TOYOTA'S GRAND HIGHLANDER HYBRID A `USEFUL' HAULER
Calgary musician Don Wilson last drove a Toyota more than 30 years ago when he bought a new 1988 Supra. At the time, he didn't need to haul his bass guitar and amp, but when he got back into a band in 1991, he swapped the Supra for a new Ford Explorer and has had an SUV or CUV ever since. When Wilson was given the opportunity to spend time with Toyota's brand-newfor-2024 mid-size Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max AWD — a vehicle that's a long way from the automaker's Supra — he jumped at the chance.
“I'd also never experienced a hybrid powertrain,” Wilson says, “so I was really looking forward to the hybrid-equipped Grand Highlander.”
Wilson plays in the band Nitelife, but also works part time as a steam engineer at Aspen Crossing Train Excursions.
“I've never been married and never had kids, but I've always liked vehicles that are useful,” Wilson says.
Toyota's Grand Highlander is in that category of useful vehicle, as a four-door, three-row hauler with 2,761 litres of cargo space behind the first-row seats. That's a lot of room, and Wilson figures he could just about haul all Nitelife's sound equipment in that space.
“I didn't try it, but it looks like all the gear would fit in there,” he says.
The Grand Highlander is essentially a stretched version of Toyota's Highlander and is intended to fit between that CUV and their full-size Sequoia. The Highlander measures in at 4,951 millimetres, while the Grand Highlander is 5,115 mm long. Wheelbase is
100 mm greater, and most of the additional room goes to the thirdrow seats. Five Grand Highlander models are available in Canada, two non-hybrid versions with a 2.4-litre turbocharged engine and three with hybrid powertrains — all are equipped with all-wheel drive. At the top of the range, the Platinum Hybrid Max sees the 2.4 L four-cylinder paired with twin electric motors to produce 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque.
Wilson's Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max would have cost him close to $67,500 had he bought it off the lot, with freight and PDI but before taxes. His tester was finished in a distinctive blue-ish colour Toyota calls Storm Cloud, while the interior was trimmed out in Portobello leather.
“When I first saw the Grand Highlander, I thought it very striking-looking with its Storm Cloud finish and 20-inch alloy wheels,” Wilson says. “I also thought it looked like a fair-sized vehicle. The design is contemporary, but it didn't wow me as being anything too different.”
The hybrid powertrain is paired with a six-speed transmission that can be shifted via paddle shifters. Wilson's own Lincoln Nautilus has paddle shifters and he doesn't often use them, preferring instead to just put the vehicle in drive.
“This was my first experience with a hybrid, and it wasn't obvious when it was in electric mode, or when the gas engine would cut in — that was all seamless,” he explains. “There's a display that does tell you where the power is going, either the front wheels, rear wheels or to all wheels, and that was neat to watch.”
Also, he says, “the acceleration was very nice and very active, I was blown away by that. There's plenty of power for passing, and it responds immediately while shifting so smoothly I never felt anything. By the end of the test, I'd put 500 kilometres on it, and spent $85 on fuel. The on-board computer indicated I got 10.4 L/100 km, and for a vehicle that size and mostly in-town driving, I don't think that's too bad.”
When driven on windy days, the Toyota remained stable and quiet. The steering wasn't particularly weighty, something Wilson likes, but offered more of a feather-touch feel.
He experimented with placing the Grand Highlander in Sport mode, but that didn't alter the steering. For the most part, he left it in Normal mode. The ride was solid, and the vehicle felt well-suspended with no upsetting vibrations when crossing rough terrain.
“The vehicle was loaded with tech, but even with all those aids, I'm old school and like to watch all of my mirrors and shoulder check,” he says.
While Wilson says the vehicle is “big,” he didn't find there was much cargo space behind the third-row seats.
“With all the seats down, though, there's tons of room,” he says. “And those seats are all easy to fold down. The rear hatch with its kick-sensor feature is handy, and I appreciated there was a temporary spare tire.”
He thinks the Grand Highlander best suits someone carrying family, taking ski trips or camping trips.
“It's a people mover, but it doesn't drive like a large vehicle.”
Wrapping up, Wilson thought the full-load Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max represented good value for the money.
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