Sometimes he’s not so good at keeping a secret. For months we’ve been hearing about the new Grand Highlander SUV, and all the while spy photos and information seem to be dripping from Toyota City. Officially, Toyota will hold the debut of the new Grand Highlander on February 4 to show off the new Highlander. From what we can tell, there are several reasons to wait for the new SUV to hit the market.
What is the 2023 Toyota Grand Highlander?
The Grand Highlander is the grander (grandir?) version of the Highlander. In Toyota speak, that means it’s longer and more luxurious. It’s one of the most anticipated SUVs of the year and says it will debut next month. The prospect of a more spacious Highlander, which is one you can buy, looks great.
Grand Highlander shows newfound length in spy photos:
— Car and driver (@CARandDRIVER)
Today’s is a large SUV with seven seats and a powerful turbo engine. But it has one big, or should we say small, flaw. The back seat exists, but it’s a cramped affair and really only suitable for the children of gymnasts.
The Grand highlander should address this by adding extra length to the back end. As an 1880s hustle, it will carry more room for full-size adults and more luggage. While it looks the same as a Highlander, you can only see a little more protrusion from the rear wheel to the bumper under the new taillights and stoplight in the only image Toyota has released. Toyota says the new one will come equipped for family adventures, but hasn’t elaborated.
The 2023 Highlander has plenty of room, but with a little more room it could definitely become grander. It has three rows of seating, but the third row has just 28 inches of legroom, compared to a generous 42 inches up front. This means that the third row is for children or jockeys only. It also has just 16 cubic feet of space behind the third row, which is plenty for a backpack or three with the seat up. To get more space today, you have to upgrade to the pricier $15,000 Sequoia SUV.
Toyota needs another seven-seat SUV
The 4Runner and , as well as the Highlander and Sienna minivans, all seat seven. But the 4Runner’s optional rear seat is cramped, and the Sequoia is about $15,000 more expensive than a Highlander.
The new 2024 Grand Highlander will be longer, and that means many will buy it with big seven-seat SUVs like the Chevy Traverse. The 17-foot-long Traverse has plenty of room, amenities, and in many cases is a better choice than even Chevy’s Tahoe SUV. It has a powerful V6 and plenty of room. It could even compete with Toyota’s SUV, which will share the same platform.
The new 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L should also compete with the new Grand Highlander. The L means long, and in the case of the Cherokee, the stretched wheelbase turns the Cherokee into a full seven-seater with 30 inches of rear-seat room. Furthermore, Honda’s Pilot SUV could be considered a competitor, although it is only slightly larger than the current 2023 Highlander.
