How Much Grander Is The Space Inside Toyota's Grand Highlander?

The Toyota Grand Highlander is essentially a larger version of the regular Highlander, which is an important benefit since the model is on the smaller side for a mainstream three-row crossover. Most trims are down about 5 inches in length and roughly 10 cubic feet in passenger volume versus the Ford Explorer, for example. The Grand Highlander rectifies the size situation with an even larger footprint than the Explorer, alongside more available passenger space in the cabin. And that brings us to the question of how much grander the space in the Grand Highlander is compared to the standard Highlander.

For starters, the Highlander measures 194.9 inches in length in all trims except the XSE, which gains about 2.5 inches due to its sport-focused exterior design cues. All standard Highlanders share the same 112.2-inch wheelbase. Meanwhile, the Grand Highlander checks in at 201.4 inches long, with a 116.1-inch wheelbase. The difference in the latter measure is particularly important because wheelbase changes how each vehicle handles. Basically, a shorter wheelbase improves agility, and a longer one boosts comfort. The Grand Highlander is a bit taller and wider as well, and all those exterior differences add up to a significant boost in cabin space.

The Toyota Grand Highlander offers up to 153.3 cubic feet for passengers without its panoramic sunroof and 149 when letting the sunshine in. Yet the bigger SUV actually has slightly less legroom and shoulder room in the front row compared to its smaller sibling: 41.7 inches vs. 42.0 for legs and 56.5 vs. 57.2 for hips for the Grand Highlander and Highlander, respectively. In the back, the bigger SUV has a bit more second-row legroom, along with a notable 5.5-inch advantage for third-row passengers. The third row also sees about 2.5 more inches of shoulder room in the Grand Highlander.

It's a similar story with headroom. In its standard configuration, sans sunroof, the regular Highlander comes up short by more than an inch in the front and third rows, and by 0.8 inches in the second row. The Grand Highlander also complements its extra passenger space with more room for cargo. You can stuff 97.5 cubic feet of gear behind the front seats, 57.9 with the third row folded, and 20.6 with a full house. The tale of the tape for the Highlander shows 84.3, 48.4, and 16 cubic feet of cargo space in the same seating setups, respectively. Keep in mind that this could be in for change as soon as 2027, when the Highlander goes all electric with 320 miles of range and gets a fresh design. What that means for its cabin space is still up in the air.