Toyota Grand Highlander vs Toyota bZ

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a standout in Toyota's lineup of crossovers and SUVs, offering a larger and more spacious alternative to its smaller sibling, the Highlander. Built on the TNGA-K platform, it shared its underpinnings with models like the RAV4 and Camry, distinguishing itself from the truck-based Sequoia. With a length of 201.4 inches and a wheelbase of 116.1 inches, it surpassed competitors like the Kia Telluride in size, providing a roomy interior that was ideal for families. Its design, while conservative, drew inspiration from rugged vehicles, featuring a blockier style reminiscent of the Ford Explorer and Honda Pilot. The Grand Highlander was available in three trims—XLE, Limited, and Platinum—each offering a range of interior features, including Softex synthetic leather or real leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, and a spacious center console.

In contrast, the 2026 Toyota bZ presented a more modern and streamlined appearance, with improvements over its predecessor, the bZ4X. Available in XLE and Limited trims, it offered a choice between single-motor FWD and dual-motor AWD, with two battery sizes for varying power and range. The interior featured a cleaner dashboard and center console design, with fabric seats that boasted an upscale pattern. The bZ's 14-inch center touchscreen integrated climate control, while the digital driver display, though informative, was criticized for its placement and readability. Despite these quirks, the bZ's interior was well-organized, with ample storage options and comfortable seating, making it a practical choice for urban driving.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, starting with a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 265 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. For those prioritizing fuel efficiency, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid delivered 245 combined net horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. At the top end, the Hybrid Max powertrain combined a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine with hybrid technology to produce 362 combined net horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. While the Grand Highlander wasn't designed for sports car performance, the Hybrid Max offered impressive acceleration with a 0-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds. The vehicle's size made it less maneuverable than smaller models, but its brakes were solid, and acceleration was adequate. Three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—were available, with AWD models gaining additional off-road modes.

The 2026 Toyota bZ, on the other hand, was an all-electric vehicle with different performance characteristics. The XLE FWD model featured a single electric motor and a 57.7-kWh battery, providing 165 horsepower and 198 lb-ft of torque, with an EPA-estimated range of 236 miles. Upgrading to the larger 74.7-kWh battery increased power to 224 hp and extended the range to 314 miles. Dual-motor AWD models offered 338 hp, with a range of 288 miles for the XLE AWD. The bZ's electric motors provided instant torque, making it responsive in urban settings, though mid-range passing power on the highway was less robust. The bZ's regenerative braking system allowed for adjustable brake regeneration, but it lacked one-pedal driving capability. Overall, the bZ was a comfortable and efficient commuter vehicle, though its handling on winding roads was less impressive due to its tires and steering feel.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was notable for its generous interior space, measuring 201.4 inches in length with a 116.1-inch wheelbase. This made it larger than rivals like the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. The Grand Highlander offered a total cargo capacity of 97.5 cubic feet, with 57.9 cubic feet behind the second row and 20.6 cubic feet with all seats in place. Its spacious interior provided ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in all rows, making it comfortable for adults, even in the third row.

The 2026 Toyota bZ, built on a skateboard-style EV platform, offered 8.1 inches of ground clearance and easy access to its interior. Both front seats featured standard height adjustment, with eight-way power adjustment available in both trims. The bZ's interior was well-organized, with a large bin under the center armrest, dual wireless smartphone chargers, and ample storage options. Rear-seat passengers enjoyed plenty of legroom, though foot space was slightly limited. The bZ offered 27.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear liftgate, with a total of 56.9 cubic feet when the rear seats were folded down.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering a visually stunning interface. While the system required a subscription for features like the intelligent assistant and cloud-based navigation, it included standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-device Bluetooth connectivity, and an 11-speaker JBL stereo on higher trims. Streaming audio integration and SiriusXM satellite radio were also available, with various subscription options for connected services.

The 2026 Toyota bZ featured a 7-inch digital driver display and a new 14-inch touchscreen infotainment display. While the driver display was criticized for its placement and readability, the infotainment system was generally user-friendly. It supported wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and offered five connected service plans with varying trial periods. The Drive Connect system powered the native navigation and voice assistant, which performed well in testing.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not yet been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS, but it came with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) as standard. This suite included features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, lane-tracing assist, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control with four following-distance settings was also standard.

The 2026 Toyota bZ also featured TSS 3.0, with additional safety features like Proactive Driving Assist, blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alert, and parking sensors. The Limited trim added Traffic Jam Assist and Advanced Park Assist. While NHTSA ratings were unavailable, IIHS ratings were mixed, with Good ratings for front-crash avoidance but Poor ratings for headlights and Acceptable ratings for frontal-impact crash tests.