Verified against primary sources
| Cost category | Estimate |
|---|---|
| 5-year depreciation | $12,509 |
| Insurance (annual) | $2,387 |
| Fuel or charging (annual) | $2,188 |
| Maintenance (annual) | $400 |
| Tires (annual) | $380 |
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel economy (combined) | 24 MPG |
| Fuel economy (city / highway) | 21 / 28 MPG |
| Engine | 2.4L 4-cyl Turbo |
| Horsepower | 265 hp |
| Torque | 310 lb-ft |
| Seating capacity | 8 passengers |
| Cargo space | 20.6 cu ft |
| Pillar | Score (0–100) | Class median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of ownership | 84 | 62 | +22 |
| Powertrain | 67 | 60 | +7 |
| Safety | 95 | 95 | +0 |
| Driver assistance | 43 | 49 | -6 |
| Livability | 51 | 53 | -2 |
The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander scores 84/100 on cost of ownership — 22 points above the 3-row suvs median. The 3-Row SUV class median 5-year ownership cost is $65,569 (15,000 mi/yr, national average rates). Largest annual recurring expense: insurance.
The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander scores 43/100 on driver assistance — 6 points below the 3-row suvs median. All scores reflect standard equipment at base MSRP; optional driver-assistance packages are not scored.
The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander scores 67/100 on powertrain — 7 points above the 3-row suvs median. Key figures: 24 MPG combined, 265 hp.
Verdict
The 2026 Grand Highlander is built for the job families actually need: a genuinely usable third row and abundant cargo space, with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 and blind-spot monitoring standard across the lineup. Buyers can choose an efficient 36-mpg hybrid, a strong turbo gas engine, or a 362-horsepower Hybrid MAX, and Toyota's resale value is among the best in the class. It falls just short of an IIHS Top Safety Pick on the driver-side small-overlap test, and the gas trims are thirsty. For families who need three rows without compromise, the Grand Highlander is one of the smartest picks in the segment.
Good fit for: Family hauler
Best for
- Genuinely usable third row with abundant cargo space
- Efficient 36-mpg hybrid or 362-hp Hybrid MAX options
- Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 standard, with strong resale value
Watch out for
- Just short of an IIHS Top Safety Pick (driver-side small-overlap)
- Gas trims are thirsty at 24 mpg combined
2026 Toyota Grand Highlander
Five measured pillars, weighted into one score.
Cost, Powertrain, Driver Assistance, Livability, and Safety — each scored against its class, then combined into a single MotiveGrid Score. Built by our engineering team and benchmarked against independent sources like NHTSA, IIHS, and CarEdge. How it’s calculated →
Verdict
Based on median-price trimThe 2026 Grand Highlander is built for the job families actually need: a genuinely usable third row and abundant cargo space, with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 and blind-spot monitoring standard across the lineup. Buyers can choose an efficient 36-mpg hybrid, a strong turbo gas engine, or a 362-horsepower Hybrid MAX, and Toyota's resale value is among the best in the class. It falls just short of an IIHS Top Safety Pick on the driver-side small-overlap test, and the gas trims are thirsty. For families who need three rows without compromise, the Grand Highlander is one of the smartest picks in the segment.
Good fit for: Family hauler
Families who prioritize passenger space, cargo room, and safety ratings
Cost of Ownership
Five-year cost is driven mostly by depreciation; tires is a minor share.
- Resale value is among the best in the segment.
- Depreciation is lower than most competitors.
- Insurance costs are higher than segment average.
- Vehicle class ownership cost is moderate for a large SUV.
- Fuel economy is decent but lags hybrid alternatives.
- Maintenance costs are low for the segment.
Total ownership cost is above average but offset by strong resale.
Adjust for your situation
State
Ownership Cost
Powertrain
Fuel efficiency weighed with long-term ownership confidence.
Reliability is marked Provisional until this model has enough complaint history to rate — we don't invent a number.
Combines real-world energy efficiency (EPA-verified MPG or MPG-equivalent vs. class) with long-term ownership confidence (warranty coverage, platform maturity, and reliability data). Methodology →
Driver Assistance
Strongest in highway driving support, but parking convenience and hands-free automation are limited.
💡 Tracks where the car can drive itself (highways vs. local roads) and how much driver supervision is needed (up to fully driverless).
PoorStandard driver assist — no hands-free operation
Combines highway support, parking convenience, and hands-free automation capability into one score. Methodology →
Livability
Easy to maneuver, but tighter on interior space.
Combines how comfortably this vehicle fits passengers and cargo with how easily it maneuvers in real-world conditions — normalized within its 3-Row SUV segment for fair comparison. Methodology →
Safety
Crash-test protection combined with standard crash-avoidance features.
Combines crash-test protection — NHTSA frontal, side, and rollover ratings plus the IIHS crashworthiness sub-tests (small- and moderate-overlap front, side, headlights) — with standard crash-avoidance technology. New model years without published crash tests are scored on crash-avoidance features alone and capped until tested. Methodology →
Frequently asked questions
- What is the MotiveGrid Score for the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander?
- The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander earns a MotiveGrid Score of 82 out of 100. The score combines five pillars — cost of ownership, powertrain, safety, driver assistance, and livability — into one number, so you can weigh a vehicle's all-round strength at a glance.
- Is the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander safe?
- The Toyota Grand Highlander carries an NHTSA overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars. MotiveGrid's safety pillar pairs federal crash-test results with the standard active-safety equipment fitted at base price.
- What is the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander safety score?
- The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander earns a MotiveGrid safety score of 95/100. The score combines NHTSA and IIHS crash-test results with the standard active safety equipment included at base price.
- What driver assistance features does the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander include?
- The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander scores 43/100 on driver assistance. MotiveGrid evaluates only standard equipment — features included at base MSRP — across four areas: highway automation, parking support, collision avoidance, and visibility aids. Optional driver-assistance packages are not scored.
- What is the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander fuel economy?
- The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander is EPA-rated at 24 MPG combined. MotiveGrid uses this figure as the basis for its annual fuel or charging cost estimate.
- How does the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander rank among 3-row suvs?
- The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander is in the top 9% of 3-row suvs on the MotiveGrid composite score. All vehicles in the same segment are scored on an identical five-pillar framework, making the percentile a direct comparison.
- How does the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander compare to the Toyota Highlander?
- See the MotiveGrid side-by-side comparison page for a full breakdown across cost of ownership, safety, powertrain, driver assistance, and livability. Both vehicles are top-scored options in the 3-row suvs segment.
- Is the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander spacious and practical?
- The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander scores 51/100 on livability, which covers interior passenger space, cargo capacity, and maneuverability. This score is compared directly against other 3-row suvs in the same segment.
Analysis by the MotiveGrid Engineering Team · MotiveGrid Score last computed 2026-07-03