It’s no secret, large families need vehicles with plenty of interior room. Not only is ample seating capacity practically a necessity, but having generous amounts of space to accommodate stacks of vacation luggage, loads of sports equipment, or mountains of groceries from monthly runs to your local membership warehouse (read: Costco) is a prerequisite, too. The trouble is, many three-row SUVs that are versatile enough for family duties – products like the Toyota Sequoia, Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Ford Expedition, and Nissan Armada – are also absolutely gargantuan, and they swill fuel like a big block muscle car built for drag racing, which is just not practical for many folks.
- Base Trim Engine
-
2.5L Inline-4 Hybrid
- Base Trim Transmission
-
8-speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
-
Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
-
245 hp
- Base Trim Torque
-
175 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
But there is a solution to this predicament, and a well-proven one at that: hybrid technology. By marrying an internal combustion engine with a small battery pack and at least one electric motor, a vehicle’s fuel economy can be dramatically improved. You get the benefit of potent performance and near-instant refueling with the incredible efficiency of an electric drivetrain. Letting families have their cake and eat it, too, there’s one versatile three-row SUV that has room for everyone and their luggage. Plus, if you can believe it, this vehicle is more fuel efficient than a conventional – and much smaller – Toyota RAV4.
To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including J.D. Power, the U.S. EPA, and Car and Driver.
The Three-Row Hybrid That Beats The RAV4: 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid
So, what is this miraculous vehicle that seemingly does it all? Well, believe it or not, we’re talking about another Toyota, specifically the large-and-capable Grand Highlander Hybrid. A bit bigger and more capacious than the standard Highlander, this SUV offers loads of interior space, and it sips fuel practically like a Prius hatchback.
Dimensionally, the Grand Highlander is 201.4 inches long and rolls on a 116.1-inch wheelbase – some sizable dimensions to be certain. In comparison, the regular Highlander is just 194.9 inches from hood to hatch, and its hub-to-hub span is 112.2 inches. This means the Grand model is 6.5 inches longer and the wheelbase is 3.9 inches greater.
Rated At 36 MPG Combined In Front-Wheel-Drive Models
Despite those substantial foundational dimensions, the Grand Highlander Hybrid is still incredibly fuel-efficient. The XLE front-wheel-drive model is rated at 37 miles per gallon city, 34 highway, and 36 mpg combined. Those figures blow the non-hybrid Grand Highlander right out of the water. The fancier front-wheel-drive Limited model is slightly less economical. This version of the vehicle is rated at 36 mpg city, 32 highway, and 34 combined – still impressive scores.
All-Wheel Drive Variants Still Achieve 34 MPG Combined
Now, if you need all-wheel drive, the Grand Highlander has got you covered. Several trim levels offer this traction-enhancing feature, and the LE/XLE models are both rated at a still-incredible 36 mpg city, 32 highway, and 34 combined. The all-wheel-drive Limited trim is expected to return 35, 31, and 33, respectively.
2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Fuel Figures
|
City MPG |
Highway MPG |
Combined MPG |
|
|
Gas LE FWD |
21 |
28 |
24 |
|
Gas Limited FWD |
21 |
28 |
24 |
|
Gas LE AWD |
21 |
27 |
23 |
|
Gas XLE AED |
21 |
27 |
23 |
|
Gas Limited AWD |
20 |
26 |
22 |
|
Gas Platinum AWD |
20 |
26 |
22 |
|
Hybrid XLE FWD |
37 |
34 |
36 |
|
Hybrid LE AWD |
36 |
32 |
34 |
|
Hybrid XLE AWD |
36 |
32 |
34 |
|
Hybrid Limited FWD |
36 |
32 |
34 |
|
Hybrid Limited AWD |
35 |
31 |
33 |
|
Hybrid Max Limited AWD |
26 |
27 |
27 |
|
Hybrid Max Platinum AWD |
26 |
27 |
27 |
Aside from that, a higher-performance Hybrid Max powertrain is also offered in high-end Limited and Platinum models. With all-wheel drive, these versions of the Grand Highlander are rated at 26 mpg city and 27 on both the highway and combined test cycles. Toyota’s Hybrid Max powertrain has significantly more power than its standard hybrid system, which is why those fuel economy numbers are significantly lower.
Impressively Efficient For Its Size
As you’d expect for a vehicle of this size, the Grand Highlander is no lightweight. Hybrid models tip the scale at around two-and-a-quarter tons, anywhere between 4,440 pounds on the light end, all the way up to 4,905 for the top-shelf model with the Hybrid Max powertrain and all-wheel drive. In comparison, straight combustion models are as light as 4,290 pounds, a not-insignificant difference.
Boasts 10 MPG Higher In The City Than RAV4, Six MPG Overall
As alluded to earlier, this family-friendly three-row Toyota is actually more fuel-efficient than a conventional, gasoline-powered RAV4 utility vehicle, a much smaller SUV, one powered by a naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. The most efficient version of this RAV4 appears to be the LE front-wheel-drive variant (or the Limited front-wheel-drive model, too), which is rated at 27 mpg city, 35 highway, and 30 combined. This means the Grand Highlander Hybrid delivers a whopping 10 more miles per gallon in the city and six mpg on the highway – huge figures, especially for a vehicle of this size.
Grand Highlander Hybrid and RAV4 Fuel Economy Comparison
|
City MPG |
Highway MPG |
Combined MPG |
|
|
2025 Toyota Grand Hybrid XLE FWD |
37 |
34 |
36 |
|
2025 Toyota RAV4 LE FWD |
27 |
35 |
30 |
Combines Fuel Savings With Room For Seven Or Eight
Depending on how it’s configured, the Grand Highlander Hybrid has room for either seven or eight people. Making this a comfortable vehicle, even for adult passengers, this Toyota has plenty of room in all rows of seats. In fact, the rear-most bench provides up to 33.5 inches of legroom, a staggering 5.5 inches more than you get in the standard Highlander, which tops out at just 28.
Grand Highlander Hybrid Interior Dimensions
|
First Row |
Second Row |
Third Row |
|
|
Headroom (without panoramic moonroof) |
41.5 inches |
40.2 inches |
37.2 inches |
|
Legroom |
41.7 inches |
39.5 inches |
33.5 inches |
|
Shoulder Room |
60.2 inches |
58.8 inches |
57.5 inches |
|
Hip Room |
56.5 inches |
57.0 inches |
45.7 inches |
Built For Long Road Trips Without The Fuel Guilt
Thanks to its interior space, generous amounts of equipment, and super-efficient drivetrain, the Grand Highlander Hybrid is a phenomenal road trip vehicle. And with a full tank of gas onboard, this Toyota can really take you places, quite literally, hundreds and hundreds of miles without a pause, though you’ll almost certainly have to make a few bathroom breaks and snack stops before the Grand Highlander ever needs to be topped off.
Delivers Up To 619 Miles Of Range On A Full Tank
With 17.2 gallons of petroleum distillates in the tank, this SUV can take you a theoretical maximum of 619 miles, a staggering distance. Thanks to the electrified powertrain, the Grand Highlander Hybrid is estimated to save owners around $1,750 in fuel costs over five years compared to the average new vehicle sold today. This calculation is based on 15,000 annual miles, 45 percent of which are on the highway and 55 percent in the city.
Offers Great Cargo Space Even Behind The Third Row
The Grand Highlander’s exterior dimensions are generously proportioned, so it stands to reason this vehicle has a large interior, too. And that is definitely the case. With all three rows of seats in their upright position, you get 20.6 cubic feet of space in the luggage compartment. Drop the third-row backrests, and that number grows to 57.9 cubes. Fold those seats down, and the Grand Highlander can accommodate up to 97.5 cubes’ worth of cargo. Those are some impressively capacious figures for any three-row SUV.
A Fuel-Smart Family SUV Without Compromise
With plenty of seats, excellent fuel economy, and loads of cargo space, the Grand Highlander Hybrid has very few compromises, making it a fantastic option for families big and small. Helping protect your most precious possessions, this Toyota is also loaded with a wide range of safety features. Eight airbags are standard across the entire model range. You also get blind spot monitoring, a reversing camera with dynamic gridlines (higher-end models substitute this for an even more useful 360-degree camera system), and the Star Safety System, which includes traction control, anti-lock brakes, stability control, and much more.
But if that’s not enough, the Grand Highlander Hybrid also comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, a suite of advanced driver assistance technologies. This includes:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane centering
- Road sign recognition
- Automatic high beans
- A pre-collision system with pedestrian detection
Powered By Toyota’s Proven Hybrid System
Behind its large, squared-off grille, this three-row hybrid is powered by a familiar powertrain, one that incorporates a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder. On its own, that engine is good for 187 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. Handling shifting duties is an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic transmission (eCVT) that includes two motor-generators and helps maximize fuel efficiency. The Grand Highlander also has a rear-mounted motor-generator that powers the aft wheels, providing efficient all-wheel drive.
Overall, this three-row hybrid has 245 system horsepower for rock-solid, if not mind-warping acceleration. The Grand Highlander Hybrid should be able to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in around 7.8 seconds – an impressive time for a vehicle of this size.
Gives You Size, Comfort, And Efficiency In One Package
There are many compelling reasons to consider this three-row Toyota. The technology offered is great; this vehicle’s fuel efficiency is stellar, the Grand Highlander Hybrid has plenty of room inside, it’s hard to argue with the performance, and this Toyota is not unreasonably expensive. In fact, the base LE model checks out for less than $48,000, including $1,495 in destination fees – a more-than-fair figure for a vehicle of this caliber.
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