Toyota has released a deliberately vague teaser image of an upcoming model, offering little more than the phrase “something new is on the horizon.” Despite the lack of detail, the single image has already sparked speculation, largely because it appears to depict a sizeable SUV – and potentially a significant new step in Toyota’s electric ambitions.

The image shows the rear of the vehicle, heavily shadowed but clearly upright and blocky in proportion. Pronounced rear guards give it a wide stance, while a noticeable step between the beltline and the glasshouse suggests a more angular design than Toyota’s current mid-size SUVs. The only clearly visible elements are the taillights: a clean, full-width light bar made up of two thin LED strips housed within a rectangular frame.

Based on Toyota’s current SUV range, the list of candidates narrows quickly. The RAV4, 4Runner and Land Cruiser have all been recently renewed, while the Corolla Cross and Crown Signia are either fresh or recently updated. The Sequoia, last redesigned in 2023, remains a possibility, but it seems unlikely Toyota would describe a facelifted version as “something new”.

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That leaves the Highlander – sold in Australia as the Toyota Kluger – and its larger sibling, the Grand Highlander. The latter is still early in its lifecycle and performing strongly in global markets, making it an unlikely candidate. The standard Highlander, however, has been on sale since 2020 with only minor updates and has increasingly been overshadowed by the Grand Highlander. A clean-sheet replacement would make sense – particularly one that resets the model’s position.

There is also growing evidence this new SUV could be fully electric. Toyota currently lacks a direct competitor to large three-row electric SUVs such as the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9. The company previewed a potential answer back in 2021 with its bZ Large SUV concept, and more recently with the Land Cruiser Se concept revealed in 2023. That vehicle, a seven-seat electric SUV measuring just over 5.15 metres long, sits squarely in the same size bracket as a Highlander or Grand Highlander.

Whether the teased model carries the Highlander name or introduces an entirely new badge remains unclear. Toyota has not confirmed a reveal date, but given the controlled nature of the teaser, further details are likely imminent. What does seem certain is that Toyota is preparing to fill a noticeable gap in its SUV line-up – and do so with electricity.