2024 Toyota Grand Highlander & 2024 Volkswagen Atlas

Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

We're starting off with a brand new 3-row Ute, the new Toyota Grand Highlander... And we'll stick together for some young-blood welding wisdom... We'll take one MotorWeek fan on the joyride of their life... Wrapping up with the intelligently renewed Volkswagen Atlas!

So, come drive with us, next!

Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.

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First, there was the wheel.

Then, the tire.

"We'll call it TireRack."

Forty years later, we're not slowing down.

JOHN: The Toyota Highlander has long been the 3-row family utility that all rivals are measured against.

But Toyota is always looking to grow their business, and now they're attempting to do that by growing the Highlander.

Say hello to a new benchmark the Toyota Grand Highlander.

♪ ♪ Toyota has no problem selling utility vehicles; they currently have eight in their lineup to choose from, divided into distinct body-on-frame and unitized crossover families.

Well, add one more to the crossover list, it's the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander.

Now, don't think of the Grand Highlander so much as just a bigger version of the Highlander as it is an all-new vehicle.

Longer than the Highlander by 6.5 inches, the priorities were to deliver true space for adults in the 3rd row while still providing more cargo room behind it.

Though large and in charge, it seems to take most of its styling cues from a much smaller member of the Toyota family, the latest RAV4.

That means a big "hammerhead" trapezoidal grille, minimal overhangs, and different wheel designs than the current Highlander, all but the base XLE trim rolling on 20s.

Overall length beats Honda Pilot by 1.5 inches, and 4.5 inches over the Kia Telluride, so it's a biggie!

On the road, there's a Lexus-like refinement and borderline luxury car smoothness to the ride; above what the current Highlander delivers.

Though, there is an actual Lexus version of the Grand Highlander already announced, the TX.

The Toyota Grand Highlander feels very powerful too, when dealing with our tester's Hybrid Max powertrain.

It sports a 2.4 liter turbo-4 with electric motor assist to deliver 362 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque through a 6-speed automatic.

All-wheel-drive is standard and max tow rating is 5,000 pounds.

But that's just one of the three powertrains.

Shared with the Highlander is a 245 horsepower 2.5 liter Hybrid with a CVT.

The base engine is a 265 horsepower 2.4 liter turbo I4 with an 8-speed automatic.

Both available in front or all-wheel-drive.

Our Hybrid Max has unique front and rear bumpers, along with dual exhaust.

So, we let that 6-speed shift us down our Mason Dixon Dragway test track.

For such a big vehicle, it gets up to speed quickly, leaving the line with a slight chirp of the tires on its way to 60 in just 5.6 seconds.

You can feel the EV motor boost at launch, but it also aids in keeping power delivery consistent all the way down the track.

Gear changes were very smooth and it felt solid and stable throughout the quarter-mile, which we finished in 14.3 seconds at 98 miles per hour.

The Grand Highlander preferred a more leisurely pace through our handling course.

Still, it doesn't feel overly big or ungainly.

Yet, you could really feel the 4,900 pounds.

of weight of our Platinum Hybrid Max through here with significant body roll and apparent understeer.

Light steering and an overall soft feel are additional indicators that the main aims here were getting the family up to speed quickly and down the highway in comfort.

In braking runs, there was a notable amount of nose dive, but stops from 60 were straight and consistent, with a good 115 foot average stopping distance from 60 miles per hour.

While an all-new vehicle, there's a very familiar unassuming quality-minded Toyota interior, with their latest multimedia system which gets a 12.3 inch touchscreen standard.

The 3rd row is indeed much more than an afterthought; access is easy even for adults, there's great space back there, and belts for three occupants.

Plus, they were even able to provide 20.6 cubic-feet of rear cargo space.

Folding the 60/40 3rd row grows the space to 57.9 cubic-feet, and there's a generous max of 97.5 with all seatbacks folded.

But while still roomy, it does seem like a bit of 2nd row space was compromised; either a 3-person bench or a pair of captain's chairs makes for eight or seven passenger capacity.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings for the Hybrid Max are 26-City, 27-Highway, and 27-Combined.

We averaged 26.2 miles per gallon of Regular.

Being the grandest of all Highlanders, no need for basic L or LE trims; the Grand Highlander is available in XLE, Limited, and Platinum grades only, starting with XLE at $44,465, which is certainly on par with what you pay for a top-notch 3-row family utility these days.

For Toyota, making a bigger and better version of their fast-selling Highlander was a no-brainer; and somehow in the process, they managed to seemingly shove an entire Sienna minivan in there.

The impressive 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander not only gives Toyota buyers a bigger option to step up to, it primes them to be an even bigger player than they already are in the 3-row crossover game.

♪ ♪ We have an unofficial motto here at MotorWeek .

"The cars are the stars."

But our show is an evolution 43 years in the making, shaped not just by what's new in the automotive industry, but by electronic media, and of course, viewers like you.

In that spirit, we want to shift gears with an all-new feature where the cars...at least for a day, are the co-stars!

♪ ♪ (car engine revving) NATE FERGUSON: Huh!

No!

GREG CARLOSS: Now, this is the fun part.

People tell us all the time, "You guys have a dream job" and it's true.

I've had a lifetime of automotive thrills at MotorWeek.

But now, I'm wanna share some of those thrills with a viewer.

So today at Dominion Raceway, we're going to kick it into "Overdrive."

With such a vast and loyal following, picking just one fan was quite a task.

But after weeks of searching, we found our guy.

NATE: Greg!

GREG: Nate, nice to meet you, man.

NATE: Nice to meet you too.

GREG: What did you bring?

NATE: My old '82 Cressida.

GREG: A Cressida, man.

NATE: Yeah.

GREG: Let's introduce you to what we're going to be driving today.

The new version... NATE: Wow, look at this.

GREG: ...of a 4-door Toyota.

Yeah.

So, we got Camry TRD for you today.

And this your run-of-the-mill Camry.

That's the point, right?

NATE: Oh, absolutely not.

GREG: You have upgraded brakes, upgraded suspension.

So, what you're going to notice is that everything's going to be tighter.

NATE: I can't wait to drive it.

GREG: Well, why don't we just go drive it right now?

NATE: Oh, cool!

GREG: (Nate laughs) Hop in and let's go.

And then this, blast it down the straight, just get into it.

(engine revs) Nice V6 sound power is all up high.

There's a cone up there you are just aiming right for that cone.

This is a fun little corner.

There's a lot of fun little corners.

NATE: Yeah.

(laughs) This is so cool.

GREG: There you go, perfect timing.

Yeah...hit a hundred, go.

There you go 101, 103 right.

It's fun to drive fast, right?

NATE: It is.

GREG: Safely, of course.

NATE: I'm enjoying it.

I'm here for it.

GREG: Man.

I'll give you credit.

You went a little faster than I thought, which is fine.

That's good.

That's what we came out here for.

NATE: Yes.

GREG: What'd you think?

NATE: I really loved that.

That was so cool.

This car is full of surprises.

It does not feel like a regular Camry.

GREG: Well, you did great out there.

I'm going to go a little bit faster if you're cool with that.

NATE: Absolutely.

GREG: All right, so we'll just get up to speed a little bit.

(laughter) We're just warming up, man.

NATE: I look like an old lady going around here compared to you.

(laughs) GREG: All right.

Faster through here, right?

NATE: Yeah.

GREG: I'm full throttle.

Apexing there at 97, 100.

See, it's a little bit more fun at the higher speed of this.

NATE: Absolutely.

Yeah.

Yeah, the Cressida would not do this.

(laughs) GREG: We could always try if you want.

I'm game.

NATE: Wow, (laughs)... GREG: Well?

NATE: ...you killed that.

Like, this car goes.

I thought, I was doing it fast, but you.

Wow.

GREG: Well, I got to say, Nate, we do have one more surprise for you.

(engine growls) NATE: No.

Holy smokes.

It's a Supra.

Oh, my god!

GREG: So Nate, this is Scott Webster.

He works with Toyota.

NATE: Nice to meet you.

SCOTT WEBSTER: Good to see you.

NATE: Oh, my God.

GREG: We had some good fun out there, but we wanted to kick it up a notch.

And Scott's going to be able to do that.

He's a very good driver and he's going to take you out.

NATE: Oh, my God.

Wow!

SCOTT: So yeah, we got you in the V6.

I thought, we'd bring an inline 6 for you.

A reminder of your old Cressida there.

NATE: Oh, my gosh.

SCOTT: Put a little turbo on it.

See, you have 382 horsepower.

See what it's like.

NATE: Wow.

MotorWeek!

(laughs) SCOTT: And if we're not using all the track, we're not doing it right.

NATE: Exactly.

(laughs) Nice.

(engine revving) SCOTT: Put it fifth, see if we can... 135.

NATE: Whoa, yeah.

The straight six is singing.

Wow.

(laugher) SCOTT: So, we're cooling down.

We'll just go 90 into this turn instead of 110.

How's that?

(Nate laughs) NATE: Whoa.

Whoa.

Wow.

Well, holy smokes.

GREG: Scott, I appreciate it, man.

Thanks for coming out.

NATE: Whoa.

SCOTT: Always glad to do it.

NATE: Awesome.

SCOTT: A great way to spend day.

NATE: Yeah, that was wild.

GREG: A little bit faster, right?

NATE: A lot faster.

(laughs) GREG: Well, we want to thank you for coming out and spending the day with us.

NATE: It's been my pleasure.

This has been one of the best days of my life.

Thank you.

GREG: It was a pleasure.

Now, you want to give me a ride around or...?

NATE: Me...drive a Supra, yes!

GREG: Let's see what you've learned.

NATE: Wow, best day ever.

(engine revving) Whoa, whoa!

(laughs) GREG: So, you having fun?

NATE: Yeah, I'm having a blast.

GREG: If you think this was fun, just wait until you see what we do next time.

NATE: Oh, I can't wait!

JOHN: It's hard to beat a full day at dominion raceway- and if you'd like to see an extended version of our "Overdrive" premiere, visit the MotorWeek website!

But before that, let's take a walk over to the garage where the newest and youngest member of our car care team, Giuseppe Iatarola, has some beginners wisdom on a great skill that every shade tree car tech should learn, right here on MotorWeek's "Your Drive!"

♪ ♪ GIUSEPPE IATAROLA: I've been helping my father a lot in his body shop, as far as I can remember, and one of the most used tools is a MiG welder.

If you work on cars a lot and you want to take your home shop to the next level, I suggest you getting a MiG welder, and learning how to use it.

(popping noise from sparks) Whatever welder you use, make sure that you have the safety equipment for it.

you need welding gloves, a welding jacket and a welding helmet.

The most important safety equipment is the helmet.

When you start the weld, the light is so intense that the helmet darkens to protect your eyes.

This studio has plastic floors, so you want to make sure you have a welding tarp on the floor.

Check with your local welding supply store, if they give lessons, they could even rent you a machine so that you can practice, and for you to choose the right machine that fits your needs.

TRAVIS REED: Typically, we tend to start with the SMAW process, which is what most people would call stick welding.

It's very versatile, doesn't require any shielding gas, so it's great for use in the field.

Then, we kind of, we usually move on to the MiG welding process.

I happen to have a Fronius MiG welder right here.

We use these in the shop exclusively for our wire feeder.

Anything automotive-related, this is probably the process that's going to be used the most.

And then, you have your GTAW process, or your TIG welding, which is done with an electric torch, with a non-consumable electrode, and it's great because there's no smoke, there's no fumes.

It's a very clean, precise process.

Welding, like any other trade, once you learn it, it's yours for life.

GIUSEPPE: It doesn't take long learning the basics of welding but like anything else, it's practice, practice, practice.

If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us here, at MotorWeek .

♪ ♪ GREG: We've been waging a full-on pavement assault with this 2023 Acura Integra, racking up 16,000 miles in just seven months.

Sure, we've driven the high-performance Type S version that just arrived, but when it comes to daily use, we're just fine with the original, or this re-launched version of the original.

It may be the gateway to the Acura brand, as their entry-level model, but it's easily our favorite Acura right now, and nothing about it feels entry-level.

And kudos to Acura for bringing hatchback practicality to the sedan-dominated premium sport compact segment.

Just like this Integra goes beyond its "entry-level" designation, it feels bigger than a compact.

Now, I won't say there's loads of space riding around with two kids in car seats, but it's certainly doable even for a taller-than-average family.

But considering how much fun it is to drive, the juice is worth the squeeze.

Fuel economy has stayed very consistent with our 200 horsepower 1.5 liter turbo manual combo averaging 34.7 miles per gallon.

We've talked at length about the great 6-speed, but we should mention that a CVT is also available for those that would prefer not to push in a clutch pedal all day.

Temps are dropping and the holidays looming, but the Acura Integra remains the gift that keeps on giving.

We'll get acquainted with our new Kia EV6 GT on the next MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!

JOHN: It's hard to say "no" to a new set of keys, so let's roll right into this week's QuickSpin!

♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: Chevrolet is bolstering their line of ZR2 off-road pickups, and fresh off of our recent Road Test of the Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison is our First Drive of this 2024 Silverado HD ZR2 Bison.

It was Palm Springs, California, where we came face-to-face with this heavy-duty behemoth, along with two of its smaller siblings: the full-size 1500 ZR2 Bison and mid-size Colorado ZR2 Bison.

This is the first-ever Silverado HD ZR2, including the Bison treatment provided by American Expedition Vehicles, or AEV.

The HD's lack of grace is more than made up for in power.

Our beast came packed with a hearty Duramax 6.6 liter turbo diesel V8, producing 470 horsepower and a staggering 975 pound-feet of torque.

A 6.6 liter gasoline V8 is standard.

Trail performance is further aided by 35 inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires.

Other ZR2 add-ons include Multimatic dampers, a rear e-locker, special skid plates and suspension components.

The Bison adds 18 inch AEV wheels, stamped-steel bumpers with recovery points, and additional underbody plating.

The HD ZR2 is only available in the 2500 Crew Cab configuration with a standard seven-foot bed.

If that's still a bit much, there's always the Silverado 1500 ZR2 and ZR2 Bison; crew cab flanked by a short bed.

Smaller still, the Colorado ZR2 Bison.

We've spent time with GM's mid-size offerings, and they continue to impress us both off-and on-road.

KYLE SCANLON: One of the things that has really surprised me about this vehicle in particular is the lack of road noise.

I thought with the knobby tires and all that...that this thing would be screaming while going down the highway.

And I'm not hearing much of anything.

I don't know about you guys but I'm not.

JESSICA: The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 starts near $50,000; the 2024 Silverado ZR2 just over $70,000, and the HD ZR2 around the same.

The Bison package adds about 9-grand onto the HD ZR2's price tag.

And we'll have more QuickSpins...soon!

JOHN: According to Greek mythology, Atlas has been holding the heavens in place for all eternity.

During the first century of the automobile Atlas also described a book of road maps for driving.

Of course, today it's also the name of a 3-row Volkswagen utility.

Driving our way for 2024 the revamped Atlas truly does have the weight of VW on its shoulders.

♪ ♪ While, Volkswagen has certainly been making a splash with their Battery Electric Vehicles, the Internal Combustion Engine is still king, especially when it comes to large people movers.

The 2024 Volkswagen Atlas is not the biggest SUV on the market, but it is the largest Volkswagen you can buy here and competes in the highly competitive and highly relevant 3-row family utility segment.

It's not all-new for '24, but its refresh is pretty extensive compared to many mid-cycle updates we've tested recently.

It all starts inside with nicer materials and a revised layout that adds more dimension to the dash, while moving the infotainment screen to on top of it.

That screen grows of course, from 8.0 to 12 inches, and more routine tasks now are controlled through it.

Most other manual knobs and buttons are now also sometimes fussy touch sensitive switches.

The true upside of this change are the added luxury-style features, including 3-zone climate control, ventilated front seats and heated steering wheel, all of which are now standard.

Most models come with wood trim and accent lighting, SEL Premium R-Line adds 12-speaker Harmon/Kardon audio, stainless steel accents, Vienna leather seating, and a unique steering wheel.

Digital Cockpit pro 10 inch display is also standard on all, SELs also get a Head Up display.

One thing unchanged is the very roomy feeling inside, especially for a midsize 7-passenger utility, 6-passengers if you opt for 2nd row captain's chairs; and the 3rd row space is usable by adults.

A redesigned center console adds to the already plentiful small item storage, while rear cargo capacity at 20.6 cubic-feet behind the 3rd row, 55.5 behind the 2nd, and a generous max of 96.6 cubic-feet with all seatbacks folded.

Mechanically, there's a new 2.0 liter turbo under the hood for '24, with 34 more horsepower than before, enough for Volkswagen to do away with the V6 option.

So, all Atlas' will now come with this 269 horsepower 4-cylinder with 273 pound-feet of torque.

Front-wheel-drive remains standard with 4Motion all-wheel-drive available; all equipped with an 8-speed automatic.

Max tow rating is 5,000 pounds.

At the test track, our all-wheel-drive Atlas leapt off the line eagerly enough, but then settled down just as quickly to a 7.5 second 0-60.

Once the turbo was feeding power in full, things stayed pretty consistent down the track.

Shifts in the 8-speed are quick if not super smooth, but they kept the revs high and the power flowing throughout the 15.6 second quarter-mile ending at 92 miles per hour.

In our slalom course, there was a lot of weight transfer and a tendency to oversteer; but light steering allowed us to easily stay on top of it, and the aggressive stability control reigns things in well before they get out of sorts.

While, still more boxy and classy than flashy, styling has been nicely updated with a new front end that separates it from the Atlas Cross Sport; with a much larger grille, new LED lighting, and less of a defined bumper with a different pattern to the lower grille.

Pricing starts at $39,075 for SE trim; all-wheel-drive an additional $1,900.

SEL and above come with AWD and start at $49,795.

While an Atlas used to be a tool to help get you where you needed to go, it was also a picture of possibilities, and places you could go and adventures that awaited.

Most things below the surface have stayed the same here, but VW has redrawn the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and made it more appealing than ever as your go everywhere travel companion.

Well, that's our show, I hope you enjoyed it.

Now, for more MotorWeek , including daily news updates, podcasts, and even complete episodes, cruise on over to PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

And I hope you join us next time... We'll start with an American icon reimagined: the 7th-gen Ford Mustang.

Then, follow up with the full user experience of a new entry-level Lexus, the UX250 H. Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

ANNOUNCER: To learn more about MotorWeek , Television's Original Automotive Magazine, visit... To order a DVD of this program... MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, a nationwide network of stores and shops providing major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast, and in your local community.

Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

TireRack.Com is proud to support MotorWeek !

First, there was the wheel.

Then, the tire.

"We'll call it TireRack."

Forty years later, we're not slowing down.

♪ ♪ This program was produced by Maryland Public Television, which is solely responsible for its content.

(engine revving) ♪ ♪ You're watching PBS.