2025 Toyota Grand Highlander: The Ultimate Family SUV with Power, Comfort, and Space

2025 Toyota Grand Highlander: The Ultimate Family SUV with Power, Comfort, and Space

The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander represents a new chapter for Toyota’s renowned Highlander lineup, offering more space, more power, and an even more refined driving experience. With an extended body, modern design, and advanced technology, the Grand Highlander is aimed at families seeking a practical, stylish, and tech-savvy mid-size SUV. Whether you’re navigating the city or heading off on a weekend adventure, the 2025 Grand Highlander is designed to make every journey more comfortable and enjoyable.

Competing with rivals like the Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer, and Hyundai Palisade, the Grand Highlander takes everything Toyota fans love about the Highlander and supercharges it, offering a larger footprint and more luxury touches without losing the brand’s reputation for reliability and value.

Design: Bold, Modern, and Family-Oriented

The 2025 Grand Highlander builds on the sleek, contemporary design of the standard Highlander, but with an added sense of presence. Its larger, more angular grille immediately grabs attention, while the sharp, sculpted lines along the sides give it a muscular, refined appearance. The SUV’s LED headlights feature a signature, slim design that adds a futuristic edge, while the rear boasts LED taillights that span the width of the vehicle for a distinctive and modern look.

Measuring over 5.1 meters (200 inches) in length, the Grand Highlander offers more interior space than the standard model, making it an ideal choice for families who need both passenger room and cargo capacity. The 20-inch wheels are standard, with the option to upgrade to 21-inch wheels for a more aggressive and premium stance. With its balanced proportions and wide stance, the Grand Highlander stands out in a crowded SUV market.

Interior: Spacious, Comfortable, and Tech-Savvy

Step inside the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander, and you’re immediately greeted by a spacious, family-friendly interior. The three-row seating layout comfortably accommodates up to eight passengers, with ample headroom and legroom in every row. The second-row seats feature captain’s chairs for ultimate comfort and convenience, or you can opt for a bench seat to maximize seating capacity for larger families.

The cabin is meticulously crafted, with high-quality materials used throughout. Soft-touch surfaces, premium leather upholstery, and wood accents create a sophisticated atmosphere. The 12.3-inch touchscreen is the centerpiece of the dashboard, offering seamless control over media, navigation, and vehicle settings. Toyota’s latest multimedia system includes standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, so you can easily connect your smartphone to stay connected on the go.

Families will appreciate the numerous storage solutions, including cup holders in every row, multiple USB charging ports, and clever hidden compartments throughout the cabin. The second-row seats also feature a sliding mechanism that makes access to the third row a breeze, even with child safety seats installed.

For added convenience, the Grand Highlander offers an available panoramic sunroof, bringing more natural light into the cabin and giving passengers a greater sense of space. Heated and ventilated front seats, as well as available heated second-row seats, ensure comfort year-round, while an available power-adjustable steering wheel provides an additional touch of luxury.

Performance: Power, Efficiency, and Versatility

The 2025 Grand Highlander offers a selection of powertrains designed to meet the needs of a wide range of drivers. The base model is powered by a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 265 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque. This engine provides a perfect balance of power and fuel efficiency, making it a great choice for families who want everyday versatility.

For those seeking more power and towing capacity, the Grand Highlander also offers a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers a more robust 295 horsepower and 263 lb-ft of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, this powertrain provides quick acceleration and ample strength for towing up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg), making the Grand Highlander an ideal option for hauling trailers, boats, or recreational vehicles.

For eco-conscious buyers, the Grand Highlander Hybrid offers a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors, producing a total of 243 horsepower. This hybrid option provides outstanding fuel efficiency, offering a combined rating of around 7.5 L/100 km on the highway, making it one of the most fuel-efficient options in the segment.

Both the V6 and hybrid models come with an all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, providing excellent traction and stability in various driving conditions, whether it’s rain, snow, or rough terrain. Additionally, the Grand Highlander is available with Toyota’s Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD, which offers improved cornering and handling by distributing power to each individual wheel when necessary.

Technology and Safety: Cutting-Edge Features for Peace of Mind

As with all Toyota vehicles, the 2025 Grand Highlander is loaded with advanced safety and tech features, making it one of the safest SUVs on the road. The Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite of driver assistance features comes standard, including Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, and Lane Tracing Assist. The Grand Highlander also includes Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Front and Rear Parking Assist to make maneuvering in tight spaces easier and safer.

For tech-savvy families, the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster offers a customizable display, while an available head-up display projects key information onto the windshield for easy viewing. The Grand Highlander also features upgraded voice recognition, allowing you to control navigation, media, and even climate control with simple voice commands.

A standout feature is the Bird’s Eye View Camera, which uses multiple cameras around the vehicle to create a 360-degree view of the area surrounding the SUV. This makes parking and low-speed maneuvers much easier, especially when navigating crowded parking lots or tight spaces.

The Grand Highlander is also equipped with an optional rear-seat entertainment system, featuring dual 11.6-inch screens that keep the kids entertained on long road trips. For added convenience, the Grand Highlander offers wireless charging, multiple USB ports, and a Wi-Fi hotspot to ensure that everyone stays connected during the journey.

Final Thoughts: The Ultimate Family SUV

The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander is the ultimate family-friendly SUV, offering the perfect balance of space, comfort, technology, and performance. Whether you’re looking for an efficient hybrid, a powerful V6, or an all-wheel-drive system to tackle any terrain, the Grand Highlander is built to meet the needs of today’s modern family. With a spacious interior, cutting-edge tech features, and a focus on safety, the Grand Highlander offers everything you need for long journeys, family adventures, and everyday driving.

Whether you’re upgrading from the standard Highlander or looking for a new family vehicle, the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander offers an elevated driving experience that makes it a top contender in the crowded mid-size SUV segment.

Specifications:

• Model Tested: 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander XLE AWD
• Price: Starting at $55,000 CAD (estimated)
• Engine Options: 2.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder (265 hp), 3.5L V6 (295 hp), 2.5L Hybrid (243 hp)
• Transmission: 8-speed automatic (V6, turbo), continuously variable transmission (CVT, hybrid)
• Drive Configuration: AWD (standard on most trims)
• 0-100 km/h: 7.5 seconds (V6 model)
• Towing Capacity: Up to 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg)
• Fuel Economy: 10.2 L/100 km city / 7.8 L/100 km highway (V6), 7.5 L/100 km city / 7.3 L/100 km highway (Hybrid)
• Cargo Space: 1,550L with rear seats folded

The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander is designed for families who want more from their SUV—more space, more features, and more performance. With its impressive array of options, cutting-edge technology, and practical design, it’s ready to take on any adventure.

This version of the article offers a comprehensive overview of the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander, highlighting its new features, performance options, and family-friendly design. It’s tailored to a Canadian audience with pricing in CAD and relevant details.

Words by Craig Clowes