Toyota’s flagship electric SUV isn’t far away from launch as the Japanese automaker releases images of the new car’s interior ahead of its debut on February 10 in the US.
The teaser vehicle features a seven-seat layout with captain’s chairs in the second row and is expected to be a top-of-the-line model. White leather and faux leather adorn the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, center console and door panels.
In front of the driver is a large digital instrument display, while the center of the dashboard is dominated by a large infotainment touchscreen.
The frame of the screen features a volume/power button for the stereo and what appear to be capacitive buttons for the climate system, while underneath is a small row of physical buttons. There is electric blue ambient lighting in the dashboard and door panels.
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Other visible features include a panoramic glass roof, three-zone air conditioning and perforated leather seat covers.
Rumor has it Toyota will badge the car in the US as the bZ Highlander to capitalize on the 26-year-old nameplate’s strong association with family-friendly SUVs.
This follows Toyota USA renaming the bZ4X the bZ as part of its mid-life facelift. Likewise, the stretched bZ4X Touring is sold in the USA as bZ Woodland.
A teaser revealed the taillight graphics of the new electric SUV last week. With its three-row layout, the new model will almost certainly be longer than the 4.85m bZ4X Touring/bZ Woodland.
The US-built Highlander is sold in Australia as the Kluger, with the company’s factory in Princeton, Indiana, sending the seven-seat SUV Down Under since Japanese production ended with the end of the model’s second generation.
This new three-row electric SUV will be built alongside the Highlander/Kluger in Indiana. Production was originally scheduled to start in late 2025, but that date was pushed back to prioritize the gasoline and hybrid Grand Highlander and its Lexus TX twin.
It is unknown whether the new three-row, right-hand drive electric SUV will be produced or offered in Australia. If the new model does indeed make its way down under, it will need a new name (perhaps something as catchy as bZ5X), as the Highlander name is still claimed by Hyundai as a trim designation in Australia.
It could also spawn a Subaru sibling to complement the gasoline-powered three-row Ascent SUV. With a few small design changes, the bZ4X is available at Subaru dealers as the Solterra, while the bZ4X Touring is sold as the Trailseeker in the United States and as the E-Outback in Europe.
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