Toyota Is Making The Highlander Electric Because The Grand Highlander Is Too Popular

Date:2025-08-01 22:05:29 Category:tech Views:2 Comment:0

Toyota Is Making The Highlander Electric Because The Grand Highlander Is Too Popular originally appeared on Autoblog.

A Strong Seller Is About To Offer More Variety

After the unbeatable RAV4, once again the best-selling vehicle in the world, Toyota's best-selling SUVs bear the name Highlander or Grand Highlander. But most buyers prefer the latter, larger option, and that's a bad look for the former. Indeed, Toyota has announced that it will consolidate production of EVs at its Georgetown, Kentucky, plant and add a new assembly line there to free up capacity for the Grand Highlander and meet demand. Previously, the Princeton, Indiana, plant was supposed to begin producing a new electric SUV, but according to Automotive News, the new EV will be built in Kentucky in 2028. This is important because the publication reports that this will be produced alongside a smaller three-row electric SUV, which will arrive as early as Q1 2026, and that's how the Highlander will step out of its big brother's shadow to forge its own identity.

A Previously Planned SUV With A New Name

It didn't take Toyota too long to realize that its word soup naming strategy for EVs was confusing, and the bZ4X is now known simply as the bZ for 2026. Thus, the upcoming three-row EV that was supposed to be called bZ5X will likely be renamed, though to what is unclear. The Highlander name is reportedly reserved for the smaller, lighter electric three-row. As with all rumors, we should point out that Toyota hasn't confirmed exactly how it plans to name and market these EVs, only saying that it "plans to produce two all-new, three-row battery electric SUVs in the U.S.," adding that it will "now assemble both vehicles at Toyota Kentucky." Production of the one bearing the Highlander name is expected to begin earlier to allow it to reach dealer floors early in 2026. That means a reveal is highly likely before the end of this year.

An Electric Vehicle Onslaught - And A Corolla Pickup

The new Highlander BEV will be one of seven new electric vehicles that Toyota is expected to launch in the U.S. by mid-2027, following the abovementioned bZ, bZ Woodland, and 2026 CH-R. But Toyota isn't putting all its eggs in one basket, with all-electric cars, mild-hybrids, and PHEVs to be offered for years to come. Evidence of this is seen in reports that the current Highlander will get a facelift not dissimilar from that of the latest Camry, and the Chinese market will reportedly get a PHEV version, and the HiLux that North America misses out on will be launched with a refresh soon. But the big nugget is that Toyota is reportedly working on a unibody pickup to rival the Ford Maverick. Reportedly based on the Corolla, this will offer a new hybrid option in the segment, but we'll have to be patient; the Corolla pickup is only expected to launch in North America sometime in 2027.

Refreshes Coming To Just About Everything

Another interesting detail is that the GR Supra may continue to be built at the Magna Steyr plant in Austria beyond 2026, potentially with a new engine under the hood. Elsewhere, the Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan will only get minor tweaks, and Automotive News says the following vehicles will all be refreshed over the next few years: