Toyota Grand Highlander vs Toyota Highlander: MPG, Fuel Cost, Recalls and Safety
On EPA ratings the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander's best version gets 36 mpg combined against 35 mpg for the Toyota Highlander.
Toyota Grand Highlander
36mpg
Best 2025 version: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT
Toyota Highlander
35mpg
Best 2025 version: 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT
The cheapest Toyota Grand Highlander to fuel costs $1,800 a year at EPA's prices, $50 less than the cheapest Highlander. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2025 Grand Highlander and 4 recalls for the Highlander.
Side by side
| 2025 model year | Grand Highlander | Highlander |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel economy (EPA) | ||
Best combined rating | 36 mpg 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · FWD · CVT | 35 mpg 2.5L 4-cyl hybrid · AWD · CVT |
Best gas rating Gas engines only; hybrids and diesels excluded | 24 mpg | 25 mpg |
Hybrid or plug-in available | Hybrid 36 mpg | Hybrid 35 mpg |
AWD or 4WD available | Yes | Yes |
Lowest annual fuel cost 15,000 miles at EPA fuel prices | $1,800 | $1,850 |
5-year fuel cost vs average new vehicle Cheapest-to-fuel version (EPA) | Saves $2,500 | Saves $2,250 |
| Safety (NHTSA) | ||
Safety recalls, 2025 model year Counts depend on sales and time on sale | 3 | 4 |
Owner complaints, 2025 model year Filed with NHTSA so far | 73 | 10 |
NHTSA overall crash rating Range across tested versions | 5 stars | 5 stars |
Rollover risk Range across tested versions; lower is better | 16.9% to 17.4% | 16.4% to 16.9% |
Marks the clearly better figure. Small gaps (under 2 mpg or 5%, $100 a year in fuel) and overlapping crash-test ranges are not marked, and recall and complaint counts are not scored because they depend on how many were sold.
Best combined rating by model year
The best-rated version of each, every model year since 2016. The Grand Highlander rated higher in 2 of the 3 years both were sold, and they tied in the other.
- Toyota Grand Highlander
- Toyota Highlander
2025: Toyota Grand Highlander 36 mpg · Toyota Highlander 35 mpgTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Toyota Grand Highlander | Toyota Highlander |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | – | 28 |
| 2017 | – | 29 |
| 2018 | – | 29 |
| 2019 | – | 29 |
| 2020 | – | 36 |
| 2021 | – | 36 |
| 2022 | – | 36 |
| 2023 | – | 36 |
| 2024 | 36 | 36 |
| 2025 | 36 | 35 |
| 2026 | 36 | 35 |
Recalls by model year
Safety recalls NHTSA lists for each model year. Counts depend on how many were sold and how long each model year has been on the road.
- Toyota Grand Highlander (left bar)
- Toyota Highlander (right bar)
2026: Toyota Grand Highlander 4 recalls · Toyota Highlander 0 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
| Model year | Toyota Grand Highlander | Toyota Highlander |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | – | 2 |
| 2017 | – | 3 |
| 2018 | – | 4 |
| 2019 | – | 3 |
| 2020 | – | 5 |
| 2021 | – | 5 |
| 2022 | – | 6 |
| 2023 | – | 9 |
| 2024 | 4 | 7 |
| 2025 | 3 | 4 |
| 2026 | 4 | 0 |
More on each model
- 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander MPGEvery version and a fuel cost calculator
- Toyota Grand Highlander by yearMPG, recalls and complaints
- 2025 Toyota Highlander MPGEvery version and a fuel cost calculator
- Toyota Highlander by yearMPG, recalls and complaints
Questions
Which gets better gas mileage, the Grand Highlander or the Highlander?
For 2025, the Grand Highlander. Its best version is rated 36 mpg combined; the Highlander's best is 35 mpg.
Which is cheaper to fuel?
The Grand Highlander. At EPA's assumptions its cheapest version costs $1,800 a year against $1,850, a $250 difference over five years.
How do they compare in NHTSA crash tests?
The 2025 Grand Highlander is rated 5 stars overall and the Highlander is rated 5 stars overall. Rollover risk is 16.9% to 17.4% for the Grand Highlander and 16.4% to 16.9% for the Highlander.
Sources and method
- US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026, and EPA fuel prices.
- NHTSA recall file dated Sep 29, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 28, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.
We compare the best-rated version of each model unless a row says otherwise. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.