Toyota will expand its lineup of family vehicles early next year with a new three-row SUV. It’s called the Grand Highlander and Toyota will unveil it on February 8, 2023, ahead of the Chicago Auto Show.
According to Toyota, the new Grand Highlander will be “sophisticated, spacious and powerful”, calling it “the ultimate travel vehicle”. The automaker didn’t have much else to share about the new model, which first appeared on our radars in early 2021 after Toyota filed a trademark for the Grand Highlander name in the United States. and in Canada.
112 Pictures
A few months after that filing, a report surfaced that Toyota would launch the Grand Highlander in early 2023, which turned out to be true. The report said the SUV would fall between the current Highlander, already offered with three rows, and the larger body-on-frame Sequoia.
The only teaser image Toyota has shared shows off the sleek rear of the new SUV, and the rear has a unique design that’s different from the Highlander and Sequoia. The Toyota badge is visible above the name which sits between and connects the taillights. On the lower edge of the tailgate is a “Hybrid Max” badge, presumably indicating the SUV’s powertrain.
Toyota debuted the Hybrid Max moniker earlier this year on the new Crown. It’s a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder mated to two electric motors. The entire system produces 340 horsepower (253 kilowatts) in the crown, which is available with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. It’s unclear if the Grand Highlander will get the same configuration or something else that falls under the same powertrain brand.
The largest Grand Highlander in Toyota’s lineup is expected to spawn a Lexus equivalent called the TX. A report from earlier this year said the new TX would make its way between the RX L crossover and the GX and LX SUVs in the lineup and would also launch in 2023. However, the Lexus would break cover six months later. the Toyota variant, so we expect a reveal around August or September for the most luxurious offering.