Toyota’s flagship electric SUV isn’t far away from launch, with the Japanese automaker releasing images of the new car’s interior before its debut on February 10 in the US.
The teaser vehicle has a seven-seat layout with second-row captain’s chairs, and is presumably a top-of-the-range model. White leather and leatherette adorns the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, centre console, and door cards.
A large digital instrumentation display sits ahead of the driver, while the centre of the dashboard is dominated by a large infotainment touchscreen.
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The frame of the screen features a volume knob/power button for the stereo, as well as what seem to be capacitive buttons for the climate control system, while a small line of physical buttons reside underneath. Electric blue ambient lighting is present in the dashboard and door trim.
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Other visible features include a panoramic glass roof, three-zone climate control system, and perforated leather seat trim.
According to the rumourmill, Toyota will badge the car as the bZ Highlander in the US in order to make use of the 26-year-old nameplate’s strong association with family-friendly SUVs.
This follows on from Toyota USA renaming the bZ4X as the bZ as part of its mid-life facelift. Likewise, the stretched bZ4X Touring will be sold Stateside as the bZ Woodland.
A teaser last week revealed the tail-light graphics of the new electric SUV. With its three-row layout, the new model will almost certainly be longer than the 4.85m bZ4X Touring/bZ Woodland.
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The American-built Highlander is sold in Australia as the Kluger, with the company’s factory in Princeton, Indiana sending the seven-seat SUV Down Under ever since Japanese production wrapped up with the demise of the second-generation model.
This new three-row electric SUV will be built alongside the Highlander/Kluger in Indiana. It was initially set to go into production in late 2025, but that date got pushed back to prioritise the petrol and hybrid Grand Highlander, and its Lexus TX twin.
It’s not known if the new three-row electric SUV will be produced in right-hand drive, or if it will be offered in Australia. If the new model does make its way Down Under, it will need a new name (maybe something as catchy as the bZ5X) as the Highlander name is still claimed as a trim designation by Hyundai in Australia.
It may also spawn a Subaru sibling to complement the petrol-powered three-row Ascent SUV. With some small styling changes the bZ4X is found in Subaru dealerships as the Solterra, while the bZ4X Touring is sold as the Trailseeker in the US and the E-Outback in Europe.
