More than a Toyota Highlander, it's simply Grand

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- You would think that Toyota would be perfectly happy with the highly successful Highlander midsize crossover sport-utility vehicle, positioned nicely above the compact RAV4 but smaller than those other sizable Toyota SUVs.

Instead, for 2024, the venerable automaker has rolled out a Grand Highlander, sort of a super Highlander.  Full size and proud of it.

My tester, the 2024 Grand Highlander 4WD Limited, showed up looking as big as a battleship to my eyes.  I chalked that up to my own biases and expectations, having tested numerous Highlanders over the years.

A little time together brought us to an understanding.  Yes, it's large.  But it doesn't drive that way. It's easy to maneuver, and I was pretty much accustomed to the vehicle's borders within five minutes.

Power on my Grand Highlander was provided by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid system rated at 245 horsepower.  Frankly, the power plant felt stronger than that as I had to throttle back on aggressive starts, lest I catch the attention of the local peace officers.

Simply put: The Grand Highlander drives as easily as the good ol' midsize Highlander.

The hybrid system also offered pleasant fuel mileage numbers: 36 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

Per usual, everything else on the Toyota was spot-on: excellent fit and finish, good 360-degree vision from the cockpit and a generous list of standard features. Highlights included leather heated/ventilated/power front seats, a wireless smartphone charger, three-zone auto climate control and an exceedingly sharp 12.3-inch color multi-info display.

Did I mention that it looks good?  Yeah, it does, especially riding on those muscular 20-inch alloy wheels.  The angular cuts on the body raise it a notch above the standard big SUV look.

Priced at $53,238, the tester was wearing a sticker very much expected of a big-shouldered SUV. But in my view, worth the price for the Grand experience.