Indiana's Toyota plant unveiled its newest SUV to the world this week. Here's a look.
The world got its first official look at the Toyota Grand Highlander on Wednesday night. It's the newest product to roll off the assembly lines at the company's plant in Gibson County, Indiana.
It made its debut at the Chicago Auto Show.
The SUV offers a third row of seating and 98 cubic feet of space in the cabin (with all seats folded down). The Detroit Free Press described it as "a new, bigger member to its family of SUVs, offering a larger third row of seats to compete with vehicles like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and Chevrolet Traverse family hauling SUVs."
The Grand Highlander boasts a 12.3-inch multimedia display in the dash, with a configurable center console large enough to fit a tablet. There's also a wireless charger, two USB ports, and three cup holders – including one capable of holding a large water bottle.
The company said the Grand Highlander comes with three available powertrains:
A "well-balanced" 2.4L turbo gas engine
The "efficiency-leading" 2.5L hybrid with a manufacturer-estimated 34 combined MPG
The "ultimate performance-seeking," 362 horsepower Hybrid MAX.
So how much will the Grand Highlander cost? Toyota hasn't announced pricing, but industry website Car and Drive had this to say:
If we had to guess, we'd expect the new XL version to range somewhere between $43K and $56K. That would make it a little pricier than the regular Highlander, but don't forget the Grand is more than just a size up.
Car and Driver
The Grand Highlander joins the set of other Toyota vehicles made by the more than 7,000 workers at the Princeton facility, which also produces the Highlander, Highlander Hybrid and Sienna. The plant assembles more than 400,000 vehicles annually.
TMMI originally announced that it would make the new SUV, and eventually a Lexus version, in April 2021. The additions signified an $803 million investment in the 27-year-old plant, tacking on 1,400 new jobs.
The Grand Highlander is offered in three grades across three different powertrains – the XLE grade, Limited and Platinum.
Toyota Grand Highlander XLE Grade
Exterior:
18″ Alloy Wheels
Black Painted Grille
Roof Rails
Heated Outer Mirrors
Interior:
Softex-trimmed Seating
10-way Power Driver & 8-way Power Passenger Seats
7-Passenger Capacity w/ 2nd Row Captains Chairs or 8-Passenger Bench
Heated Front Seats
2nd Row Sunshades
Multimedia/Technology:
Digital Key (requires active Remote Connect trial or subscription)
12.3” Touchscreen
7” MID
6 Power USB / 1 Media USB
Wireless Charger
Safety & Convenience
TSS 3.0
Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert
5 Door Smart Key
Power Liftgate
Garage Door Opener
Auto-dimming Mirror
Toyota Grand Highlander Limited Grade
Exterior:
20″ Alloy Wheels
LED DRL
Power Fold Outer Mirrors
LED Fog Lamps
Interior:
Leather Seating
Heated & Ventilated Front Seats
Heated 2nd Row Seats
Memory Seat function for 1st row
Heated Steering Wheel
Power outlet (100W Gas) (1500W HV/Hybrid MAX)
Ambient Lighting
Removable 2nd row center console storage
Multimedia/Technology:
12.3″ Premium Multimedia w/ 11 Speaker JBL Audio
12.3″ Full Digital MID
Safety & Convenience
Parking Sensors w/ Automatic Braking
Rain Sensing Wipers
Kick Power Liftgate
Puddle Lamps
Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum Grade
Exterior:
20″ Clad Alloy Wheels
Interior:
Heated & Ventilated 2nd Row Seats
Panoramic Moonroof
Paddle shifters (AWD Gas and Hybrid MAX)
Dial Multi-Terrain Select (AWD Gas and Hybrid MAX)
Safety & Convenience
Head Up Display
Puddle Lamps
Panoramic View Monitor
Digital Rearview Mirror
Traffic Jam Assist (requires active Drive Connect trial or subscription)
Front Cross Traffic Alert
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Toyota unveils Grand Highlander made in Gibson County, Indiana