2026 Toyota
Grand Highlander

The Grand Highlander reaffirms itself as a spacious, versatile three-row SUV crafted in the U.S. (it’s assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana) to meet the needs of active families and adventurers alike. This third model year promises more strong sales thanks to an alluring mix of attractive styling, a comfortable interior, and a range of trim grades that allow buyers to balance features with their budget, from the fabric-upholstered LE to the Platinum, which has a power panoramic moonroof and heated and ventilated seats in the first two rows. It stands out from other high-capacity crossovers with a third row that actually has legroom for adults. There’s ample space for cargo as well, with a dedicated back area that can be expanded by folding down the third row and even the second as well when nobody is seated there.

Shop Toyota Grand Highlander
2026 Toyota Grand Highlander front exterior

Trims and Mechanical Specs

Buyers of the gas-only 2026 Grand Highlander can choose any of four grades: LE, XLE, Limited, and Platinum. (Toyota also makes the 2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid, to which we devote a separate overview.) A 265-horsepower 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine joins an eight-speed automatic transmission to form the powertrain. Front-wheel drive (FWD) comes standard on all but the Platinum, which gets an all-wheel drivetrain (AWD) with paddle shifters. That upgrade is optional for the other trims.

Those who are looking to pull a trailer with the Grand Highlander will be glad to hear that its maximum capacity is 5,000 pounds. Cargo space in the dedicated area behind the third row measures 20.6 cubic feet. According to the EPA’s official fuel economy estimations, the first three trims can be expected to return 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway with FWD. The Platinum is rated to achieve 20 city/26 highway.

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander interior

Standard Equipment

The LE is set up with a second-row bench seat that allows it to seat as many as eight. It has cloth upholstery, proximity keyless entry, a power-adjustable (eight-way) driver’s seat, three automatic climate control zones (the middle row gets its own controls and vents), an overhead console, push-button ignition, LED exterior lighting, heated power side mirrors, roof rails, rear privacy glass, a windshield wiper de-icer, a 7-inch driver display, seven USB-C ports, and 18-inch alloy wheels. The XLE moves to a seven-passenger capacity with a pair of captain’s chairs in the middle row (the bench seat is offered as an option). It also gets a digital key, SofTex (simulated leather) upholstery, a heated ten-way power driver’s seat, a heated eight-way power passenger’s seat, wireless device charging, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and second-row sunshades.

The Limited rises in the ranks with leather upholstery for the first two rows, heated and ventilated first-row seats with driver’s-side memory, heated second-row captain’s chairs, a heated steering wheel, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 120V outlet, ambient interior lighting, and a hands-free power liftgate. Its exterior upgrades include power-folding mirrors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, LED fog lamps and daytime running lights, and 20-inch alloy wheels. A power panoramic moonroof is optional on the XLE and Limited. The Platinum’s middle-row captain’s chairs are heated and ventilated. It also gets a digital rearview mirror, a power panoramic moonroof, and a color head-up display.

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander side view

Advanced Safety Features

The proprietary Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 graces every trim with sophisticated technology to help prevent and mitigate collisions. Its standard components are adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, rear cross-traffic alert, additional braking and steering support (Proactive Driving Assist), traffic sign recognition, and automatic high beams. The two highest trims (Limited and Platinum) add front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, but only the Platinum gets traffic jam assist and a surround-view monitor (the latter is optional for the Limited).

2026 Toyota Grand Highlander infotainment system

Infotainment

A 12.3-inch touchscreen Toyota Audio Multimedia system is installed in each Grand Highlander trim. Wireless smartphone connectivity (Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) comes standard, as does Bluetooth for hands-free phone calls and audio streaming. Any trim can access SiriusXM satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and Toyota Connected Services via subscription; Toyota also furnishes over-the-air (OTA) updates as needed. For sound, the LE and XLE receive an unbranded system with six speakers, while the Limited and Platinum get the royal treatment with an 11-speaker JBL upgrade.

** Price(s) include(s) all costs to be paid by a consumer including $399 documentation fee, except for licensing costs, registration fees, and taxes.