'Grander' Highlander has all the bells and whistles

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 -- Let me start by saying that I have always liked Toyota's Highlander sport-utility vehicle.

But now we have a Grand Highlander, which is, well ... grander.

My recent tester was a 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Nightshade Hybrid, and it was a three-row, perk-laden luxury liner to be sure ... with a bottom line price of $56,818.

Some asked: "Isn't that a Lexus."  And the answer is, yeah, pretty much.  It seems that Toyota, as always, wants to have all customer desires covered.  And this Grand certainly goes a long way toward doing that.

My ride came with a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine rated at 245 horsepower. It felt stronger than that and handled everything quite well. The hybrid system was rated at 36 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

But Toyota devotees have more options: the Grand Highlander also can be had with a gas-fueled 2.4-liter turbo-4 rated at 265 horsepower or a road-ripping "Hybrid MAX" power plant tipping the scales at 362 horses.

This being a near-Lexus, the long list of standard features on the tested Grand Highlander included cross-traffic alert, 3,500-pound towing capacity, all-wheel-drive "Trail Mode," a hands-free power liftgate, heated seats in the first and second rows, leather surfaces all around, three-zone climate control and so much more.

Add the Nightshade touches, the optional panoramic roof and panoramic view monitor and we're talking four-star hotel territory.  And yet, you might notice that a couple of those features are geared to taking the big-shouldered Grand Highlander off-road ... although I'm not sure I'd want to risk scratching the exquisitely painted surface with tree branch scratches.

The control-loaded interior is roomy and comfortable, I should mention.  And the exterior looks good riding on those 20-inch alloy wheels.

Overall, for those looking to spend wisely in this SUV segment, I'd says this Highlander is simply grand.