2027 Toyota Grand Highlander Woodland Edition Adds All-Terrain Tires and a Removable Cooler
Toyota’s Woodland badge is spreading. Toyota announced the new 2027 Grand Highlander Hybrid Woodland Edition today, giving its biggest family-hauling SUV a more adventurous look and a few genuinely useful features for families who like to get out of town.
The Woodland Edition joins the LE, XLE, Limited, and Platinum grades for 2027. In fact, if you have followed our Toyota bZ Woodland review, the formula here will feel familiar.
What the Grand Highlander Woodland Edition Adds
The Woodland Edition rides on matte black 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires. Along with taller springs, the tires also give it an extra half-inch of ground clearance compared with other Grand Highlander models. Similarly, Nissan took this approach with its off-road-focused Pathfinder Rock Creek and its 5/8-inch lift.
It also gets LED fog lamps, a tow hitch, mud guards, and blacked-out badges, roof rails, mirror caps, shark fin antenna, and trim around the headlights and windows. Inside, Toyota also adds a heated steering wheel and all-weather floor mats with the Woodland logo.
A Removable Cooler for the Second Row
This is my favorite detail. The Woodland Edition includes a Woodland-branded removable console cooler for the second row that holds up to six 12-ounce cans. As a result, drinks and snacks stay cold and within easy reach of the kids on family road trips.
There is also a 120V, 1,500-watt power outlet, which is handy for camping gear, a laptop, or a small appliance when you are away from home.
Built for Weekend Gear
Out back, the Woodland Edition adds enhanced cargo-area lighting and a Woodland-branded cargo tray with pop-up dividers. Those dividers keep groceries or gear from sliding around, which any parent who has chased a runaway gallon of milk will appreciate.
With all the seats folded, the Grand Highlander offers up to 97.5 cubic feet of cargo space. In addition, Toyota says it can fit seven carry-on suitcases even with all three rows in use.
Hybrid Power and All-Wheel Drive Only
The Woodland Edition comes exclusively with the 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain and Toyota’s electronic On-Demand all-wheel drive (AWD). The hybrid makes 245 total system horsepower, and Toyota estimates 34 MPG combined for AWD hybrid models, including the Woodland. However, hybrid Grand Highlander models are only rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds.
Meanwhile, the rest of the lineup carries over a 2.4-liter turbocharged gas engine with 265 horsepower and the Hybrid MAX powertrain with 362 total system horsepower. By comparison, gas models and the Hybrid MAX can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
An Adult-Sized Third Row Carries Over
The Grand Highlander’s biggest selling point is still its space. In particular, the third row offers 33.5 inches of legroom and 37.2 inches of headroom, which is enough for adults, not just kids.
In addition, standard features across the lineup include Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, three-zone automatic climate control with second- and third-row vents, and seven USB-C charging ports.
Toyota Is Leaning Into Off-Road Crossovers
The Grand Highlander is just the latest Toyota to wear the Woodland badge. Toyota is clearly leaning into off-road-flavored crossovers, adding all-terrain tires, a bit more ground clearance, and rugged trim to the family vehicles people already buy. We got an early taste of the formula in the Sienna XLE Woodland Edition, a lifted minivan built for gravel roads and campsites.
Since then, the badge has spread to the bZ Woodland, Toyota’s all-electric take on the idea, and to the redesigned 2026 RAV4, which offers a Woodland grade of its own. We got a close-up look at the RAV4 Woodland at the LA Auto Show.
The Grand Highlander Woodland Answers Nissan’s Rock Creek
The Woodland Edition is also a timely answer to Nissan, which has spent the last few years building out its own adventure lineup under the Rock Creek name. The rugged trim started on the Pathfinder, then moved to the Rogue and, most recently, the 2027 Kicks Rock Creek.
The Pathfinder Rock Creek is the Grand Highlander Woodland Edition’s most direct rival. Both are three-row family SUVs with tougher styling, all-terrain tires, and room for a full load of kids and camping gear. We have taken the Pathfinder Rock Creek off the pavement, and Nissan updated it for 2025 in a way that made it more competitive. The biggest difference between the two is under the hood: the Pathfinder Rock Creek sticks with a V6, while the Grand Highlander Woodland Edition is hybrid only.
Other Grand Highlander Changes Beyond the Woodland Edition
Beyond the Woodland Edition, the Hybrid MAX Platinum trades its chrome and silver trim for black finishes on the grille mesh, hood trim, roof rails, window trim, mirror caps, and shark fin antenna. Meanwhile, gas Platinum models get a new wheel design, and XLE models add a standard heated steering wheel and 18-inch dark gray wheels.
At the same time, Toyota is dropping the Hybrid Nightshade Edition and the Hybrid MAX Limited grade for 2027. For a refresher on the rest of the lineup, see our 2026 Grand Highlander story.
Pricing and Availability
The 2027 Grand Highlander starts at $42,560 for the gas LE with front-wheel drive (FWD), and hybrid models start at $45,910. However, Toyota has not announced pricing for the Grand Highlander Woodland Edition yet. The Grand Highlander is built exclusively in Princeton, Indiana, and 2027 models arrive at dealerships later this year.
Three-row SUV shoppers have plenty of choices, and the Grand Highlander’s rivals are only getting stronger. For example, just look at how the Hyundai Palisade is closing in on the Grand Highlander.
