“Something new is on the horizon,” is all Toyota released alongside the above teaser image of a vehicle it plans to debut in the near future. When? “Soon,” is all we were told by a company spokesperson.
Here’s what we think we know about the vehicle. We have learned that it will be a new version of an established nameplate, which eliminates the RAV4, Land Cruiser, 4Runner, Grand Highlander, and Sequoia, as these SUVs have all been recently updated or redesigned. We can also count out the bZ and CH-R, as those EVs have seen recent updates, too.
An extremely brief video accompanying the image also provides clues. There’s an unlock sound, a low thrum, and then Toyota’s trademark two-beep signal along with a door locking sound. It’s possible the thrum is an ICE powerplant, but we’re putting our chips on it being an EV sound, perhaps a welcome noise.
As for which vehicle it is, we’re also betting dollars to doughnuts that it’s a new Highlander. Besides it being basically the only Toyota SUV we didn’t list above, the current, fourth-generation model hsa been in production for more than six years—perfect timing for a new generation to arrive in 2026 as a 2027 model.
Wait, an electric Highlander? Yep. There have been rumors of the Highlander going EV for some time, built on the e-TGNA platform (same as the bZ) but with three rows of seating. And, indeed, patent images from China of a fifth-generation Highlander seem to show a rear view that’s bang on for our teaser, including the full-width light bar. (Images from a U.S. patent filed on May 20, 2025 has a similar appearance but more closely resembles the Land Cruiser Se concept. These are embedded here and in our gallery.)
An electric Highlander would make sense as a way to keep the long-running nameplate in the mix while filling an empty slot in Toyota’s EV lineup. The way we hear it, the newer, larger Grand Highlander is the choice for ICE SUV buyers looking for a three-row Toyota SUV, anyway, meaning the gas-powered Highlander might not have been long for the world.
Either way, we’re going to find out soon—using previous Toyota rollouts as a guide, we’d be surprised if we need to wait more than a couple of weeks to find out if we’re right.