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What's New for 2025?
The Grand Highlander adds a new LE base model that lowers the lineup's starting price by about $3k. You can also get the LE with the AWD 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain, and that configuration is now the cheapest Grand Highlander Hybrid, undercutting the front-drive XLE Hybrid by more than, well, a grand. The new-for-2025 Nightshade Edition spruces up the Grand Highlander with black wheels and various other black accents, but note that it's only available in 2.5-liter hybrid form.
2025 Grand Highlander Selector
2025 Toyota Grand Highlander
FAST FACTS
"Toyota has officially taken the gloves off with the arrival of the Grand Highlander. The regular Highlander proved to be too cramped in the third row and cargo area for today's shoppers, but the Grand Highlander corrects those flaws and then some. It looks great, first of all — a rare thing in this segment — with muscular angles and contours that give the runway-ready Telluride a run for its money. Its interior oozes contemporary sophistication, highlighted by a 12.3-inch touchscreen that's standard on every model. Want a hybrid? There are two versions to choose from, one that essentially borrows the Camry's hybrid powertrain to maximize fuel economy (figure mid-30s combined), the other prioritizing performance (but also driving up the price) with 362 turbocharged horsepower. Or stick with the non-hybrid 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder and enjoy robust torque and competitive efficiency. You can't go wrong with this nearly flawless Toyota, which belongs on every family's shortlist."—Ranked #1 out of 15 Midsize 3-Row SUVs
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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Most of the Grand Highlander's extra 6.7 inches of length (versus the regular Highlander) serves to boost third-row legroom, which is up by 5.5 inches. We like the base 2.4T powertrain with front-wheel drive for its strong value proposition — it's easy to spend a whole lot of cash on a Grand Highlander, but even this entry-level spec checks most of the boxes.
Our friends at Car and Driver somehow managed to hustle a Grand Highlander 2.4T AWD to 60 mph two-tenths of a second quicker than the regular Highlander 2.4T AWD, even though the latter weighs less. In any case, we can safely conclude that this entry-level 2.4T powertrain is no slouch, although its fuel economy looks slouchy next to that of the Grand Highlander Hybrid.
Interestingly, Toyota now offers the all-wheel-drive Grand Highlander Hybrid at a lower starting price than the front-drive version. That's because the base LE Hybrid trim level comes standard with AWD, whereas the next-rung-up XLE Hybrid is AWD-only — so you can opt for the security of AWD and save a bit of cash relative to the more feature-rich XLE front-driver. Anyway, whether you stick with the LE or spring for a higher AWD trim level, the fuel economy isn't affected very much, so it's a sensible addition if snow is part of your winter process. One thing you do lose with the regular Hybrid, though, versus either the base 2.4T engine or the Hybrid Max powertrain, is towing capacity, which drops by 1,500 pounds to a 3,500 max towing figure for the Grand Highlander Hybrid.
Delivering an exceptional 36 mpg in a true 3-row package, the front-wheel-drive Grand Highlander Hybrid is all ate up with value at its $45k-ish starting price. Note that the eight-passenger seating configuration is only available in the base XLE trim via a second-row bench seat, so if you step up to a higher trim level, you're stuck with the seven-passenger layout that includes second-row captain's chairs.
The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max is a decidedly swift 3-row family hauler, so if you appreciate swiftness, its 27 mpg combined fuel economy will likely impress you. If fast SUVs seem silly to you, though, you might prefer to pay thousands less for 7 more mpg in the regular Grand Highlander Hybrid AWD (or get the front-drive Hybrid and enjoy 9 more mpg). Anyway, the GH Hybrid Max certainly hauls the mail, and it also claws back the 5,000-pound towing capacity that the base non-hybrid GH has, but the regular GH Hybrid loses. The Max's conventional six-speed automatic is another point in its favor versus the CVT-only regular Hybrid. Note that you can't have eight-passenger seating in the Hybrid Max, since that's an XLE option and the Max starts one level higher at the Limited trim, so every Hybrid Max will have second-row captain's chairs for a total of seven seats.
What are the different versions of the 2025 Grand Highlander, and how much do they cost? Select a version below or just hit the button to see our full 2025 Grand Highlander specs and model data.
| Version | Price | Fuel | MPG | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander 2.4T (8AT FWD) | $40,860 | Gas | 24 | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft |
| 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander 2.4T (8AT AWD) | $42,460 | Gas | 23 | 265 hp | 310 lb-ft |
| 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid (2.5 CVT AWD) | $44,210 | Hybrid | 34 | 245 hp | N/A |
| 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid (2.5 CVT FWD) | $45,380 | Hybrid | 36 | 245 hp | N/A |
| 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max (2.4T 6AT AWD) | $54,690 | Hybrid | 27 | 362 hp | 400 lb-ft |
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008. Prior to founding MotorDonkey, he spent 15 years shaping Edmunds' expert automotive content in various capacities, starting as an associate editor and ultimately serving as a senior editor before wrapping up with a five-year term as the company's first-ever director of content strategy. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has driven, compared and critiqued thousands of cars in his career. Helping people find their perfect car never gets old—seriously!
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