2024 Toyota Grand Highlander vs 2023 Volvo XC90

The 2023 Volvo XC90 marked a significant departure from the brand's past design ethos, which was often likened to utilitarian appliances. This model showcased a purposeful yet understated aesthetic, with a stout front end and an assertive grille that avoided excessive flashiness. The distinctive "Thor’s Hammer" headlights added a modern touch, contrasting sharply with the boxy designs of earlier decades. The XC90's dimensions remained somewhat rectilinear, but its overall appearance was far from the utilitarian designs of the past. The Ultimate trim, with its 21-inch wheels and Platinum Grey paint, added a touch of drama and richness to the vehicle's otherwise stoic presence. Inside, the XC90 exuded elegance with its two-tone leather steering wheel, metal speaker covers, and luxurious Nappa leather upholstery. The minimalist interior design, complemented by wood deco inlays, provided a clean and sophisticated look, although the scarcity of physical controls might have been a point of contention for some.

In contrast, the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was a true crossover built on the TNGA-K platform, sharing its underpinnings with several other Toyota models. Its design was more conservative and blockier than the smaller Highlander, drawing inspiration from rugged vehicles like the Ford Explorer and Kia Telluride. The Grand Highlander featured a trapezoidal grille with a horizontal slit above it, reminiscent of the Toyota 4Runner. Inside, the Grand Highlander offered a choice of Softex synthetic leather or real leather upholstery, with the Platinum Hybrid trim featuring Portobello upholstery. The vehicle's interior was spacious and comfortable, with ample headroom, legroom, and shoulder room across all three rows. The Grand Highlander excelled as a road-trip vehicle, with a well-built interior and seamless fit and finish, reflecting Toyota's reputation for mechanical reliability.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 introduced the B6 engine, a mild-hybrid powertrain that replaced the older T5 and T6 engines. This new setup offered 295 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, slightly less than its predecessor but with improved fuel efficiency and smoother operation. The mild-hybrid system used a lithium-ion battery pack to power a 13-volt starter generator, reducing the engine's load and enhancing the vehicle's fuel-saving auto stop-start technology. The XC90 delivered a reserved yet enjoyable driving experience, with quick acceleration and a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission. Despite its bulky dimensions, the XC90 handled corners well, and its brakes provided a solid pedal feel. However, the vehicle lacked customizable driving dynamics, offering a straightforward driving experience without multiple drive modes or off-road features.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander offered three engine options, including a 2.4-litre turbo four-cylinder engine with 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, a 2.5-litre four-cylinder hybrid with 245 combined net horsepower, and the Hybrid Max powertrain with 362 horsepower and 400 combined net pound-feet of torque. All powertrains came with an all-wheel-drive drivetrain in Canada. The Grand Highlander prioritized comfort over sporty performance, with a size that made it less maneuverable than its smaller counterpart. While the steering feel was somewhat numb, the brakes provided a linear pedal feel, and acceleration was adequate. The vehicle featured three drive modes—Sport, Eco, and Normal—with additional modes for gas-only and Hybrid Max models. Sport mode offered marginal improvements in steering and throttle response, while Eco mode focused on efficiency.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 offered a peaceful and pleasant front-seat experience, but its Scandinavian minimalism led to some space and storage frustrations. The vehicle lacked dedicated space for smaller items like cell phones, and the USB port was inconveniently located in the small centre console bin. While the second row was comfortable and spacious, adjusting the seats was challenging, and accessing the third row was difficult with the standard seven-passenger seating. The XC90 provided 356 litres of cargo space with the third seat in position, expanding to 1,183 litres with the third-row seats folded down, and maxing out at 1,856 litres with all rear seats folded. These figures fell short compared to competitors like the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Genesis GV80, and Acura MDX. Despite its smaller size, the XC90 drove like a smaller car than typical three-row SUVs.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was larger than its primary rivals, with a length of over 5 metres and a 2,950 mm wheelbase. This extra length translated to increased storage space, with a total cargo capacity of 2,761 litres, surpassing the Kia Telluride by over 300 litres. The Grand Highlander offered 1,640 litres of space behind the second-row seats and 583 litres with all three rows up. The vehicle provided a comfortable and spacious interior, with good outward visibility and ample room in every row. Even the third row accommodated six-foot adults comfortably, making the Grand Highlander a practical choice for families seeking a spacious and comfortable vehicle.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 featured a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment display running on Google OS, the first of its kind as a standard infotainment system. This system integrated much of Google’s Android Auto, including Google Maps, Spotify, NPR, and Google Assistant. The natural-language recognition capabilities of Google OS enhanced the user experience, allowing owners to issue commands via Google Home devices. However, the reliance on the touchscreen interface for key functions could lead to frustration, as many features were buried within the system. While the minimalist design was visually appealing, the lack of physical buttons for essential controls like the heated steering wheel and seat adjustments was a drawback. Keyless entry was standard, with a head-up display available as an option.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander came equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a significant improvement over Toyota’s previous interface. An intelligent assistant, activated by saying “Hey Toyota,” was available through a connected-services subscription, allowing voice commands for tasks like temperature adjustment and radio station changes. The subscription also included cloud-based navigation and 24/7 live agent assistance. Standard features included dual-device Bluetooth connectivity and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Grand Highlander Limited and Platinum trims featured an 11-speaker JBL stereo, providing a balanced audio experience. Streaming audio integration and Sirius XM satellite radio were available, with a three-month trial included. While Toyota’s tech offering had improved, potential buyers were advised to review the subscription options carefully.

The 2023 Volvo XC90 continued the brand’s legacy of safety, earning a five-star rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2022. The vehicle came standard with advanced driver safety tech, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist. These features supported Volvo’s Pilot Assist technology, which helped maintain distance from the car ahead at various speeds. The comprehensive safety suite made the XC90 a compelling choice for safety-conscious buyers.

The 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander had not yet been crash-tested or rated by the NHTSA or IIHS, but it came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0) as standard. This suite included automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, road-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The updated lane-departure alert could identify three-dimensional objects, reducing false warnings. Traffic jam assist and a head-up display were exclusive to the Platinum grade. Adaptive cruise control was standard, offering four following-distance settings.