GMC Acadia vs Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid

The 2024 GMC Acadia was built on a significantly modified version of its predecessor's platform, resulting in a larger and more imposing vehicle. It was 27 centimetres longer and 8 centimetres taller than the 2023 model, with styling that emphasized its increased size. The front end featured a more upright design and a broad grille reminiscent of GMC's full-size SUVs and trucks, framed by distinctive LED headlights. The wheel arches and door skins had intricate detailing that added definition in certain lighting conditions, while the rear sported quad exhaust tips inspired by the C8 Corvette. The Acadia was available in Elevation, AT4, and Denali trims, each with unique styling elements. The interior was redesigned to accommodate larger screens and create a sense of spaciousness, with a panoramic sunroof enhancing the light-filled cabin. While the Denali trim offered leather seats and a unique stitching pattern, the AT4's interior, with its outdoor gear-inspired look, was preferred for its rugged appeal.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid followed a more conservative design path, drawing inspiration from the popular RAV4. This resulted in a vehicle that resembled a larger RAV4, offering seating for up to eight and ample cargo space. The interior prioritized function over form, with a layer of luxury in the Platinum trim. However, the use of glossy hard plastics and unlined storage surfaces detracted from the overall quality. The climate system was user-friendly, with large knobs for temperature adjustments, but the infotainment interface was less intuitive, featuring a small volume knob and no tuning knob. The Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max, with its Storm Cloud paint, offered a smart and upscale interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery. The second-row captain's chairs provided flexibility, while the third row offered reasonable comfort for adults and tall teens. Despite some design drawbacks, the Grand Highlander excelled in providing a spacious and functional interior.

The 2024 GMC Acadia was powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 328 horsepower and 326 pound-feet of torque. This engine replaced the previous 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four and 3.6-litre V6 engines, offering more power than both. Despite the absence of a V6 option, the turbo-four engine delivered strong and consistent performance, enabling the Acadia to reach highway speeds effortlessly. It also offered a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds) with an available towing package. However, the engine's coarse note was less appealing, particularly in the high-end Denali trim. The Acadia featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive in Canada. The AT4 model included a twin-clutch system for off-road driving, a 2.5-centimetre ride height lift, special suspension tuning, skid plates, and a Terrain drive mode for low-speed off-road control. While the Acadia AT4 was a light off-roader, it handled rutted dirt roads well without excessive tire noise or compromised ride quality on pavement. The Denali model offered a comfortable suspension with 22-inch wheels, but both the Denali and AT4 exhibited some wallowing and bouncing over road undulations.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max emphasized performance with a turbocharged 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine and electronic full-time AWD, producing 362 net horsepower. This setup allowed the Grand Highlander to accelerate quickly, with the traditional six-speed automatic transmission avoiding the droning typical of CVTs. While the Hybrid Max offered impressive performance, it came with a fuel economy trade-off, achieving 8.8 L/100 km combined compared to the Grand Highlander Hybrid's 7.0 L/100 km. During testing, the Hybrid Max averaged 9.1 L/100 km on a balanced city and highway route and 10.1 L/100 km on a mountainous loop. The powertrain's acceleration was smooth, with electric motors eliminating turbo lag. The Grand Highlander provided a soft and isolating ride, absorbing road imperfections well, though undulations could cause some vertical and lateral movement. Handling was secure up to a point, with early tire scrub and squeal, but it felt confident at slower speeds. The vehicle's visibility was excellent, aided by available camera systems, though the front camera's frequent takeover of the infotainment screen was a minor annoyance.

The 2024 GMC Acadia offered a spacious interior with a low dashboard and ample glass, providing more headroom across all three rows than competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Kia Telluride, and Toyota Grand Highlander. It also boasted more first-row legroom, though the Kia and Toyota offered more legroom in the second and third rows, respectively. The Acadia's cargo space was significantly improved, with 651 litres behind the third row, 1,623 litres with the rear seats folded, and 2,761 litres with both the second and third rows folded. This made it competitive with other midsize SUVs in terms of cargo capacity. The Acadia featured an underfloor storage bin behind the third row and a "presence based" power liftgate for hands-free access. Small-item storage was reasonable, though the headlight controls were less intuitive, requiring touchscreen interaction.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid provided comfortable seating in all three rows, with more than 2,700 litres of maximum cargo space. However, many storage locations were unlined, potentially contributing to noise and vibration. The Platinum trim featured a Portobello interior with leather and artificial suede upholstery, offering a smart and upscale appearance. The front and second-row seats were heated and ventilated, with supportive cushions. The second-row captain's chairs allowed for flexibility, with a removable centre console creating a pass-through to the third row. The third-row seats were reasonably comfortable for adults and tall teens, with ample space from the head restraint to the rear liftgate. The Grand Highlander offered 586 litres of cargo space behind the third row, 1,640 litres with the third row folded, and 2,761 litres with the second row folded, providing ample room for family road trips.

The 2024 GMC Acadia featured a standard 11-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15-inch touchscreen supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also included a 12-speaker Bose audio system, wireless device charging, a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, and USB ports for each row. An 8-inch head-up display and a 16-speaker Bose system were available options. The infotainment system incorporated Google built-in apps, such as Google Maps and Google Assistant, providing a familiar and user-friendly interface. The touchscreen layout was logical, with high-quality graphics and easy access to important menus. The instrument cluster offered multiple configurations, though small drive-mode icons could be overlooked.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid, in XLE trim, featured a 7-inch digital driver display with traditional analog gauges, while Limited and Platinum trims offered a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel. All models included a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and access to Apple Music and Amazon Music accounts. Toyota Connected Services plans provided additional features, including automatic collision notification and a digital voice assistant. The infotainment system was user-friendly, though the inability to view multiple main-menu screens simultaneously and the low-contrast font were minor drawbacks. The digital voice assistant responded accurately to commands, and the Platinum trim included a head-up display, digital rear-view mirror, and surround-view camera system. The JBL premium audio system delivered impressive sound quality.

The 2024 GMC Acadia received mediocre safety ratings from the IIHS, with an Acceptable rating for its moderate overlap front test and collision prevention system, and a Marginal score for its headlights. NHTSA crash test results were unavailable at the time of publication. Standard driver assist features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view camera. The Acadia also offered the Super Cruise driver-assist system as an option, allowing for hands-free driving on certain roads.

The 2026 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid was equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, offering a comprehensive suite of safety features and driver assistance technologies. While it provided a high level of automation, it lacked hands-free operation like Ford's BlueCruise and GM's Super Cruise. Proactive Driving Assist was standard, though it could be irritating in certain situations. The Grand Highlander's safety tech operated accurately, though the lane keep assist system occasionally strayed too close to lane markers. The vehicle received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA but fell short of the IIHS Top Safety Pick rating due to headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection.