Trucks and SUVs

2025 Best Mid-Size SUV: Toyota Grand Highlander / Hybrid

The Toyota Grand Highlander has earned a repeat win in the AutoTrader Awards as the Best Mid-Size SUV for 2025. Built with busy families in mind, the practical and versatile three-row SUV offers a generous amount of space, thoughtful features, and a variety of powertrains, easily impressing our jury with how family-friendly it is.

AutoTrader’s jury of more than 20 automotive experts from across the country considered every new vehicle available for Canadians to buy in this segment and voted the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander / Hybrid the best SUV in its segment, representing a vehicle we can confidently recommend.

It’s easy to confuse the Toyota Grand Highlander with the Toyota Highlander because of their similar names, but the two are very different vehicles. The former is truly “Grand” in that it’s longer, wider, taller, and has a longer wheelbase than the Highlander. Thanks to its larger size, the Grand Highlander also has considerably more third-row legroom and cargo space, plus it can tow 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs), which is competitive for the segment.

With room for seven or eight passengers, depending on whether you prefer a bench or captain’s chairs in the second row, as well as ample space for cargo and a decent towing capacity, the Grand Highlander offers a winning formula for being both capable and comfortable for all, including any adults that might have been relegated to the third row.

The comfortable seats and spacious passenger cabin are only part of what makes the interior of the Grand Highlander so welcoming and appealing. Toyota has done an excellent job minimizing engine, wind and road noise, and thanks to the longer wheelbase and supple suspension, the Grand Highlander absorbs all but the nastiest bumps, which makes for a smooth and relaxing ride.

While enjoying the ride, passengers can take advantage of the many creature comforts the Grand Highlander offers. With a total of seven USB-C ports, as well as a wireless charging tray, everyone can keep their devices fully charged at all times. Some trims even come with a 120V household outlet, which can keep small electronics or appliances (like a portable fridge) running. Heated power-adjustable front seats are standard on all trims, as is a heated steering wheel, and heated/ventilated front and second-row seats are available on higher-priced trims.

The Grand Highlander is available with three powertrains, including two especially efficient hybrid options. According to Natural Resources Canada, Grand Highlanders equipped with Toyota’s 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain are rated at an eyebrow-raising 7.0 L/100 km combined, which is impressive when you consider the size of this vehicle and the fact that all-wheel drive is standard across all trims.

Toyota equips all its vehicles with a comprehensive list of safety and advanced driver assistance features, and the Grand Highlander is no exception. Toyota’s focus on safety ticks another essential box for families and for AutoTrader’s jury of industry experts. Beyond the basics, like parking sensors and automatic emergency braking, Toyota includes advanced features like a semi-automated emergency steering system designed to help a driver avoid hitting a pedestrian, cyclist, or vehicle. This, and much more, is all part of Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 package, which is standard on all Grand Highlander trims.

With so much to offer in such a practical and capable package, the three-row Toyota Grand Highlander is an impressive SUV that has earned its win as the Best Mid-Size SUV in the 2025 AutoTrader Awards.