The Toyota Highlander has long been a top choice for parents looking for an SUV that has room for the whole family, and it continues to be an excellent model that’s perfect for many drivers. But what if you want a little extra space to keep everyone comfortable and still have room left for cargo? In that case, you’ll be glad to learn about the all-new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. This new model shares many details with the Highlander but is half a foot longer for a more spacious cabin. Beyond its size, this new Toyota has plenty of features that make it the perfect model for families. Today, let’s take a look at seven of them so you can get an idea of what the Grand Highlander has to offer you and your family.

#1 - Three Spacious Rows of Seating

Even if you don’t have a big family, it never hurts to have a few extra seats in the family car. A vehicle that seats five may work well most of the time for a family with one or two kids, but playdates, carpools, and visiting relatives can leave you wishing you had a more spacious interior. The Grand Highlander offers three rows of seating, allowing you to seat up to eight people if you opt for second-row bench seats or seven with second-row captain’s chairs. The third row is sized for adults, with plenty of leg room to stretch out, so you don’t need to worry about your little ones outgrowing it a few years down the road.

#2 - Ample Room for Cargo

When you’re a parent on the go, there’s often a lot that needs to come along for the ride. Babies need strollers, spare diapers, toys, and probably a spare change of clothes or two, just in case. If you have a young kid with energy to burn, you probably have a tricycle, scooter, or balance bike you like to bring along to the park. Older kids have backpacks, books, and dioramas for school and all kinds of special equipment for extracurriculars. And the more kids you have, the more this cargo multiplies.

Thankfully, the Grand Highlander offers plenty of cargo space. You’ll find 20.6 cu.ft. of space behind the third row of seating for large items, and there are clever compartments spread throughout all three rows that you and your kids can use to keep everything organized. To help you stay hydrated wherever you go, there are thirteen cup and bottle holders throughout the cabin. If you need to move extra-bulky items, like new furniture to replace cribs, beds, and chairs that your little ones have outgrown, you can fold the back rows flat to unlock up to 97.5 cu.ft. of space, which means never having to pay extra for delivery.

#3 - Device Charging for Everyone

As your kids grow and start to be able to go out on their own, you'll want to be able to keep in touch with them. That means getting them a cellphone of their own that they can use to contact you. But that only works if the battery is charged, and all parents know how forgetful kids can be. Luckily, the Grand Highlander has seven USB-C ports spread throughout the cabin. Up front, you have three USB ports plus a standard wireless charging pad to make sure that you’re charged up and ready for the day ahead. In the back, there are two USB ports in the middle row and another two in the third row. That layout makes it easy for everyone to keep their devices charged so the whole family can stay connected, even when you’re spread out.

#4 - Modern Infotainment System

Of course, you can do more than just charge your devices. You can also connect them to the Grand Highlander’s infotainment system, which features a 12.3-inch touchscreen in the dashboard and a multi-information display behind the wheel that’s either seven inches or 12.3 inches, depending on the trim level. Standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto lets you display useful apps from your smartphone on the vehicle’s screens and control those apps through not just the touchscreen but also voice commands and physical buttons on the steering wheel.

There are plenty of ways this tech can come in handy for a family on the go. You can call and text hands-free to safely stay in contact with your partner, let your kids connect with their extended family on long drives, and communicate with friends, coaches, and other parents so you can let them know if you’re running late. You can also use your favorite navigation app to easily get from Point A to Point B, even if you’re going somewhere new, like a theme park or a tournament at a different school. And that’s not to mention the entertainment half of infotainment, which is vital for taking restless kids on road trips without losing your patience. You can load up plenty of music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more to keep the backseat passengers happy for the entire drive.

#5 - Standard Advanced Safety Features

When you’re a parent, keeping your kids safe is priority number one. So you’ll be happy to learn that the Grand Highlander has a comprehensive Star Safety System suite of features that come standard across all trims. Some of these systems work behind the scenes to keep you in complete control of your large SUV, even when conditions aren’t ideal. These include Electronically Controlled Braking, an Anti-Lock Brake System, Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Smart Stop Technology, and Hill Start Assist Control.

There are also the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 driver assistance features that make themselves known more than the other systems. The Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection warns you if you’re about to hit another vehicle or pedestrian in front of you so you can take action. If you don’t react or don’t brake hard enough, the system can brake automatically or supplement your manual braking. Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist uses a similar combination of warnings and automatic action to prevent you from unintentionally drifting out of your lane on the highway. Other standard safety features include:

• Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
• Lane Tracing Assist
• Road Sign Assist
• Automatic High Beams
• Proactive Driving Assist
• Blind Spot Monitor
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Backup camera with dynamic gridlines
• Child locks on rear doors
• LATCH tethers in both back rows for securing car seats

#6 - Available Hands-Free Power Liftgate

Parenting can be a handful. While that’s often a metaphor for a hectic schedule and overdose of stress, sometimes it’s more literal. If your hands often are full of baby supplies, soccer balls, or other accouterments of childhood, you’ll appreciate the Grand Highlander’s available hands-free power liftgate. With a wave of your foot, you can open the liftgate and unload what you’re carrying in the cargo area without having to put it down on the dirty ground or balance it precariously with only one arm.

#7 - All-Weather Comfort

Parenting is, of course, a year-round job. When you’re not driving the kids to school, you might be taking them to their grandparents’ house for Christmas, the swimming pool in the summer, or the pumpkin patch in the fall. You want to make sure that you and your kids are comfortable no matter the weather, and the Grand Highlander is here to help with that. A three-zone climate control system lets you set different temperatures for you, your front passenger, and the back seats, so no one has to argue over the thermostat. Up front, heated seats come standard, so you can beat the chill during the winter and not get distracted by discomfort while you’re behind the wheel. The second row has standard retractable window sunshades to keep the glare out of your kids’ eyes. If you want even more comfort, you can upgrade to get a heated steering wheel, heated second-row seats, and even heated and ventilated first and second-row seats.