How the Highlander and Grand Highlander Stack Up by Trim Toyota sells two SUVs with nearly identical names, and plenty of shoppers around Richmond, KY, assume one is a stretched copy of the other. The Toyota Highlander vs. Grand Highlander question really comes down to two separate vehicles built on the same idea. Each one has its own trim ladder, its own powertrain menu, and a cargo gap you can measure in grocery runs. The Grand Highlander rides on a longer wheelbase and adds 13.2 cubic feet of maximum cargo room over the Highlander. All-wheel drive is standard on every Highlander grade, while the Grand Highlander starts with front-wheel drive and offers AWD. Only the Grand Highlander offers the 362-horsepower Hybrid MAX powertrain. Same Name, Very Different Footprint The Grand Highlander runs 201.4 inches long on a 116.1-inch wheelbase. The Highlander comes in at 194.9 inches on a 112.2-inch wheelbase, and the XSE stretches to 197.4 inches. A 6.5-inch gap sounds small on paper. Inside, it lands right where families notice, in the third row and the space behind it. The extra wheelbase does most of that work. Fold everything flat, and the Highlander opens up 84.3 cubic feet. The Grand Highlander gives you 97.5 cubic feet. It also leaves 20.6 cubic feet behind a raised third row, which Toyota says is room for seven carry-on suitcases with all three rows in use. Third-row numbers tell you more. Toyota lists the Grand Highlander at 33.5 inches of legroom and 37.2 inches of headroom back there. It doesn't publish the same figures for the Highlander, so treat that back seat as the one thing you have to sit in yourself before you decide. See Both, Back to Back 2026 Toyota Highlander The tighter of the two, with all-wheel drive standard on every grade and the best fuel economy figure either SUV posts. Shop Highlander 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Longer wheelbase, a usable third row, 97.5 cubic feet of cargo room, and the only place to get Hybrid MAX. Shop Grand Highlander Where the Trim Ladders Split Toyota pared the Highlander lineup down to XLE, XSE, Limited, and Platinum on the gas side. Hybrids come in XLE, Limited, and Platinum trim levels. All-wheel drive is standard on all of them, a shift from the front-drive base models Toyota used to sell. The Grand Highlander runs a longer ladder. Gas models start at LE and climb through XLE, Limited, and Platinum. Hybrids add a blacked-out Nightshade grade on 20-inch black wheels. Front-wheel drive is standard on the gas LE, XLE, and Limited, and AWD is an option on all three. The gas Platinum arrives with AWD already on it. Kentucky drivers who want all-wheel drive get a choice here instead of a rule. Toyota Highlander vs. Grand Highlander Trim Comparison Chart Category Toyota Highlander Toyota Grand Highlander Gas Trim Ladder XLE, XSE, Limited, Platinum LE, XLE, Limited, Platinum Hybrid Trim Ladder XLE, Limited, Platinum LE, XLE, Limited, Nightshade, plus Hybrid MAX in Limited and Platinum Entry Grade Standard Content XLE. SofTex-trimmed heated front seats, power tilt and slide moonroof, three-zone automatic climate control, 8-in. touchscreen with six speakers LE. Eight-passenger bench seating, three-zone automatic climate control with second- and third-row vents, power liftgate, seven USB-C ports Style-Focused Grade XSE. Exclusive front fascia, grille, lower spoiler and headlamps, sport-tuned suspension, 20-in. black wheels, twin exhaust tip, Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD Hybrid Nightshade. Blacked-out exterior trim with black badge overlay and 20-in. black wheels. Captain's chairs standard, hybrid grades only Limited Grade Content Standard leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats, 12.3-in. touchscreen, 12.3-in. digital gauge cluster, JBL Premium Audio. Panoramic View Monitor available Leather-trimmed heated and ventilated front seats, 12.3-in. digital gauge cluster, JBL Premium Audio, Panoramic View Monitor, Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking Top Grade Content Platinum. Standard panoramic glass roof, 10-in. head-up display, digital rearview mirror, Panoramic View Monitor, rain-sensing wipers Platinum. Standard panoramic moonroof. Available 10-in. head-up display, digital rearview mirror, heated and ventilated second-row outboard seats, Traffic Jam Assist Gas Engine 2.4L turbocharged I4, 265 hp, 310 lb-ft, 8-speed automatic 2.4L turbocharged I4, 265 hp, 310 lb-ft, 8-speed automatic Hybrid Powertrain 2.5L hybrid, 243 combined hp, eCVT 2.5L hybrid, 245 combined hp, eCVT Hybrid MAX Powertrain Not Available Available on Limited and Platinum. 2.4L turbo hybrid, 362 combined hp, 400 lb-ft, 6-speed automatic Drivetrain by Trim AWD standard on every gas and hybrid grade FWD standard on gas LE, XLE, and Limited with AWD available. AWD standard on gas Platinum and all Hybrid MAX. Electronic On-Demand AWD offered across the hybrid grades EPA-Estimated Combined MPG 24 with the gas AWD turbo. 35 with the hybrid AWD 24 with the gas FWD turbo. 34 with the 2.5L hybrid. 27 with Hybrid MAX AWD Seating 7 standard with captain's chairs. 8 with the available second-row bench on XLE gas, XLE Hybrid, and Limited gas 8 standard on LE with bench seating. 7-passenger captain's chairs available on XLE, Limited, and Platinum, and standard on Hybrid Nightshade Cargo Behind Third Row Not published by Toyota 20.6 cu. ft. Maximum Cargo Volume 84.3 cu. ft. with second and third rows folded 97.5 cu. ft. with second and third rows folded Maximum Towing 5,000 lbs. on gas grades. 3,500 lbs. on hybrid grades 5,000 lbs. on gas and Hybrid MAX grades. 3,500 lbs. on hybrid grades Length and Wheelbase 194.9 in. long, 197.4 in. on XSE. 112.2 in. wheelbase 201.4 in. long. 116.1 in. wheelbase Standard Touchscreen 8-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia. 12.3-in. available on XLE and XSE, standard on Limited and Platinum 12.3-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia standard on every trim Driver Assist Suite Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ standard. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 standard with Proactive Driving Assist. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert standard Specifications sourced from Toyota's official consumer site and Toyota USA Newsroom. Standard and available equipment vary by grade, package, and region, so confirm content on the exact vehicle you're looking at. Three Powertrains Against Two Both SUVs share the same 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. It makes 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic. Both also offer a 2.5-liter hybrid with an eCVT, good for 243 combined horsepower in the Highlander and 245 in the Grand Highlander. The Grand Highlander adds one thing the Highlander doesn't offer at all. Hybrid MAX pairs a turbocharged 2.4-liter with front and rear electric motors. Together, they make 362 combined horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. That runs through a six-speed automatic and full-time electronic all-wheel drive. It still tows 5,000 pounds and has a 27-mpg combined EPA estimate. Tow a small boat or a pair of dirt bikes, and that setup earns its spot on the window sticker. Look through the Grand Highlander Hybrid models we have in stock to see which ones carry it. Matching the Right Size to Your Weekly Routine Stick with the Highlander if your third row mostly stays folded and you park in a tight garage. You also get all-wheel drive without paying extra for it. The hybrid's 35 mpg combined rating is the best number either SUV posts. Its 84.3 cubic feet covers almost everything a family throws at it. Go with the Grand Highlander if the third row carries people every week, if you need real cargo room behind it, or if Hybrid MAX solves a towing problem for you. The LE also offers shoppers a lower entry point than the Highlander. Sit in both third rows back to back, and the answer usually sorts itself out in ten minutes. Why Buy Your Next Three-Row Toyota from Toyota South We keep both SUVs on the lot in Richmond, KY, for a reason. A spec chart tells you part of the story, and climbing into the third row tells you the rest. Our team will pull a Highlander and a Grand Highlander up side by side, fold the seats, load your car seats, and let you compare them without a stopwatch running. Ask about the gas, hybrid, and Hybrid MAX setups, and you'll get a plain answer. We'll also help you sort out which trim carries the features you use. Drivers from Lexington, KY, and Winchester, KY, make the trip out here. A fourth-generation family dealership answers the same way every time. Schedule a test drive online, and both will be parked out front when you get here. Frequently Asked Questions Is the Grand Highlander bigger than the Highlander? Yes. The Grand Highlander measures 201.4 inches long on a 116.1-inch wheelbase, compared with 194.9 inches and a 112.2-inch wheelbase for the Highlander. It also offers 97.5 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume against the Highlander's 84.3 cubic feet. Does the Toyota Highlander come with all-wheel drive? All-wheel drive is standard on every Highlander grade, gas and hybrid. On the Grand Highlander, front-wheel drive is standard on the gas LE, XLE, and Limited, with AWD available on those grades and standard on the gas Platinum and Hybrid MAX models. Which one tows more? They match. Gas grades of both SUVs are rated at 5,000 pounds when properly equipped, and the 2.5-liter hybrid grades of both are rated at 3,500 pounds. The Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX also carries the 5,000-pound rating. What is Toyota Hybrid MAX? Hybrid MAX is the performance hybrid system offered on Grand Highlander Limited and Platinum grades. It combines a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with front and rear electric motors for 362 combined horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Power runs through a six-speed automatic transmission and full-time electronic AWD. Which Toyota three-row SUV gets better gas mileage? The Highlander Hybrid posts the higher figure at 35 mpg combined with AWD. The Grand Highlander Hybrid is rated at 34 mpg combined, and the Hybrid MAX comes in at 27 mpg combined. Sit in Both Third Rows Before You Decide Ten minutes with the seats folded settles this faster than any spec chart. Tell us how often that back row carries people, and we will have both parked out front. Shop both models Schedule a test drive