Road Trips in the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Aren’t Basic at All
Your road trips don’t have the be boring. I’ve been covering hundreds of miles with the Toyota Grand Highlander and I’m happy to report that it’s not just another generic family hauler. Check out what the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander has to offer.
Is the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander good for road trips?
Yes, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander is an excellent option for family road trips. I drove it from Rock Hill, SC to Asheville, NC, and back to cover over 400 miles during my week with this new hybrid SUV.
I spent hours on the pavement, took it off-roading, used it for errands in tight city areas, and more to get to know it, and it’s an excellent SUV to spend time in.
First, I need to cover the upscale interior. I had the Limited trim which is the middle child option and it features an upscale, elegant, and inviting space with high-quality materials.
The soft-touch covered surfaces feel plush and luxurious, the pops of wood trim are classic without feeling old, and the metal brushed trim pieces provide a sense of modern confidence.
The front-row seats are extremely comfortable and supportive for spending hours behind the wheels and can recline pretty far back for nap breaks. The second-row seats provide plenty of space, despite not being able to slide forward or back. They also recline pretty far.
While the third row is smaller, I had plenty of room to enjoy it for shorter rides. At 5’1” my knees had about two inches of space left and sat at a higher angle. I felt like I was sitting in a formal leather chair, but the third row also reclines far enough back for napping.
Each row provides what you need. There are multiple USB-C ports around the cabin including three in the front with a wireless phone charging pad. Also, there’s a household-style outlet in the rear.
Plus, cupholders are everywhere. The front provides access to five cup holders, including the ones in the door. There are 13 cupholders total, including four in the third row.
Also, there’s tons of storage. There’s a shelf above the glove box, the center console is deep and wide, and the inside of the doors are loaded with cubbies and bins.
The center console between the captain’s chairs in the second row has space for snacks, chargers, tablets, and gaming devices.
You can access up to 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 57.9 Cubes behind the second row, and 97.5 cubes overall. It can tow up to 5,000 lbs.
Also, it’s solid, safe, and capable. I drove through torrential downpours on the crowded interstate with areas of construction and ripped-up pavement but felt confident the entire time.
The tires didn’t slip or slide on the wet pavement as the windshield and rain wipers provided tons of visibility.
Also, I went to the dirt paths in the woods to test the available Trail Control mode. It may not look like an off-roader, but the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander will easily get you to your campsite.
In areas with slippery mud and piles of gravel, the Grand Highlander was confident, in control, and smooth. It has tons of torque for steep climbs and a nimble 19.03-foot turning radius for turning around in narrow areas.
I drove a model with the 2.5-liter inline-four hybrid powertrain with 245 hp. It’s fast and sporty for a little excitement. Plus, the regenerative brakes don’t bite too hard. It seemed more convenient and athletic than the Sienna, regular Highlander, and Sequoia.
While road-tripping in the Toyota Grand Highlander is engaging, confident, and comfortable, this SUV isn’t perfect. For example, the engine does emit a loud wheeze sometimes and the tech could be more intuitive.
I couldn’t figure out how to see my average MPG on the digital gauge cluster but the EPA-estimated 21 mpg in the city and up to 26 mpg on the highway is a bit underwhelming.
Road-tripping, off-roading, and running errands were fun, but my list of pros and cons is still on the way. Stay tuned.
