The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Cured Me Of My Lexus Upgraditis

Back in the summer of 2023, Toyota introduced a new spin on the Highlander, its long-running midsize crossover. The Grand Highlander would be bigger, longer and taller — though not as big, long, or tall as Toyota's giant of the forest, the Sequoia — and so would slide in-between its smaller cousin and the big man on campus to fill a need for a three-row crossover with room for nearly everyone, yet not take up so much space on the driveway or in the garage. It'd also offer both gas-only and hybrid configurations, including a couple of Hybrid MAX versions for those seeking maximum power on the open road for towing and passing.

A couple of years on, what once consisted of three trims at the beginning is now five trims strong. Recently, Toyota sent down its top-tier example, the 2025 Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX Platinum, to my driveway in Southwestern Virginia, to learn more about this unique offering amid the midsize hybrid crossover competition. Could there really be only one? There's no Freddie Mercury or Christopher Lambert to answer the question, so it was up to me find the answer.

The 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid has few peers, largely (no-pun intended) owing to its size. Most of its competition, like the Hyundai Tuscon Hybrid, Kia Sportage Hybrid, and Honda CR-V Hybrid, don't even hold as many people as Toyota's grand-sized three-row crossover does. It has a price tag to match its girth, too. Here's how much you can expect to pay for your 2025 Grand Highlander Hybrid before adding in the $1,450 destination charge:

• Hybrid LE: $44,210
• Hybrid XLE: $45,380
• Hybrid Limited: $51,710
• Hybrid Nightshade: $52,610
• Hybrid MAX Limited: $54,690
• Hybrid MAX Platinum: $58,775; $63,877 as-tested, including destination charge

The closest competitor (size- and seating-wise) to this grand hybrid are its luxury-focused cousin, the Lexus TX 500h F Sport Performance ($70,110 Premium, $73,260 Luxury), and the performance-oriented Mazda CX-90 PHEV (starting MSRP of $49,945). Its smaller sibling, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, starts at $46,820 for the base Hybrid XLE trim, which is a higher price of admission compared to even the Grand's Hybrid XLE trim, while the Hybrid Platinum is some $4,000 less expensive than the Grand's highest trim at $54,475 starting MSRP. 

Of course, the smaller Highlander Hybrid's third row is a bit more cramped than the Grand's. Add in options like one of the three premium paint choices ($475 each), 20-inch black wheels ($1,600), and a tow-hitch receiver package ($930), though, and you'll come pretty close to questioning whether or not walking over the Lexus dealership might be the wiser decision in the end.

Under the hood of the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander are two choices of hybrid power. For the LE, XLE, Limited and Nightshade trims, it's a 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (eCVT) with front-wheel drive (LE- and XLE-only) or electronic on-demand all-wheel drive. Output for that combo — which includes a pair of electric motors with a 1.4-kWh nickel-metal hydride battery and 17.2-gallon fuel tank — amounts to a combined 243 horsepower and 175 lb-ft of torque. 

These four trims are on par with their smaller Highlander siblings as far as fuel mileage goes, delivering a combined EPA estimate of 34 mpg (36 city/32 highway). The same cannot be said for the Hybrid MAX Limited and Hybrid MAX Platinum trims, however.

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The Hybrid MAX trims — like our maxed-out Hybrid MAX Platinum with its 20-inch black alloys wrapped in Yokohama Geolandar X-CVs — use a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid powertrain paired with a six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, plus a pair of electric motors with the same battery pack and fuel tank as before. A combined 362 horses and 400 lb-ft of torque make it to all corners of the open road via the Hybrid MAX's full-time electronic all-wheel drive, with 13.3-inch ventilated front and rear disc brakes and multi-link rear and independent front MacPherson struts with stabilizer bars. 

You'll be stopping quite a bit compared to the non-turbocharged trims when it comes to fueling up, too; the Hybrid MAX is more about power than efficiency. EPA-estimated fuel economy comes to a combined 26 mpg (27 mpg city and highway), and, unlike the non-MAX hybrids, the Hybrid MAX trims prefer premium over regular.

Sliding on up into the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, you're greeted by the 12.3-inch touchscreen, which is the standard size across every trim level. Behind the wheel (leather-wrapped on higher trims like our test example), the LE and XLE feature a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, while the rest use a 12.3-inch version to inform the driver of everything from tire pressure to MPGs and remaining range. 

The center touchscreen includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and Toyota's line of connected services, with trials ranging in length of 30 days (Wi-Fi Connect wi-fi hotspot service by AT&T) to up to a decade (Service Connect and Safety Connect). Once those trials expire, expect to pay anywhere from $15/month for Drive Connect to $80/annually for Safety Connect (assuming you keep your Grand Highlander Hybrid around that long, of course). Most trims come with a six-speaker stereo system, while upper trims like our example boast an 11-speaker JBL setup.

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While some functions head off into the paywall of the clouds, other features remain firmly within hand's reach, like the HVAC and volume controls. Here are knobs and buttons aplenty, plus seven USB-C port for everyone up and down the cabin to keep their devices ready to go; there's also standard wireless device charging underneath the center touchscreen and HVAC array. Standard safety features include Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 with Pre-Collision, adaptive cruise control, rear-backup camera, automatic high beams, and front and rear parking sensors. Available features include a head-up display, surround-view camera system, a rear-camera mirror (great for seeing past the heads of those in the third row), and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

No matter which seat you and yours take, there really is plenty of room for everyone and nearly everything. The most space, of course, is found in the first and second rows, which can seat up to five with the right configuration; the second row 60/40-split bench is swapped for captain's chairs on the LE and Limited. Synthetic leather upholstery, a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat, 13 cup holders, heated front seats, and tri-zone climate control are all standard across the board. 

Step up the ladder, though, and you can have heated and ventilated front and second-row seats, a panoramic moonroof, and genuine leather seating for seven, like the bronze-trimmed black leather and suede seats in the Hybrid MAX Platinum. The center console is deep enough to accommodate a small purse, which is better than where I usually place it (behind me) whenever someone is sitting in the front passenger seat.

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As for the third row, you'll find the Grand Highlander Hybrid to have more room than the smaller Highlander Hybrid for most adults and children. Compared to the latter's 28 inches of leg room, the bigger Grand Highlander Hybrid offers 33 inches to work with. It's not too bad back there, but taller occupants will feel more comfortable in the second and first rows. As far as hauling goods around, there's 21 cubic feet with all seat backs up for groceries, 58 cubic feet with the third row put away for bigger items, and 98 cubic feet with all rear seat backs down. The Toyota can also tow up to 5,000 pounds when equipped.

The Grand Highlander Hybrid managed itself quite well around my mountain home during the week it stayed with me. The turbocharged thunder ahead of me was definitely appreciated out on I-81, as well as the smooth, comfortable ride during the calmer moments on that interstate highway. The big man didn't mind the curvy, winding roads up and down my usual stop for photo shoots, either, and it took the few bumps it met like a champ. 

Getting in and out was fairly easy, too, and having that surround-view camera system made parking the Grand Highlander Hybrid into a few crowded spaces just that much easier. The rear camera mirror was also welcome, even though I had no one sitting in the rear third row, if only because it's really nice to see more of the road behind me when it comes to passing and being passed. 

On the other hand, I wasn't too thrilled with the Hybrid MAX's heavy drinking habits. The final damage was just shy of 23 mpg, which was better than the last Hybrid MAX to visit my driveway: the 2024 Toyota Tundra Platinum, which managed only 16 mpg from its twin-turbocharged hybrid V6. They can't all be dingers into the stands.

For families needing more third-row space without stepping up to giants like the Toyota Sequoia, Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expedition, or Nissan Armada, the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid should fit in nicely on the driveway. The hybrid powertrain is good for the most part, though you'll have to decide if you want better fuel economy in exchange for a groaning, droning eCVT, or more power in exchange for more pain at the pump. Not to mention the subscriptions you may find yourself needing from Toyota in the years to come. 

This is a crossover with few peers, to be sure, and its pricing can climb towards Lexus territory with the right trim and options checked off. Yet, it stands out because it exists between the usual offerings in its class and the full-size family trucksters, providing consumers an interesting option without truly going overboard in accommodating their loved ones. There truly can be only one Grand Highlander Hybrid.