- The Toyota Highlander SUV looks set to become an all-electric model in the USA.
- The Japanese car giant is said to be planning a massive product onslaught over the next few years.
- A small unibody ute based on the Corolla is also said to be in the mix.
Toyota is the world’s largest carmaker and it continues to top sales charts in many markets.
In order to stay on top it needs to continually update and refresh its product offerings. To give a glimpse of what’s coming up, Automotive News has detailed what the Japanese carmaker has in the pipeline for North America over the next few years.
One highlight is the Highlander which is reportedly being reengineered as an electric vehicle and will retain its current name.
Automotive News speculates the reason for this is because sales for the current, internal combustion Highlander in North America have been cannibalised by the larger Grand Highlander.
This electric Highlander is reportedly set to arrive at Toyota dealers in the US in early 2026. It’s unclear if it will be offered in other markets.
This follows a report indicating the current Highlander is due for a mid-life update that will see it adopt a similar face to the current Camry and forthcoming RAV4, as well as plug-in hybrid power in the Chinese market.
Sitting above this Highlander EV is the forthcoming bZ5X which is reportedly on track to start production at the company’s Georgetown, Kentucky plant in the second half of 2025. This likely means a reveal is imminent.
Automotive News speculates the bZ5X will be larger than the Highlander EV. This means the former will likely have a larger third row and a large battery pack, theoretically meaning more range.
Toyota is also reportedly still working on a Corolla-based unibody ute, which will give the Ford Maverick a proper hybrid rival. It’s not due to launch in North America until 2027.
At this stage it’s unclear whether it’ll be offered in markets outside of North America.
Toyota is also reportedly working on launching an electric sedan to sit alongside the Corolla and Camry. A North American launch is reportedly unscheduled, but could be in 2027.
Models that are reportedly set to be refreshed over the next few years include the bZ4X, Camry, Corolla, Corolla Cross, Crown, Crown Signia, Grand Highlander, GR Corolla, GR86, Prado, Prius, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra and 4Runner.
It’s expected production of the GR Supra at Magna Steyr’s plant in Austria will end in 2026, though Automotive News reports Toyota could extend its life by sourcing a different engine. The current model has a BMW-sourced engine.
Toyota recently detailed the GR Supra Final Edition for markets like Europe, Japan and North America. Toyota New Zealand, on the other hand, has the manual version of the Supra as the only example offered on its website.
Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan is also reportedly set to remain largely as-is for the foreseeable future, only receiving minor tweaks.
Beyond what Automotive News has reported for Toyota’s new product launch calendar in North America, the Japanese carmaker is also set to launch a new version of the top-selling Hilux ute imminently.
This new Hilux will reportedly still be based on the IMV-0 platform, which previous versions of this platform have formed the basis of this ute for over 20 years.
- Jack Quick, production editor.