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2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

Hybrid Gas
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
7 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
C
Safety Signal
79 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 4
Complaints1 crash · 5 injured reported 44
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 36 mpg
Starting MSRP14 trims · manufacturer $41,660
202620252024

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large SUV with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Grand Highlander Hybrid, is EPA-rated at 36 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 44 complaints, most often about the structure. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $41,660 to $59,575 across 14 trims.

Toyota Grand Highlander — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Toyota Grand Highlander · Photo: Mr.choppers · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitWhich trim should I buy? → Compare a trim →
TrimPowertrainDriveMSRPHPTorqueMPG combSeatsCargo (2nd row)Wheels
LEGasFWD$41,660265 hp310 lb-ft24 mpg857.9 cu-ft18 in
XLEGasFWD$44,430265 hp310 lb-ft24 mpg857.9 cu-ft18 in
LimitedGasFWD$49,160265 hp310 lb-ft24 mpg857.9 cu-ft20 in
LEGasAWD$43,260265 hp310 lb-ft23 mpg857.9 cu-ft18 in
XLEGasAWD$46,030265 hp310 lb-ft23 mpg857.9 cu-ft18 in
LimitedGasAWD$50,760265 hp310 lb-ft22 mpg857.9 cu-ft20 in
PlatinumGasAWD$54,845265 hp310 lb-ft22 mpg757.9 cu-ft20 in
XLE HybridHybridFWD$46,180245 hp—36 mpg857.9 cu-ft18 in
LE HybridHybridAWD$45,010245 hp—34 mpg857.9 cu-ft18 in
XLE HybridHybridAWD$47,780245 hp—34 mpg857.9 cu-ft18 in
Limited HybridHybridAWD$52,510245 hp—33 mpg857.9 cu-ft20 in
Nightshade HybridHybridAWD$53,490245 hp—34 mpg857.9 cu-ft20 in
Hybrid MAX LimitedHybridAWD$55,490362 hp400 lb-ft27 mpg757.9 cu-ft20 in
Hybrid MAX PlatinumHybridAWD$59,575362 hp400 lb-ft27 mpg757.9 cu-ft20 in
Warranty basic 3 yr / 36,000 mi · powertrain 5 yr / 60,000 mi · roadside 2 yr

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Grand Highlander HybridHybridFWD2.5L 4-cyl373436$1,850
Grand Highlander Hybrid AWDHybridAWD2.5L 4-cyl363234$1,950
Grand Highlander Hybrid AWDHybridAWD2.4L 4-cyl turbo262727$2,500
Grand Highlander LE/XLEGasFWD2.4L 4-cyl turbo212824$2,800
Grand Highlander LimitedGasFWD2.4L 4-cyl turbo212824$2,800
Grand Highlander AWD LE/XLEGasAWD2.4L 4-cyl turbo212723$2,900
Grand Highlander AWD Limited/PlatinumGasAWD2.4L 4-cyl turbo202622$3,050

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 49888, 49935, 49937, 49889, 49890, 49938, 49939.

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The cheapest ownership win

Insurers price the 2026 Grand Highlander very differently, and the gap between the best and worst quote on the same car and driver is usually larger than any option you are weighing on this page.

How to compare cover →

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Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Steering

26TA19 / 26LA09
617 vehicles built Jun 19, 2026 – Jun 26, 2026
Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX350, RX500 Hybrid, TX500 Hybrid, Toyota Grand Highlander, and Grand Highlander Hybrid vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front steering knuckles may crack and break, which can result in a loss of vehicle steering control. Risk A loss of vehicle steering control increases the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace the front steering knuckles, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TA19 and 26LA09.
NHTSA campaign 26V598000 reported Sep 17, 2026 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Power Train

26TB13 26TA13 26LB08
5,408 vehicles built Apr 10, 2026 – Apr 27, 2026
Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2026 Lexus TX Plug-In Hybrid, TX Hybrid, TX, Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Grand Highlander vehicles. The rear axle carriers may have been manufactured with insufficient material strength and could break. Risk A broken rear axle carrier can cause a sudden loss of vehicle stability and control, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect the rear axle carrier sub-assembly code, and replace the sub-assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB13, 26TA13, 26LB08, and 26LA08.
NHTSA campaign 26V437000 reported Jul 8, 2026 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
○minor

Equipment

See attached Part573
8,230 vehicles 12% reported repaired Hybrid only
Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Toyota Tundra, Tacoma Hybrid, Tacoma, RAV4 Hybrid, Land Cruiser Hybrid, Lexus GX550, 2024-2026 Tundra Hybrid, 2025 Sequoia Hybrid, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, Lexus TX500 Hybrid, Lexus NX350 Hybrid, 2025-2026 Grand Highlander Hybrid, and Lexus TX350 vehicles. The load carrying capacity modification label may display inaccurate added weight values. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims." Risk A vehicle with an incorrect maximum capacity weight value may be overloaded, which can increase the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the load carrying capacity modification label, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 26, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26LB04, 26LA04, 26TB07, and 26TA07.
NHTSA campaign 26V179000 reported Mar 24, 2026 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
●moderate

Back Over Prevention

25TB13/25LB06/WRE25
1,024,407 vehicles 81% reported repaired built Jun 13, 2023 – Sep 17, 2025
Problem Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2026 Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru Solterra vehicles equipped with a Panoramic View Monitor (PVM) system. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. A software error may cause the rearview camera to freeze or display a blank screen when the vehicle is in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility." Risk A rearview camera that fails to display an image can reduce the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will update the parking assist software, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 2, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 25TB13 and 25LB06. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE25.
NHTSA campaign 25V744000 reported Oct 30, 2025 Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

NHTSA defect investigations

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System — Road debris/rocks damaging the heat exchangers open

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a Petition dated July 20, 2026. The Petition requests an investigation of road debris / rocks damaging the heat exchangers in model year (MY) 2024-2026 Toyota Grand Highlander vehicles. The Petition contends that the Grand Highlander’s front-end grill has large, open apertures and no protective screen between the grill and the vehicle’s heat exchangers. The Petition further alleges that as a result, during normal driving, the damage to heat exchangers results in coolant leakage and sudden loss of propulsion. The Petitioner cites thirteen (13) complaints received by ODI alleging this failure, which, when added to the petitioner’s own complain

Opened Aug 20, 2026 · action DP26006 · the investigation’s page →

Whether any of this applies to one specific Grand Highlander

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2026 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Toyota publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Grand Highlander →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
44complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 5 injuries · 0 deaths reported

5.2 per 10,000 built · Toyota reported 84,174 Grand Highlander built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2025: 1 · 2026: 43

Most-cited components

Unspecified 13
Structure 10
Engine 7
Fuel/Propulsion System 5
Forward Collision Avoidance 4
Electrical System 3

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

About two months after purchasing my new 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, I noticed the air conditioning had stopped cooling. I did not notice any impact, so I do not know exactly when the damage occurred. I drive normally on public roads and do not go off road. The vehicle had approximately 7000 miles when the problem was found.
Structure Oct 3, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11768701
June, July and August multiple occurrences of Electronic Parking Brake and Drive Engagement Failure intermittently occurring. The Automatic electronic park brake fails to release from Park to Drive or Park to Reverse while drivers seatbelt is fastened, all door closed, vehicle on level ground.
Visibility/Wiper Sep 29, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11767749
Periodically, when you apply the gas, there is no power. The gas pedal is dead. This obviously is a hazard when trying to maneuver through traffic. The problem is random and cannot be reproduced at will. The dealership said they could do nothing about it if they could not reproduce the issue.
Fuel/Propulsion System Sep 27, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11767296
The contact owns a 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a head-on collision with a commercial lawnmower that fell from a truck. The driver's seat air bag deployed in a downward position, and the other air bags failed to deploy.
Air Bags at 10,000 miles Sep 15, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11764343
After starting the vehicle and coming to a conplete stop the vehicle will hesitate upon new acceleration. The hesitation causes a lag in the vehicle and it then will jerk or jolt while shifting. The vehicle will Rev up in a low gear and not shift correctly. This causes a safety issue especially when going into traffic.
Power Train Sep 3, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11762019
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to formally report a potential safety defect involving the front grille design of my 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Limited. Fortunately, my vehicle has not experienced any damage or mechanical failure related to the grille at this time.
Engine Aug 28, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11760478

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Toyota itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 4 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 3.6 per 100,000 built. Every Grand Highlander model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆17%
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆17%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆17%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 50
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-06-25
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 50 service bulletins

Most often about: Unknown Or Other, Wheels.

  • T-SB-0003-26 Rev1 Service bulletin
    2026-06-25 · Unknown Or Other
  • 2026 model year Toyota vehicles are equipped with driver side floor mat retainers to secure the floor mat in the correct position. In addition, some models may also utilize retainers for passenger side and rear seat floor mats. During Pre-Delivery Service (PDS), follow the appropriate Installation Procedure to attach the driver side, and if applicable, the passenger side and rear seatfloor mats to
  • T-SB-0004-26 Rev1 Service bulletin
    2026-06-18 · Unknown Or Other
  • During the manufacturing process, tires are mounted on the vehicle as matched sets to help reduce conditions such as pulling or drifting. If the wheels are replaced or refinished before vehicle delivery, it is important that the tires remain on the vehicle in the same location and in the same direction of rotation.
  • T-SB-0005-26 Rev1 Service bulletin
    2026-06-10 · Unknown Or Other
  • A battery in a stored vehicle is subject to conditions that can reduce its performance and service life. These conditions include storage period, temperature, parasitic drain, and battery load. Because of these factors, battery inspection and maintenance are required in order to ensure proper operation and optimal battery life.
  • T-SB-0002-26 Rev1 Service bulletin
    2026-06-10 · Unknown Or Other
  • Long-term or off-site storage requires special care to maintain vehicle condition. The following guidelines should be performed to minimize vehicle component/part degradation due to extendedvehicle storage conditions. Long-term storage can affect a vehicle’s systems and components. Any problems that are found should be corrected immediately.
  • T-SB-0063-25 Rev1 Service bulletin
    2026-05-11 · Unknown Or Other
  • Pre-Delivery Service (PDS) is a critical step in satisfying our new car customers. Customer feedback indicates the following areas deserve special attention when performing PDS: • Careful inspection for paint chips/scratches and body dents/dings. • Proper operation of electrical accessories (including interior light, clock, and radio reset). • Interior cleanliness. • Proper function of mechanical
  • T-SB-0017-25 Rev2 Service bulletin
    2026-02-12 · Unknown Or Other
  • OBSOLETE NOTICE February 12, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0005-26.
  • T-SB-0005-26 Service bulletin
    2026-02-06 · Unknown Or Other
  • A battery in a stored vehicle is subject to conditions that can reduce its performance and service life. These conditions include storage period, temperature, parasitic drain, and battery load. Because of these factors, battery inspection and maintenance are required in order to ensure proper operation and optimal battery life.
  • T-SB-0005-25 Rev2 Service bulletin
    2026-02-06 · Unknown Or Other
  • OBSOLETE NOTICE February 6, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see L-SB-0009-25.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Compare the 2026 Grand Highlander with

Any vehicle, your weights →
Head-to-headVerdict
2026 Mazda CX-90 · Large SUV · grade ACX-90 +5.9
2026 Honda Pilot · Large SUV · grade APilot +6.3
2026 Hyundai Palisade · Large SUV · grade BPalisade +7.5
2026 Ford Explorer · Large SUV · grade FToss-up
2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee · Large SUV · grade DGrand Highlander +40.1

Grand Highlander by model year

all years, side by side →

Common questions about the 2026 Grand Highlander

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

How much does the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander cost?

Manufacturer pricing runs from $41,660 for the LE FWD to $59,575 for the Hybrid MAX Platinum AWD, across 14 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.

Does the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander. The most serious on file is 26V598000, covering Steering. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander?

NHTSA gave the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (79/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander?

Across the 7 EPA-rated configurations of the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander, the best EPA combined figure is 36 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander?

Owners have filed 44 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander, most often about unspecified, structure, engine. Of those, 1 involved a crash, 5 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

Are there service bulletins for the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander?

The manufacturer has filed 50 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander, most often covering unknown or other, wheels. The most recent is dated 2026-06-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

Which 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander trim is the best value?

$17,915 separates the cheapest of the 14 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.

Is the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander better than the 2026 Mazda CX-90?

The Mazda CX-90 edges it, 91.6 to 85.7, on tech & comfort, safety, price. The Toyota Grand Highlander is ahead on fuel & range and space & cargo. We publish a full side-by-side of the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander against the 2026 Mazda CX-90 — specifications by family, equipment feature by feature, safety record and ownership costs. You can re-weight what matters to you and the verdict recalculates.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations7 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificatesnoneEPA emission certificatesThe EPA published no certificate we could match to a configuration on this page.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints44NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings4 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins50NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations1NHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationOpen and closed defect investigations, with the agency's own narrative.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSAnoneNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWe had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment14 trimsManufacturer press kitTranscribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API