One Year Ownership Update - 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

[@alex.macfirst]

I have the Hybrid Max and I get 26.9 city , highway I’ve gotten 28-29 mpg on Eco mode. On Normal or Sport mode 23.9-25.9 city and highway. I enjoy the quiet cabin for such a big SUV. I’ve had this vehicle for over a year now. At the beginning the fuel range was reading ( with a full tank ) 380 miles. Now it’s showing with a full tank a range of 280 miles. I have to take it to the Dealership and have it checked. But I honestly think it’s a glitch. I’ve used all the 3 rows and every one enjoy the comfort. Thank You for sharing your Honest experience and thoughts on the Grand Highlander!

[@Erikzapp]

Hey! That is incredible fuel economy! Despite the typical first model year issues, it’s a great car. I searched so many brands and couldn’t find anything that fit amazingly into our needs until the GH. Its size and comfort is amazing. Love driving the thing

[@saxywale2]

With that gas mileage, I would say you are lucky compared to what people are reporting on Reddit and facebook. I put down a deposit on the limited hybrid. I have been thinking of changing it to a max platinum, but the gas mileage and distance to empty being reported by owners are holding me back.

[@alex.macfirst]

@@saxywale2 I totally understand! Just do the test drive and evaluate which one you really want and need. Don’t make the decision right away. Remember there is a recall on them due to front driver and passenger’s side airbag. I’m still waiting for more information on the fix.

[@dearlenewiggins6505]

I have a 2015 and I think it's better built then the new one. It's awesome in the snow and I love that it has the back seat DVD in the roof mount.

[@Erikzapp]

Yeah the 2015 cars are nice! I think any of them highlanders pre 2018 were built pretty strongly

[@JohnJohn-wr1jo]

Couldnt find a single hybrid so went with the xle gas. Owned for 15 months and very happy with the mileage. 29.3 highway 24.7 overall. Do very little city so no idea.

[@wally626v_m7]

Leaving the fob near a computer drains it really fast, it spends all its time trying to talk to the computer. Keep it separate, at least 4 or 5 feet, and the fob should last about 1 year on a battery. Passive fobs will last for years but they only draw power when pressing a button.

[@Erikzapp]

Yeah, that’s wild. Never heard of this being a thing until this car. I guess the fob transmission must be much different than these than alot of the keyless key fobs of the past.

[@Heisenberg.735]

I got a limited one and and until 8k miles was getting about the same as you. After that mileage has got up to 18-19 mixed driving However the the fuel ⛽️ tank is very small only get between 220-275 miles before the light turns on What happened to good old day when nissan Altima had 20 gal fuel tank or Mercedes GL had 35 gallon tank

[@PraveenCoup]

Thank you Eric. I have the GH Hybrid Limited in the same blueprint color . Had a question regarding car wash. Have you used any of the automated non touchless car washes which have brushes ? Has it done any damage to your paint . I drive some city and highway and get an average of 30.5 MPG no way near the advertised 36 MPG . Also one other complaint from is the fuel tank capacity . When the fuel light comes on and shows less than 10 miles range I refill the tank it only takes 14 Gallons where as the advertised is 17.5 gallons . Not sure if it has a very big reserve tank which holds greater than 3 gallons .

[@Erikzapp]

Hey, thanks for reaching out! I haven’t used automated with the brushes, but I have used touchless. However, I usually use a manual Carwash and have definitely gotten swirl marks and some little scratches as a results. That said, when I bought it new though, the pain condition was already not very ideal and the carwash at the dealer I believe was an automated brush car wash. That’s some good fuel mileage though! The hybrid (non hybrid max) is definitely best for fuel economy. I imagine to get the advertised fuel numbers though you’d have to really feather the gas and apply the brake hard as much as possible to use the auto start/stop feature. It’s funny, for the tank size, I’ve heard many other people mention that. The reserve amount left at empty is actually a few gallons rather than a few litres to get you the 10 miles range.

[@chuckcenkner1459]

Nothing about the braking distance. How manuverable it is. How is drives in the snow?

[@Erikzapp]

The braking is very good. It is powerfull at all pressure points. In regards to snow driving, it is INCREDIBLE. Even on all seasons. I did a video on it here, kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWe7g6mJl66HnLMsi=4zPo8NyheofWGfVN

[@tonycapil1022]

We get around 20.8 mpg but never change it out of normal driving mode. Had the car for almost a year and just passed 1.5k miles. lol Ours is gas also which also has the flimsy hood.

[@Erikzapp]

That is incredible! Just to get those numbers like advertise would be great

[@robvelez882]

I’m getting 23 mpg daily driving in my 2025 Honda Pilot. Many people in the area with Grand Highlanders are not getting the mileage they were hoping to get.

[@waltereichnerlynch6883]

Regarding fuel economy: I have a GH Hybrid Platinum Max - 362 hp since Oct 2023, so almost 14 month, traveling 2x a year to Oregon and LA, other than that its normal usage for errands around town and neighboring towns (South Lake Tahoe). I have reset the mpg calculator once after about 6 month, with the first 6 month averaging 26.8, the second 8 month 25.9 mpg, driving a minimum of 6 month on winter tires Its a good video but I simply cannot agree with all of Eriks evaluation. I do not have one example where this vehicle behaved subpar. Yeah, the infotainment center needs some getting used to, but looking at other brands I dont see them faring much better. Unfortunately the airbags recall seems to trouble lots of folks, which is not really a Toyota problem but one of the manufacturer of the airbags. It will get sorted out eventually. We very seldomly drive with the windows open. In my humble opinion its ok to purchase a GH inspite the recall. If you buy an american brand vehicle you wont get the recall until a few months later, citing everything from losing bolts to spontaneous fires. I have no regrets - love this car

[@JohnJohn-wr1jo]

Walter, one correction. The air bag issue is squarely on Toyota. Not a mechanical issue with the bag it's a design issue with the size of the A pillar. This recall has negatively affected the cars value and for months nobody would take it in trade. Are u really OK with your hybrids mileage? Similar to the GH XLE mileage that I'm experiencing.

[@waltereichnerlynch6883]

@@JohnJohn-wr1jo Im more than happy with the mpg - with my previous Tacoma I couldnt get over 13mpg during winters, plus I cant stand how 4x4, once engaged, makes the vehicle behave in tight corners. No issues with the GH. My GH comes very close to the mpg rating. Also, I now have the recall issue completed.

[@JohnJohn-wr1jo]

Don't get me wrong I like mine too just a bit soured with the air bag issue. We were considering trading it shortly before the recall and had recieved an offer and preliminary contract to upgrade to the 25 Platinum when they came in. It's what we wanted initially but couldn't wait the three to six months. Once the recall was announced the trade in option was dead plus the 25s were delayed. Still weighing our options but the trade value now is 11% less than six months ago. Was OK with taking the depreciation hit six months ago but the additional just doesent work. How does the air big replacement job look. I've heard a few negatives about the "fit and finish" appearance after, so decided to hold off until the dealership has done a few more.

[@cjtorres6863]

My GH gas limited has averaged 26.9 mpg over more than 13K miles. And i think that hood wobbling has to do with some loose connections. I don't see it on mine.

[@Erikzapp]

The hood wobble is a very popular thing in the GH groups. It’s not even the outside where it’s mounted, it’s the middle hood in front of the centre windshield. As for the fuel economy, that would be crazy good! I think there may just be a more serious issue with this engine leading it to having really bad fuel economy

[@cjtorres6863]

@@Erikzapp understood. I have seen a number of people complain about it in my GH FB group. But all I'm pointing out is they seemed to have found a remedy. I didn't pay close attention since I don't have the issue so the cause/solution I mentioned may not be fully accurate.

[@djplonghead5403]

@@Erikzappit’s because they use an aluminum hood to reduce weight. It just doesn’t have enough weight to fight against the wind which causes it to shake.

[@Erikzapp]

@@djplonghead5403 makes sense! That said, though it shakes even when there is no wind and I am just sitting idling

[@Seventytwofourteen]

My XLE in Alberta Canada gets 27 MPG. And that's also while I'm driving it rough. Your particular car has some issues. I never had any key immobilizer issues either. I absolutely love it..!!

[@Erikzapp]

That is incredible! And it’s just the 2.4 turbo engine non-hybrid? If that’s the case, it really makes me wonder if mine has problems. Because we don’t even drive very hard at all and I get the worst fuel economy out of anyone I talk to on here and in the grand Highlander groups. Aside the fuel economy and key fob issues. I definitely love the space and the technology, as well as even the fit and finish of the interior. Only complaint about the fit and finish is like I was mentioning in the video, the thin exterior metal. Other than that, it’s a great car.

[@Seventytwofourteen]

@@Erikzapp Sheet metal is infact actually thinner than I'd like especially on the hood like everyone else mentions. I'm not too bothered by the vibrating hood though, it still is very notable if I concentrate on it. That being said, I do have the non hybrid 2.4T engine and I was super dubious about it when I was buying the car because even though this engine was being used in other various toyota and lexus models, it was never used on such a big car.. SO.. once i got it, I followed a special care routine where I drove it very decently for the first 1500 KM. I changed the oil at 1000 KM to get rid of any metal shavings from the break in period. My dealer was also cool about it and changed another oil at 4000 KM and the next one was done at 8000 KM. I do oil changes religously after every 4000 KM considering oil changes are cheap if you DIY it. I'm currently at 30,000 KM and have gone to west coast, and Manitoba. I also have 275/65/R18 winter tires that i use mid november to April. These tires are broader than OEM and this car handles them beautifully. It's still this powerful beast than will pass on over any car on the highway with ease. I must mention that I wasn't getting good fuel mileage on ECO mode. I've read several online forums on this topic and ever since I've used only NORMAL mode and in m experience as well as for many other owners, it gives the best fuel consumption.

[@arhamkhakwani5851]

@@Seventytwofourteenit’s nice to see an owner take great care, but isn’t changing every 4000 KM a bit too frequent? I’ve personally been dead solid at changing every 8000Km per Toyotas recommendation albeit I have the V6 (2020 Highlander)

[@Seventytwofourteen]

@arhamkhakwani5851 you're right about so many things. See, the v6 is a solid and improved engine which is naturally aspirated. This 2.4 Turbo engine is a new design with a turbo that's supposed to pull a huge car. I would much rather change oil halfway at 4000 which costs half of full tank of gas almost. This obviously will have little to no benefits in the short run. But in the long run? I think so

[@robvelez882]

So in comparing this to the Pilot, we ended up buying the Pilot. I could not get past the super sized RAV4 look, the wobbly ride and having a 4-cylinder turbo that felt sluggish at times. I was so disappointed they dropped the V6. The Pilot has an N.A. V6 and feels more solid. Its styling does look better to my eyes as well. Finally the people in my area were not getting anywhere near the advertised fuel economy on their Grand Highlanders. My Pilot gets 23mpg mixed driving and 26 out on the highway. We took it to Florida and saw it hit 31mpg. Wow.

[@Erikzapp]

That is incredible fuel economy for an NA v6. Wish so much that this one had it. I can push this engine but like you said, feels sluggish. And in my eyes, you can really hear how hard that little engine is working to move the big vehicle. The pilot may be on my radar for one of my next Family grade vehicles.

[@musicconnoisseur4019]

Has cylinder deactivation, usually big problems later, i looked into some software to bypass it

[@Shamano37]

The Pilot is not comparable at all to the Grand Highlander, just the regular Highlander. I couldn't fit any adult in the 3rd row of a Pilot

[@GreaterIndianapolisLiving]

I'm looking at the 4 cylinder hybrid. Toyota's used to be solid. I wonder how the Sienna compares.

[@lucascya2524]

We have the same trim, so same engine we are at 9.4L\100 km. We have over 20,000 km. You must city drive or idle a lot with your gas mileage. I agree the hood sucks and insurance cost is horrible.

[@Erikzapp]

Nice! That would be an incredible level of economy to have. But yes we mainly city drive and there’s a tonne of construction going on a lot of the time. So far our car is around 11k kms. We usually get 9.4ish when on strictly the highway but that’s it. We’ve never gotten lower than around 12.5 with just city

[@InTruthNLove]

@@Erikzapp Thank you for the great review. So, which SUV hybrid would you recommend that is great on fuel, performance and quality.

[@FoodHuntress00]

I got the Hybrid Max Platinum and love it. I prefer thee GH than the Lexus TX

[@Erikzapp]

They are very nice! Once the recall is fixed then it’ll be great.

[@saxywale2]

Heard the gas mileage is bad on the Max platinum as well despite it being a hybrid. This is in addition to the tiny tank where owners are reporting 280~350miles as per mileage.

[@arhamkhakwani5851]

I mean I think the fix for the airbags is coming out soon; as I production of the car just restarted. Two things that annoy me about newer generation Toyotas isn’t the engine, it’s the thin plastics used inside the car: the sheet metal tho while unfortunate it’s livable for me.

[@Erikzapp]

Yeah the sheet metal is unfortunate, but I do like the tech and the newer styling of the interior/ exterior. Definitely though! Airbag recalls are being fixed. We get ours done on this car in 2 weeks finally 😀

[@KG00714]

brother Erik thanks for the video however the grand highlander you brought is the gas option the hybrid version gets 37 mpg. the regular highlander hybrid gets 36 mpg in my case it is higher yes i get 40 plus mpg with a range over 500 miles. I know you all are in Canada 🇨🇦 there's very nice roads there I have visited many years and found it a beautiful place. I digress the hybrid max is a beast, and the dealership is offering me crazy deals to get the car back 2021. not a chance my old car Venza the range was 360 miles the new Venza is now over 600 miles range. hybrid is the way to go for all of the consumers Toyota is going to producing %80 of their cars as hybrid because they know that they sell out in less than 28 days. yes, that is their inventory even the hybrids in the showroom. there's a new grand highlander that will have a range of 1000 miles or greater example Lexus 550 + that is the plug in option. musk and his cyber junk and boring cars can't compare. I told the advisor who sold me the car you double my car range then I will buy it.

[@Erikzapp]

Hey! That is great fuel economy! We almost got the hybrid, but the wait times were almost a year or more out before we could receive the vehicle. For this model that I have, though with the turbo engine, the fuel economy should be between 22 and 26 MPG, whereas I am getting just 16.9mpg. And that is with normal style driving. Mix of highway and city

[@KG00714]

@@Erikzapp Sorry about the delay when Toyota did my oil change and tire rotation, I noticed the increase in mpg, so I said nothing to them in regards. If you remember rollerblades that's how Toyota hybrids are like pulse and glide, I can drive over 65 miles an hour and still be in ev mode yes, it is great. even reaching mpg over 56 mpg today was 47 after the trip when they test these cars, they use average below what the car can really get. grand highlander xle hybrid is 35 to 37 mpg these cars have no drivetrain and no conventional transmission ecvt are very durable on both highlanders. I also changed the tires to cross climate 2 mpg didn't go down had 47mpg on Monday.

[@DavidTran-hf3hn]

Honda pilot or grand highlander ?

[@Erikzapp]

Grand Highlander wins if you use the 3 rd row a lot. The GH has a much more roomy seating configuration than the pilot. That said, if you don’t need the 3rd row, the pilot is powered by a 3.5 v6, which will have more linear power delivery and acceleration. The car can get around with ease. Where as with the GH, it comes in only turbo and non turbo hybrid configurations, where you can tell the engine is working very hard and loudly to get the big vehicle moving.

[@DavidTran-hf3hn]

Thanks for the reply are you still happy with your purchase ?

[@bridgethill5456]

I have 2024 Grand Highlander Hybrid Platinum Max and I get 24.8 mpg on average. I get whats advertised. Unsure why yours is so poor. I hate the plastic caps on the rims. I scuffed them and they can not be buffed. I hate that I can only fill up the gas tank to around 13.9 gallons when there is suppose to be 17.9 gal tank (I believe). Other than that, I have enjoyed for over 27,000 miles.

[@Erikzapp]

Glad you get the advertised fuel economy, it seems like most people do, I think my specific vehicle has an issue with in the system resulting in really bad fuel economy. Getting it seen to by the dealer in a few weeks. Yeah for the plastic caps, it seems replacements may be the only option. It’s funny you mention that about the tank size in regards to its fill point. Seen so many people mention that. Myself I am getting filled to the proper level. But I know you’re not alone in that one. Maybe it’s just a first gen GH thing? Seems like they have some stuff to iron out

[@Kanooky_Jones]

How are you getting 17mpg?

[@Erikzapp]

I have no idea. This is basically the fuel economy average of our entire ownership of driving. Actually under 17 miles to gallon.

[@musicconnoisseur4019]

​@@Erikzapp Sometimes those computers are way off, you might want to manually calculate with the trip od and full tank. The old fashion way

[@1-Nice-Guy]

Great HONEST video! Wow...that MPG is horrible!

[@Erikzapp]

Thanks! I tried to be as upfront as possible. It’s a great car. Aside the airbag recall, the fuel economy is the thing that surprises me the most. My big xlt long box literally got basically the same fuel economy as this

[@Tomorrow32]

I will wait for the 2026 models.

[@Erikzapp]

Probably the best decision! Aha

[@nashville43]

I think Toyota should buyback the GHs that have the major airbag recall.

[@Erikzapp]

Yes, if the solution is taking so long to be solved and passed by safety regulations then they should definitely offer some kind of compensation.

[@BalsamicVinegarAce]

Ill stick with the Pilot 😢

[@americandude3825]

Hybrid AWD is the only way to go….

[@Erikzapp]

That is the definite truth! It would be worth the wait

[@afzalshaikh2128]

Great update. That milage is horrible. My 2012 sienna gets better mpg

[@Erikzapp]

Thnx! Yeah it is unfortunate. We don’t even drive it hard, so really surprising

[@royhughes2854]

You came into my stream because I have been looking at all the new SUV videos because I have "the new car itch" and Highlander is just one of the SUVs on my short list. So, I have been watching some of your Highlander videos (and a few others too like your Mercedes money-pit video). You are doing a GREAT job doing the reviews!!! I wanted to say that Toyota's quality seems to me as slipping in these later years. It is like they are resting on their laurels of the great quality & reliability of yesteryears gone by. Their newer versions are only mediocre at best. Again, in my opinion. The dead key fob video was alarming. You are not the only one to post videos on that issue. I may have to stick with SUVs that are made in Japan because I am seriously concerned about American made vehicles using American made parts and being assembled in North American plants by North American workers not having that Japanese build quality.

[@Erikzapp]

Yeah it’s wild! If they stuck with Japan, outcomes would be at typical expected quality standards. I think moving production over to the US must have increased the operating costs and pushed them to cut quality to afford the increased production rates. It’s true tho! The car care nut was also mentioning Toyota testing on their laurels of the past and increasing prices as if the quality was still the same as all those years ago. It’s really too bad. The new cars look great but the longevity of the drivetrains and the serious problems coming out with all of the updated models is really pretty tragic. Thanks for sticking around and watching the other videos! The performance car topic is my favorite space, love my AMG and would like to have a GTR or a gallardo fairly soon. But the Toyota content has just been getting such great traction aha

[@Holyheart1]

Which suvs are made in Japan still? Venza is not sure of others

[@slow_Jo]

might as well buy a used Sequioa with that type of gas mileage lol

[@Erikzapp]

Honestly thought about it. The sequoia exterior rigidity is 100% better

[@TheKingAmeer]

I know most people don’t cross shop this but my aunt was looking at a Grand Highlander and it was just full of plastic cheap material even on the top trim which is $60k my uncle paid $60K for a Nissan Armada platinum and it is way better and more comfortable and luxury feel compared to the Grand Highlander. She just ended up leasing a BMW X7. She has always lease luxury suv vehicles but she wanted to see what Toyota offer to those that are not fortunate enough to afford nicer things in life. But if you’re paying $60k you would expect it to be nice. I understand most people can’t put money down but she said you could basically put around $20k more and get a Escalade. I’m only 22 years old and I’m thinking of getting a new 2024 Nissan Armada Platinum for around $60k

[@Erikzapp]

The armada is SUCH a nice suv. We almost bought one of those but here in Canada they’re close to 90k new and depreciate like a forest in a wildfire. That’s why we bought the GH, literally just for the value retention of the Toyota brand (although with the new reliability issues, the value retention may be history) I’m 100% with you on the armada quality and style though. They look and feel incredible, but powerful engine. Feel safe driving in it. Only thing I wasn’t a fan of on my last Nissan (2018 titan with 5.6v8) was that the Bluetooth was really bad and hard to connect to.

[@nikoniko3483]

You're 22 and taking a loan for 60K Nissan. Dumb dumb dumb but do you dummy

[@JohnJohn-wr1jo]

Do your homework. The Armadas and Kia Tellurides may look and drive nice but previous years have higher maintenance costs and breakdowns. I know several people that own these two alternates to the GH and neither are happy with them and said never again

[@TheKingAmeer]

@@JohnJohn-wr1jo There not expensive to own unless you whine about gas my parents still have there 2004 Armada and it only has 145,000 miles and never had a problem.

[@Slimrick310]

Toyotas aren't what they used to be... sad

[@douglasbailey6834]

Could you stand still? All the moving around is distracting.

[@Erikzapp]

Will do! My bad! Must have had a latte that morning aha

[@mikey27437]

So to get Toyota advertised mileage you have to drive it like a grandma. Otherwise stick to your xlt.

[@Erikzapp]

It’s funny, my wife drives pretty slow and never speeds and she is the main driver of the car yet we Still get this fuel economy.

[@Ameer_30]

The thing I don't like about Toyota is all they have is reliability, nothing else, which is why I'll never buy a Toyota. A Nissan Armada Platinum is quieter than a Toyota Sequoia Platinum, and the Nissan is more luxurious.

[@shelleygreyrealtor]

I have owned 3 Nissans and have had issues with ALL three. If you want to be able to keep a vehicle long term Honda and Toyota are the best. Also, depending on the vehicle and year.

[@Erikzapp]

Yeah the armada is a very nice car. Almost bought one instead of this. Toyota has come a long way in terms of tech and build quality inside though. The difference between 2018- present is pretty big. The reason we got this though was value retention, Toyotas just held their value incredibly, even at 200,000 kms.

[@reyrey520]

I heard they have engine recall….

[@Erikzapp]

Yes they do! I did a video on it if you want some information about it

[@reyrey520]

Its junk the body same as coke can very tin😢

[@Erikzapp]

Yeah it’s unfortunate! Have you seen them up close?