Toyota’s electric vehicle model range is less than a week away from growing, as the covers will soon come off what’s expected to be its new family-focused flagship.
Online, Toyota has uploaded an image of the mysterious vehicle’s interior, showing at least two rows of seating, though it’s believed the car will actually be a three-rower.
Both the first and second rows feature two seats, suggesting better-equipped variants will get ‘captains chairs’ for mid-row passengers, akin to the large Lexus LX SUV.
From the interior image we can see the cabin layout is more traditional than the bZ4x, with a touchscreen mounted neatly on the dashboard, while it appears that a digital instrument cluster will be located directly behind the steering wheel.
The three-row SUV also looks like it’ll get a tri-zone climate control system, while ambient lighting features throughout the cabin - giving off a blue hue in this case.
It’s expected the new SUV will be closer in size to the likes of the Toyota Kluger - offered in North America as the Highlander and Grand Highlander - and potentially adopt the ‘bZ Highlander’ name to join the brand’s existing EV family.
Toyota teases big announcement
Last week, a teaser video and image of the upcoming vehicle bore a striking resemblance to the ‘bZ Large SUV’ concept from 2021, which previewed a three-row electric SUV long-reported to be built in the US.
The wrap-around design of the tail lights is almost identical to what we’ve previously seen on the bZ Large SUV concept, though the integrated roof rails are a point of difference.
Originally due to be built in Indiana, continued demand for the petrol and hybrid-powered Highlander means the three-row SUV’s production plans have changed to Kentucky, where it’ll be produced along with a smaller two-row electric SUV, the latter of which will be shared with Subaru.
As previously reported, the US automotive industry has also been experiencing significant change of late, after the Trump Administration not only repealed the federal tax credit for EVs, but also eliminated penalties for carmakers who exceeded emissions limits.
These factors have been feared as potential catalysts to slow down EV demand, leaving carmakers like Toyota in a lurch to launch products planned well before the regulatory changes.
