Toyota Grand Highlander teased: Bigger Kluger to be revealed next year

Toyota USA has released a teaser image of the new Grand Highlander, an even bigger version of the carmaker’s Highlander – Kluger to us Australians – wearing a Hybrid Max badge.

The Grand Highlander has been rumoured for some time, with patents filed in August last year. Toyota USA will reveal the new Grand Highlander at the Chicago Auto Show, on February 8 next year. Australian plans are unconfirmed at this point.

Instead of the Kluger’s more organic tailgate with sloping roof, the Grand Highlander appears to have a taller roofline and squared-off tailgate – likely providing more space for third-row occupants.

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The Grand Highlander’s tail lights and chrome tailgate garnish share much in common with the RAV4, rather than the Kluger, too.

Perhaps most interestingly, the tailgate badge reads Hybrid Max, suggesting the Grand Highlander will be available with the Crown’s 2.4-litre turbo-petrol hybrid powertrain developing around 250kW of power.

Toyota has also revealed the name of the flagship trim, Platinum, just like the existing US-market Highlander.

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As for further details, Toyota has kept these very much under wraps, only telling us it’s a three-row SUV perfect for a family road-trip.

The Grand Highlander is likely to share its underpinnings with the forthcoming Lexus TX, another extra-large three-row SUV that will sit above RX. Grand Highlander is also likely to be produced in Toyota USA's Indiana plant currently producing the Highlander and Oz-market Kluger.

Toyota hasn’t explicitly said that the Grand Highlander will ride on TNGA-K, though it seems likely unless the brand has developed another iteration of its global architecture.

As for measurements, expect longer, wider and taller than the Kluger’s 4966mm, 1930mm, 1755mm measurements. Perhaps the Grand Highlander will even push above the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride in size terms.

Further details will be revealed on February 8 next year, with Australian plans yet to be confirmed.