- Toyota teaser shows roof rails and a full-width rear LED lightbar.
- Highlander EV is one guess, but Toyota hasn’t confirmed anything.
- Full reveal expected next month during California event.
Toyota is once again asking enthusiasts to read between the lines. A newly released teaser image carries just one sentence. “Something new is on the horizon”, and the image offers only a handful of visual clues. Even so, those details are enough to narrow the field, while still leaving plenty of room for interpretation.
More: Toyota Stepped Away So GR Could Grow Into Something Bigger Than Toyota
Before we get too excited, let’s remember that Toyota is certainly having fun with teasers lately. It’s subverting expectations left and right sometimes, so it’s tough to say for sure what we’re looking at, even if we had a little bit of insider information. That said, it’s somewhat easy to rule out a few options, but let’s drink in this design first.
Our initial read on the teaser was that this might be the long-rumored compact pickup aimed at the Ford Maverick. It’s a natural guess. The slim LED taillights, upright rear glass, and what appears to be the edge of a truck bed all suggest something along those lines. But according to our sources, we can cross that theory out.
What Else Could It Be?
The styling here is very SUV or possibly something softer like a crossover. The vehicle clearly has wide hips, an upright stance, and roof rails. Like we said, it would be easy to see this silhouette as a truck too, but it’s a bit too Rivian for our eyes to believe Toyota would go that route. Yes, we’re well aware that Toyota has a small pickup due for unveiling any day now, but let’s move on.
Read: Toyota Reportedly Confirms 2027 Compact Pickup To Rival Maverick
The RAV4, 4Runner, and Land Cruiser are all relatively new, so those are probably off the table, with the possible exception of a differently styled RAV4 EV. What does remain in play is a new Highlander. Toyota’s Grand Highlander is a success, but the original Highlander is still in the cards, and this could be the new iteration of that.
Another possibility that came to mind is the upcoming three-row electric SUV slated for production at Toyota’s Kentucky plant. Originally scheduled for 2025, it’s now been pushed to the first half of 2026. Given that timeline, it’s a very strong contender.
While less likely, this isn’t too far afield from the Compact Cruiser EV Concept Toyota debuted in 2021. The roof rails are the same, but the light bar is different. The fenders aren’t identical either, but there’s no question, fans want the FJ back. And don’t forget, Toyota has already released a ‘baby’ Land Cruiser FJ in some parts of the world. It’s not coming to Europe or North America, which definitely leaves some space open in the lineup.
Maybe It’s A Concept?
Of course, this could just be a wild concept with little intent on production. We doubt it, but it’s possible. What we do know is that we’ll be in California next month for the unveiling of something that we expect is the same as this. What do you think we’re looking at? Let us know in the comments!
