Are you in the market for a spacious three-row family SUV? If yes, there are plenty of versatile options to choose from, like Toyota Sequoia, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, and Nissan Armada. All these SUVs boast big, burly dimensions, which translate to excellent interior space for your family. But at the same time, they also sip a lot of fuel. When you intend to use the vehicle for daily chores like picking up and dropping off the kids at school, buying groceries, or even occasional weekend outings, fuel efficiency is a high priority. And these SUVs aren’t the best performers in that department.
Thankfully, you can solve that problem by choosing a hybrid car. They have become a lot more mainstream, with almost all major manufacturers offering this powertrain choice in their vehicles. Take the hybrid versions of the Toyota Highlander, Honda CR-V, and Hyundai Tucson, for example. However, not all of them come with three-row seating or offer the best fuel efficiency. Don’t worry, though, as there is one Japanese three-row hybrid SUV that manages to outshine most of its competitors in terms of fuel efficiency without compromising on space, practicality, or reliability.
The Three-Row Japanese Hybrid SUV With The Highest Fuel Cost Savings
There are only a handful of 3-row hybrid SUVs; four are Japanese, all from the same company, with this one standing out for space and cost-savings.
The Toyota Grand Highlander Is Your Answer
A Fuel Efficiency Of 36 MPG Combined
Toyota offers the Grand Highlander with three powertrain options—pure ICE, Hybrid, and Hybrid Max. At 36 MPG (combined), the front-wheel-drive models of the Toyota Grand Highlander hybrid manage to deliver the highest fuel economy among all the powertrain options on the three-row SUV. With all-wheel drive, it drops slightly to 34 MPG.
The Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-four turbo-petrol hybrid engine paired with up to two electric motors. On the standard version, it pushes out 245 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. For those looking for more performance, Toyota offers the Grand Highlander with the Hybrid Max powertrain that makes 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. However, the higher performance comes at the cost of fuel economy, which drops to a combined 27 MPG on the Hybrid Max models.
2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid vs. Grand Highlander
The standard version of the Grand Highlander uses a 2.4-liter inline-four turbo-petrol engine paired with an eight-speed automatic. The powertrain manages to deliver impressive outputs at 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Like the Grand Highlander hybrid, the standard version also gets an all-wheel drive version.
Speaking of fuel economy, the non-hybrid version delivers a combined 24 MPG and 23 MPG for the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models, respectively. Considering the big difference in fuel economy between the non-hybrid and hybrid versions, spending some extra money up front to purchase the latter feels worth it. Plus, the Grand Highlander hybrid doesn’t compromise on practicality despite housing extra hardware, making its case stronger.
Depending on the model, the driving range ranges between 464 and 619 miles on a full tank for the hybrid model, between 392 and 427 miles for the standard Grand Highlander. And, the estimated fuel costs as per the EPA are $1,300 to $1,750 for the Grand Highlander Hybrid, which are less than the $1,950 to $2,100 for the standard Grand Highlander.
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What Makes It An Ideal Three-Row SUV For Families?
There Is Ample Room For Passengers In All Three Rows
All trims, except the base Hybrid LE trim, come with captain seats in the middle row as standard. That said, you can choose to install a bench seat in the middle row on most trims, taking the total seating capacity to eight. Speaking of seating area, the front-row passengers get 41.5 inches of headroom and 41.7 inches of legroom, while second-row occupants get 40.2 inches of headroom and 39.5 inches of legroom. With 37.5 inches of headroom and 33.5 inches of legroom, the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid is one of the few three-row SUVs that has usable space in the third row for adult occupants.
But what about the cargo area? Well, the three-row hybrid SUV has that part covered as well. The Grand Highlander boasts 20.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, which can be expanded up to a generous 97.5 cubic feet by folding the second and third row seats. Given the highly practical nature of the Toyota Grand Highlander hybrid, it is one of the ultimate family SUVs on the market currently.
Larger Dimensions Make It More Versatile Than The Highlander Hybrid
As its name suggests, the Grand Highlander is an extended version of the Highlander mid-size SUV. Both SUVs are based on Toyota’s GA-K platform but the Grand Highlander hybrid features a longer wheelbase and boxier styling. As a result, there’s more room in the third row of the Grand Highlander, along with more cargo area and wider cabin space. Despite its larger dimensions, it manages to deliver the same fuel economy, making the Grand Highlander hybrid a more versatile option as a family SUV.
2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid vs Competition
The Japanese Three-Row Hybrid SUV Segment Is Dominated By One Company
Toyota was the first manufacturer to launch a mass-produced hybrid model with the Prius, first launched in 1997. Almost three decades later, a lot of manufacturers from across the world have joined the hybrid bandwagon. However, Toyota continues to be the leader. There are very few Japanese three-row hybrid SUV options in the market, and not so surprisingly, they all come from the Toyota stable. Apart from the Highlander and Grand Highlander hybrid, the Lexus TX 500h and Sequoia hybrid are two other Japanese three-row hybrid SUVs you can also consider.
While the Lexus uses a similar powertrain as the Grand Highlander hybrid, it is significantly more expensive. On the other hand, the Toyota Sequoia hybrid is a full-size, truck-like SUV, equipped with Toyota’s i-Force Max powertrain, which makes use of a larger V-6 turbo-petrol hybrid engine. Plus, both these SUVs also fall behind the Grand Highlander hybrid in terms of fuel economy – 27 MPG combined for the TX 500h and 20-22 MPG combined for the Sequoia Hybrid.
Non-Japanese Three-Row Hybrid SUVs You Can Consider
When it comes to three-row hybrid SUVs, the 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe hybrid and 2026 Kia Sorento hybrid are two of the top alternatives to the Grand Highlander hybrid. The Korean siblings share a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four hybrid engine paired with a six-speed automatic that manages to put out 227 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Both SUVs come with an all-wheel drive option. The best part is that both these three-row SUVs boast the exact same fuel economy as the Toyota Grand Highlander hybrid. The prices for the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento hybrids start at $36,150 and $38,690, respectively, making them cheaper than the Toyota.
10 Three-Row Hybrid SUVs That Offer The Most Space For Families
A three-row hybrid SUV with good luggage space is the perfect car for larger or more active families. Here is a list of such SUVs.
2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Trims, Price, And Features
Prices for the 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid start at $44,710 for the base Hybrid LE trim, which is also the only trim with a standard bench seat for the middle row. This is followed by the Hybrid XLE, Limited, and Nightshade trims, which come with added features. Nightshade trim features blacked-out elements on the exterior and interior to add a sporty touch to the SUV. The top two trims—Hybrid Max Limited and Platinum, are equipped with the more powerful hybrid powertrain, and are priced at $55,190 and $59,275, respectively.
There’s A Good Spread Of Features Across Variants
Speaking of features, even the base trim comes equipped with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s also an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat on offer. Moving to the XLE trim gets you heated driver and passenger seats, keyless entry and ignition, a powered tailgate, and seven USB-C ports in the cabin. The Hybrid Limited trim ups the premium quotient by adding an 11-speaker JBL audio system, leather-trimmed first and second row seats, and a ventilation function for the front seats. The top-of-the-line Hybrid Max Platinum trim comes with a 10-inch heads-up display, a wide-opening panoramic sunroof, and a 360-degree camera, among other features.