The Toyota Highlander has been the best-selling model in the highly competitive midsize SUV segment for six years in a row. While the 2023 Highlander in the Valley Hi Toyota inventory does not look much different from the 2022 model, there are big changes under the skin. In addition, an all-new larger Grand Highlander will be available later this year.
Highlander Changes Are Within the Exterior
The biggest highlander change lies under the hood, where the former 3.5-liter V6 has been replaced with a 2.4-liter turbocharged Inline-4. The new engine produces 265 horsepower. While that is less than the 295 hp V6, the new engine delivers a significant increase in torque and access to that torque with 310 lb.-ft. @ 1700-3600 rpm versus 263 lb.-ft. @ 4700 rpm. With the increased torque rating at lower rpms, you will notice a significant improvement in day-to-day stop-and-go driving, passing performance, and on ramp acceleration.
Compared to the V6, the new engine accounts for more than a 50% reduction in NOx and NMOG as well as an improvement in CO2 emissions while having the same EPA-estimated 24 combined mpg.
Inside the Limited and Platinum grades, the 12.3-inch center screen is joined by a second 12.3-inch display for the driver information center, replacing the former TFT information screen. The driver’s display has four selectable information presentations, Casual, Smart, Tough, and Sporty. Also new for the Limited and Platinum grades are folding outside mirrors, a power hands-free liftgate, and a more convenient location for the Qi-compatible wireless charger on the instrument panel shelf.
All-New Grand Highlander
The 2024 Grand Highlander was created to please Highlander intenders who wanted more room and adult-sized passenger room for the 3rd-row seat. With the Highlander being the best-seller that it is, one could understand if Toyota simply stretched the Highlander’s body and called it a day. Instead, the Grand Highlander is a completely different model with its own styling.
Compared to the Highlander, the Grand Highlander has a 4-inch longer wheelbase, is 6.5 inches longer overall, 2.0 inches taller, and 2.3 inches wider. That still leaves it 7 inches shorter than the Sequoia. The Grand Highlander’s styling more closely resembles the Sequoia with a straight-line, hard-edged theme running from the upright hexagonal grille to the horizontally themed taillights.
No less than three drivetrains are available across three grades, starting with the well-balanced 2.4-liter turbo gas engine that now powers the Highlander, the efficiency-leading 2.5L hybrid with a manufacturer-estimated 34 combined MPG, and the ultimate performance-seeking, 2.4-liter Hybrid MAX, first introduced in the Crown which produces 362 horsepower and 400 lb-ft. of torque in this application.
“There is definitely a need in the market for a midsize SUV that prioritizes interior comfort in all three rows, and Grand Highlander is the ultimate option,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota Marketing. “This 3-row model takes the Highlander legacy to an entirely new space while also keeping on our promise to deliver on electrification. Highlander was the first model in its segment to offer a hybrid powertrain back in 2006, and Grand Highlander further expands on our electrification leadership.”
The Grand Highlander has its own interior styling and includes a 12.3-inch center display on all models. There is a formidable suite of technology features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, available AT&T hotspot, USB-C jacks for all three rows, and the “Hey Toyota” voice command system. Available is an 11-speaker JBL audio system with Clari-Fi® technology and the ability to enhance compressed digital music formats.
The 2024 Grand Highlander will come standard with the latest Toyota Safety Sense generation, TSS 3.0, which includes:
- Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
- Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
- Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
- Lane Tracing Assist
- Road Sign Assist
- Automatic High Beams
- Proactive Driving Assist
The 2023 Highlander is available now with plenty of models at Valley Hi Toyota. As a 2024 model, the Toyota Grand Highlander’s pricing and on-sale date will be announced this summer, so you can probably expect it to arrive in Valley Hi Toyota’s showroom this fall.
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