Compare the2024 Toyota Grand HighlanderVS 2023 GMC Acadia

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Toyota Grand Highlander have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The GMC Acadia doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Grand Highlander has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Acadia doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum offers an optional Parking Support Brake that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Acadia doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Grand Highlander and Acadia have Rear Cross Traffic Alert, but the Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Acadia’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The Grand Highlander’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Acadia doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Grand Highlander and the Acadia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Grand Highlander’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Acadia’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Highlander for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. GMC only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Acadia.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 24th.

The Grand Highlander has more powerful engines than the Acadia:

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Highlander gets better mileage than the Acadia:

The Grand Highlander has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Acadia. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Toyota Grand Highlander higher (7 out of 10) than the GMC Acadia (6 to 7). This means the Grand Highlander produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Acadia every 15,000 miles.

The Grand Highlander offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Acadia doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the Grand Highlander’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Acadia:

The Grand Highlander stops shorter than the Acadia:

For better traction, the Grand Highlander has larger tires than the Acadia (255/65R18 vs. 235/65R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Highlander XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Highlander’s wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer than on the Acadia (116.1 inches vs. 112.5 inches).

The Grand Highlander’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Acadia’s (56.5% to 43.5%). This gives the Grand Highlander more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Grand Highlander’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Acadia’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Highlander has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Acadia (8 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the Grand Highlander to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Grand Highlander offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Acadia can only carry up to 7.

The Grand Highlander has 9.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Acadia (153.3 vs. 143.8).

The Grand Highlander has 1.5 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 3.7 inches more rear hip room, .1 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.8 inches more third row legroom, 2.8 inches more third row hip room and 3.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the Acadia.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Grand Highlander’s middle and third row seats recline. The Acadia’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Grand Highlander’s cargo area provides more volume than the Acadia.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Grand Highlander. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Grand Highlander’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Acadia’s (5000 vs. 1000 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Control (TSC) on the Grand Highlander uses the Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Acadia doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Grand Highlander’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Acadia’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Grand Highlander the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Acadia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Acadia’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Grand Highlander’s headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Acadia’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Grand Highlander Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Acadia doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Grand Highlander Limited/Platinum has standard front air conditioned seats and the Grand Highlander Platinum also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Acadia doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Grand Highlander has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Acadia.