New 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Features Worth Being Excited About

In the past, Toyota Highlanders aimed to please everyone by offering lots of trims, engine options, and drivetrains. But in 2024, things are changing with the introduction of the bigger Grand Highlander. Unlike before, this Highlander is bigger and better, giving you more space and cool features to enjoy. While the regular Highlander focuses on being a great mid-sized SUV, the Grand Highlander steals the show with its roominess and upgrades. It is perfect for families, and it gives a smooth ride experience with lots of helpful tech inside. The new Toyota Highlander is a car you will definitely love. 

Here are some new standout features in the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander you should be excited about. 

An Overview of the 2024 Grand Highlander in Nigeria

If you love the Toyota Highlander but need more space, the 2024 Grand Highlander could be the solution. It’s called “Grand” because it’s a stretched version of the regular Highlander, offering extra room for passengers and cargo, especially in the third row. The standard model comes with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, while the Grand Highlander Hybrid offers two hybrid options, including a powerful 362-hp variant called Hybrid Max. It’s loaded with standard driver-assistance features and is available in upscale XLE, Limited, and Platinum trims, giving it a grander feel.

What’s new for the 2024 Grand Highlander

The base L trim is no longer available, and neither are the bronze editions of the Hybrid and Hybrid XLE. Instead, you’ll find LE Nightshade and XLE Nightshade trims for the hybrid model. Plus, Toyota has upgraded the XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum trims with a standard hands-free power liftgate. Another change is that Toyota has swapped out the V-6 engine for a new turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

The three major changes highlighted are:

1. Increased Size and Space: The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander has a stretched body, providing more room for passengers and cargo compared to the regular Highlander. Most notably, the third row receives a significant boost in space, ensuring greater comfort for all occupants.

2. Hybrid Powertrain Options: Unlike the older models, the Grand Highlander offers two hybrid powertrain options, including the powerful Hybrid Max variant with a remarkable 362 horsepower. This expands the range of choices for eco-conscious drivers who prioritize fuel efficiency without sacrificing performance.

3. Upscale Trim Options: With only upscale XLE, Limited, and Platinum trims available, the Grand Highlander exudes luxury and refinement. Each trim level comes generously equipped with standard driver-assistance features, elevating the overall driving experience and ensuring a premium feel across the lineup.

Engine, transmission, and performance

The 2024 Grand Highlander comes in two options: a regular gas version or a hybrid. The gas model comes with a turbocharged engine that gives you 265 horsepower, and it takes 7.2 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. You can get it with front- or all-wheel drive. On the other hand, the hybrid Highlander uses a smaller engine and two electric motors, giving you a total of 243 horsepower. It comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and also gives you the option of front- or all-wheel drive. Even though it’s more fuel-efficient, it’s just as quick as the gas version, only trailing by a tenth of a second in the 0–60 mph test. Both versions of the Highlander offer a stable and smooth ride, perfect for family trips. 

Fuel Economy

The regular gas Highlander has EPA estimates of 25 mpg combined, 21 mpg city, and 29 mpg highway. But if you go for the all-wheel-drive version, you lose 1 mpg in each category. On the other hand, the Highlander Hybrid is much more fuel-efficient, giving you 36 mpg combined, 36 mpg city, and 35 mpg highway. With all-wheel drive, it’s just 1 mpg less in combined and city ratings.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The base LE model, which doesn’t have the “L” designation for 2024, can seat eight passengers. However, if you opt for the XLE trim or higher, you can get second-row captain’s chairs, reducing the seating capacity to seven. The hybrid version has more second-row legroom compared to the gas model, but the gas model offers more legroom for the driver and front passenger. While the Highlander provides ample passenger space, compared to the Chevrolet Traverse, which offers even more legroom in its third row, When it comes to cargo space, the Highlander falls short, fitting only four carry-on suitcases behind the third row, while the Traverse can accommodate six. The materials and design inside the Highlander have been improved from the previous model, with higher-quality materials and a functional design. The Limited and Platinum models offer more luxury features like leather upholstery, a larger infotainment screen, and ventilated seats, but they still don’t match the feature-packed Palisade and Telluride.

Infotainment and connectivity

The LE and XLE come with an 8.0-inch infotainment screen, but you can upgrade to a larger 12.3-inch screen on the XLE, and it’s standard on Limited and Platinum models. The Limited and Platinum also get a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, while the other models stick with traditional analogue gauges and a small 7-inch information screen. You’ll enjoy music with a standard six-speaker audio system, or you can opt for the upgraded 11-speaker JBL audio system available on XSE and standard on Limited and Platinum. All models come with SiriusXM satellite radio, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. Plus, wireless smartphone charging is included on XLE and higher trims. If you need navigation, it’s available on XSE and comes standard on the top two trims.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Toyota ensures that safety is a priority across its lineup, and the Highlander is no different. It comes with a bundle of driver-assistance features as standard, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, traffic sign recognition, and automatic high-beam headlamps. Notable safety highlights include standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, standard blind-spot monitoring with rear-cross-traffic alert, and standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist.

Toyota Highlander 2024 price in Nigeria

The Toyota Grand Highlander is a distinct vehicle, despite sharing the Highlander nameplate. It boasts a more assertive appearance and a towing capability of up to 5000 pounds. A limited number of units have recently arrived in Nigeria, and the cost for a brand new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE in Nigeria is 170,000,000 Naira.