r/ToyotaGrandHighlander

I've been driving our new Hybrid MAX for almost 2 weeks now and am not getting anywhere near the advertised MPG. Now, my drives have mostly been short drives around town, school dropoff, etc. Hardly any highway. We've put like 300 miles on the car so far and I'm struggling to get above 21 mpg.

Now, this is my first hybrid so maybe my driving style needs to change a bit? I don't have a lead food. I'm in Normal drive mode. I try to stay in the "eco" range on the tach, between charge and power, and I like to try to stay in EV mode when possible, though it's difficult. Not much hard acceleration. Feels like i'm doing something wrong.

The only thing I can think of is that the heatwave we've had in the northeast recently is affecting it. We always have to have the AC blasting with the kids in the car as it's been like 100 degrees.

ALSO - is there a way to see MPGs per TRIP? Now i'm not talking about the current drive/time in the car. I'm talking about TRIP A and Trip B. My Accord lets me see TOTAL MPG, as well as MPGs for TRIP A and TRIP B. The GH appears to only let me see Total MPG and "CURRENT DRIVE" MPG, which they name "trip". It's confusing. Current Drive MPG is a bit useless imo.

We currently drive 2 Highlanders (2018, 2021) and love them. Our kids are 10 and 7 and we are expecting a baby this fall (our last). So we will have one infant car seat, 1 booster, and 1 kid without a car seat. We have toured the Grand Highlander and the Sienna. We would love to go with the GH because I love how SUVs drive. It seems like the trunk space will be enough, but it might be tight on a roadtrip. We do 2-3 trips a year that are 6 hours each, needing to carry a week’s worth of luggage. Has anyone else been in our shoes? If so, how is the GH working for a family with 3 kids? Thanks!

We purchased a new GHHL last week, currently now at 300 miles. Planning to do an oil change in a few weeks at ~1k miles at my local mechanic, then at 5k interval at same mechanic. Then take to toyota for the free maintenance at 10k. Wanted to see if others are also doing the 1k break-in oil change. Thank you!

So please be nice - this is my first new vehicle purchase in 8 years and also my first time posting on Reddit. I’ve had my Grand Highlander for less than 10 days. I was between the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and the Toyota Grand Highlander. Without getting into all the details, we were able to land one fairly quickly (after the initial one we bought didn’t pass PDI and had a leak in the core heater assembly and we said we didn’t want that one). I have a Grand Highlander Hybrid MAX. On day 4 of owning this car, I ran over a nail and got a flat tire. We bought the extra tire coverage and after a couple of hours at the dealer, it’s fixed but what luck with a brand new vehicle. We also have a 19 month old who has issues with car sickness so I really wanted a smooth ride for her. Well, my husband drove her in it for the first time and she got sick immediately upon arriving home. She’s still rear facing. I took down the mirror we used to see her as I thought that might be causing it and she was ok for several days but my husband and I just returned from the holiday weekend and she got sick an hour into a 1.5 hr drive. I’ve read up on ways to make the driving experience smoother and how to acclimate to a hybrid drivetrain. I drive very conservatively - never even use the Sport setting either her in the car so not sure why I thought I needed the extra HP. I just really am trying not to have buyers remorse as I do like the car but feel so much anxiety every time I drive her in it. I also feel the car shakes so much when on the freeway when the pavement is really grooved. Is there any way to make that better? I don’t think it’s helping the motion sickness at all!

TLDR: I have a new grand highlander and want to figure out how to help my toddler with motion sickness and tramlining on the expressway.

Looking for some advice from current Grand Highlander Hybrid owners.

I'm planning on buying one after I move to North Carolina in late August/early September, but I'm stuck on a few decisions.

I'm pretty set on the Hybrid, but I can't decide between the XLE and Limited. The Limited looks to be a bit over $6k more, and on paper I like the upgrades (leather, ventilated seats, 360° camera, etc.), but I'm wondering if people actually feel it's worth the extra money after living with it.

I'm also trying to figure out when to buy. Do Grand Highlander Hybrids usually get better deals toward the end of the year, or should I just buy once I get settled after the move? I've read mixed posts, some people say Toyota hybrids rarely get discounted, while others have been able to negotiate a good deal. I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts specially if you bought it recently or end of year.

I've also seen mixed experiences with availability. Some people say they waited months, while others were able to find several on dealer lots. I'm open to driving anywhere in North Carolina if it means getting a good deal.

Last question: my current car is only worth about $3,500. Would you trade it in to Toyota, or just sell it to CarMax/Carvana?

Would love to hear what you would do if you were in my shoes. Thanks!

​Hey everyone, looking for some strategic advice on a Toyota allocation situation.

​I currently have a refundable deposit down at Dealer A for a 2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid. It is a "near-exact" build of what I want. They just told me it's expected to arrive anytime between today and July 10th (so, literally this week). Up until now, the rep at Dealer A has been pretty cagey and has refused to give me an itemized breakdown, only providing a total Out-the-Door (OTD) number.

​Out of nowhere, Dealer B reached out and sent me a formal, manager-approved proforma deal sheet. They are offering the identical build for a base sale price that is roughly $1,500 cheaper than what Dealer A is projecting.

​The catch? Dealer B admitted that they don't actually have the car on the lot or in their immediate pipeline—it could be 2 to 4 months away while they wait for an allocation slot.

​I know Toyota doesn't do custom orders and the allocation lottery is a gamble, so I am absolutely not giving up a guaranteed car arriving this week just to sit on a waiting list for 4 months to save $1,500. The car at Dealer A is the bird in the hand.

​However, since Dealer A's rep is being so cagey with the final paperwork, I would like to use Dealer B’s quote as leverage to force total transparency and maybe get a discount or some thrown-in accessories.

​My questions for the group:

​Since Dealer B's quote doesn't have a VIN yet (because it's a future allocation request), will Dealer A just see right through it and call my bluff because they know they have the only physical car arriving?

​Should I send Dealer B's itemized quote over this weekend to force Dealer A to show their line-by-line breakdown before the truck hits the lot, or wait until Dealer A finally gives me their official paperwork?

​If Dealer A refuses to drop the hard cash price because the car is so hot, what are the chances I can get them to throw in dealer accessories (like the cargo lights or all-weather mats) to bridge that $1,500 value gap?

​Appreciate any insight from anyone who has dealt with the Toyota allocation chess game recently!

Hi!

Family has grown to 4 and we desperately need to upgrade. I test drove the Grand Highlander and liked it, but one thing wasnt clear: in trims with Captain chairs, if we have child seats installed in the second row (specifically, the clek liing and foonf), is it possible to get into the third row? I saw that the captains chairs trims still have a center console in between them, and I couldn't tell if it would be possible to angle the second row seats forward enough to allow third row access when car seats are installed.

Does the 2026 have an auxiliary power outlet? Planning for car seat cameras. If you have one you love in the 2026 GH would love to get a link/brand.

I like the bigger leg room for 3rd row and the cargo space. The regular highlander unfortunately isnt very attractive to me and terrible gas mileage, I currently have a 2012 and love it, runs great, never had any major issues, powerful v6 engine, less then 70,000 miles and I would keep it forever but at 13 years old, I'd feel more at ease in a newer car. Im interested in plug in or regular hybrid. Would like any owners perspective on these cars. Many issues with the hybrids? Costly to maintain and own? Any specific recall issues? I heard there were issues with the newer Toyota highlanders such as leaking oil, slow engine, etc... TIA!

Can anyone tell me which fuse to pull to disable to wireless charger in the 2026 Grand Highlander?