,000 more than the standard hybrid and $6,000 more than the gas-only Limited. The Platinum is sold exclusively with the Hybrid Max powertrain, but most of its amenities are optional on the Limited anyway.  

A bigger difference is that the standard Grand Highlander Hybrid gets much better gas mileage than the Max. In EPA testing, front-wheel-drive models get 37 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 36 mpg combined, while AWD nets 36 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 34 mpg combined. The more powerful AWD-only Max gets 26 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined. We missed the EPA estimate to average 32 mpg in our AWD Nightshade test vehicle, but that was in chilly weather that's harder on hybrids. In summer testing, we previously averaged 28 mpg in a Grand Highlander Max.

You'd choose the standard Grand Highlander Hybrid for maximum fuel savings and a lower price. And you'd pick the Hybrid Max for a quicker, quieter SUV that still gets a little better gas mileage than its gas-only counterpart – especially at low speeds, where the electric motors add the most value.

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Grand-Sized

Toyota has sold a three-row Highlander since 2004. But throughout that time, it never had much space in the far back. That's where the Grand Highlander came in, and it quickly crushed the standard-size Highlander down to niche status. (Next year's non-Grand version of the Highlander is about to be replaced with a fully electric vehicle.)

The Grand Highlander measures 201 inches long, 78 inches wide, and 70 inches tall. That’s 6 inches longer, 2 inches wider, and 2 inches taller than the standard-sized Highlander. Toyota leans into this ample size with a boxy shape and clean, simple lines. We like how it looks. Still, some folks will prefer the more dramatic designs of the newly redesigned Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride or sportier-looking Mazda CX-90. Others might wish for something that looks more like a tough off-road vehicle. 

No visual cues separate the Grand Highlander Hybrid from the gas-only model – just a small “HEV” (hybrid electric vehicle) badge on the tailgate. However, only the hybrid offers the Nightshade edition like our test vehicle; this is a version of the Limited with blacked-out wheels and trim. 

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Simple and Functional Dashboard

The Grand Highlander keeps things simple inside, too. The interior looks contemporary without being in-your-face cutting-edge. Most common controls use simple buttons and knobs – not distracting touch-sensitive panels or touchscreen menus. We did occasionally change the car's driving mode by mistake while reaching for the center cupholders and brushing the console-mounted buttons. Fortunately, the whole gauge cluster lights up when you change modes, so we always noticed instantly. The interior isn't as dazzlingly opulent as a Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride, but it's attractive and well-finished.

We don't love Toyota's infotainment system. You have to switch around menus frequently, and you can't display multiple things at the same time – reducing the value of the big 12.3-inch screen. Also, the built-in GPS navigation system requires a paid subscription. But it works fast, and its graphics are simple and clear. Most importantly, Toyota didn't bury too many functions in the touchscreen – you use physical buttons for those. You can also wirelessly connect your phone to use mobile apps via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. We'd pick that over paying for Toyota's GPS system.

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Plenty of Room

The Grand Highlander makes good use of its size to provide a roomy, comfortable interior. It can seat up to eight people across its three rows (or seven people if you swap its second-row bench seat for captain’s chairs). A few rivals let you stretch out even more, and it’s not the easiest to get to the third row, but every seat can fit an adult. It’s easy to see why so many Toyota buyers defected from the smaller Highlander. 

Cargo space is another key advantage. Unlike many three-row SUVs (including the jumbo Sequoia), the Grand Highlander has a useful amount of cargo space even before you fold down its third-row seat. By the numbers, it has 21 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 58 cubic feet with the third row folded down, and 98 cubic feet behind the front seats. We found the second-row seats unexpectedly hard to fold; you must juggle two different handles in just the right sequence. But we appreciate the result. And the hybrid components don’t take up any cabin space. 

Towing capacity is one casualty of the hybrid powertrain. The standard Grand Highlander Hybrid is rated to tow a modest 3,500 pounds. But the Hybrid Max tows up to 5,000 pounds – the same as the gas-only Grand Highlander and most other three-row crossovers. 

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Smooth Ride, Not Fancy

The Grand Highlander Hybrid is an easy, comfortable car to drive. It’s like driving a minivan more than an SUV – no surprise, since it shares most of its mechanical pieces with the Toyota Sienna. The steering is light and natural, and the Grand Highlander goes where it’s pointed. It won’t go very far off-road, but its suspension is tuned to take the edge off bumps. 

Just don’t expect it to feel fancy. The Grand Highlander Hybrid won’t wake a sleeping child with a stiff ride. But when you hit a bump, you feel the car shudder rather than glide confidently past. The standard hybrid’s gas engine also sounds harsh and noisy when it helps the electric motors accelerate, and even the Hybrid Max is less than melodic. Some three-row crossovers have embraced a luxury feel, as has the Toyota Sequoia. The Grand Highlander Hybrid gets the job done while you’re driving it, but without the white-glove treatment. 

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Solid Safety Scores

The Grand Highlander earns solid scores in crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It gets five out of five stars overall from NHTSA and the top mark of Good in most IIHS evaluations. 

A few competitors do even better, though. At NHTSA, the Grand Highlander earned just four stars for frontal-impact protection. And it dipped to the second-highest Acceptable for one type of IIHS frontal crash test, too. However, it earned the top Good in the IIHS’s tough new test that evaluates rear-seat safety in a frontal impact – edging out rivals like the Chevrolet Traverse, Honda Pilot, and Hyundai Palisade. 

Every Grand Highlander Hybrid comes packed with advanced safety and driver-assistance features, including forward automatic braking, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. Upper trim levels also include reverse automatic braking and a surround-view parking camera. 

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Grand Highlander vs. the Competition

The Grand Highlander Hybrid is one of only a few big gas-electric SUVs. Two new models just stormed onto the scene, though – hybrid versions of the popular Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride. They chase the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max, prioritizing speed and luxury over maximum gas mileage; their EPA ratings slot between the Toyota’s two hybrid systems. They’re also more opulent all the way through, with quieter rides, richer interior materials, and more premium features – all for lower prices than even the standard Grand Highlander Hybrid powertrain. But for some, the Grand Highlander’s simplicity and greater gas mileage mean more than the Korean cousins’ greater speed and luxury. 

Another three-row hybrid SUV is the Mazda CX-90 PHEV. A PHEV is a plug-in hybrid – that means you charge up its battery using electricity from the power grid, and the gas engine only comes on when the all-electric range is used up or you need maximum power. The CX-90 PHEV goes an EPA-estimated 26 miles using only electricity, meaning it can slash your fuel costs if you mostly do short drives and can recharge at home. But it gets just 26 mpg once that range is used up. The CX-90 is richly finished and has sporty handling, but it’s not as comfortable or spacious as the Grand Highlander. 

You may also find yourself comparing the Grand Highlander Hybrid to gas-only models like the Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, and Volkswagen Atlas. We like these SUVs, and they cost less than the Grand Highlander Hybrid. But they use a lot more fuel, especially in stop-and-go driving. 

Finally, we’d shop the Grand Highlander Hybrid against the Toyota Sienna minivan. It has even more space and even better gas mileage at a lower price. On a practical basis, you give up about 1 inch of ground clearance, and the Hybrid Max powertrain isn’t available. Otherwise, the Grand Highlander’s only meaningful advantages are aesthetic – you need to love the SUV look.

2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy ・ Photo by Hyundai

A Big Family Car With a Small Fuel Bill

Overall, the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid provides ample space for a big family – without breaking the bank when you drive that family around. Especially if you don’t mind the base hybrid powertrain, it delivers phenomenal gas mileage for its size. 

This is an expensive SUV, though – especially in the less economical Hybrid Max form. At these prices, you can find fancier SUVs. Or you can spend thousands less to get a competitor. But unlike many expensive SUVs, the Grand Highlander Hybrid can also save you money in the long run. 

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Nightshade ・ Photo by Brady Holt