The compact hatchback segment just got a lot more interesting. With the arrival of the 2026 Kia K4 Hatchback and a refreshed Honda Civic Hybrid Hatchback holding court, buyers now face a genuinely tough choice between two very different approaches to affordable, fun-to-drive cars. One bets on turbocharged power and aggressive pricing, while the other plays the fuel-economy card with a refined hybrid powertrain. So which one actually deserves your money?

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Toyota just dropped a bombshell for SUV fans. The automaker confirmed that its next three-row electric SUV will carry the Highlander name, a nameplate that families have trusted for over two decades. The 2027 Toyota Highlander EV was officially revealed on February 10, 2026, and it marks a massive shift for one of the best-known SUVs on the road. If you’ve been waiting for Toyota to get serious about electric family haulers, your local Toyota dealership could soon be stocking one of the most anticipated EVs of the year.

• Toyota has confirmed the Highlander name for its upcoming three-row electric SUV.
• The Highlander EV will likely have a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, drawing from a larger battery than the 74.7-kilowatt-hour pack that powers the bZ.
• The Highlander EV will compete with three-row SUVs like the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 when it arrives.

Why Toyota Picked the Highlander Name

Calling its first dedicated EV the bZ4X may not have been the best decision for an automaker whose buyers like things simple, reliable, and easy to understand. That’s why Toyota is moving away from confusing names with its new line of EVs and just confirmed that its new three-row battery-powered SUV will wear a familiar nameplate: Highlander.

The logic makes a lot of sense. Toyota sold 136,801 Grand Highlander units in 2025, a 90% year-over-year increase. Toyota also sold 57,346 units of the Grand Highlander’s rebadged sibling, the Lexus TX, which more than doubled its yearly sales. So Toyota is still selling roughly the same number of SUVs the company was with the Highlander alone, but at a higher price point.

The traditional Highlander fell to 56,208 units sold in 2025, a 37% year-over-year decline from 2024. With the Grand Highlander picking up those buyers, reinventing the Highlander as an EV lets Toyota keep the familiar name alive while filling a gap in its electric lineup.

Design Inspired by the bZ Large SUV Concept

The design will likely be very similar to the bZ Large SUV concept shown in 2021, which looks far more rakish and futuristic than today’s Highlander, with a much sportier-looking, almost coupe-like greenhouse. Think sleek lines, full-width taillights, and a profile that looks nothing like the boxy SUVs of the past.

All the teasers released by Toyota so far suggest it won’t change that design too much for production, and its look straddles the line between its more conventional gas-powered models and its bolder EVs. Toyota previewed the electric SUV in a video, revealing the Highlander name and BEV badge below it, confirming it will be a battery-electric vehicle.

The all-new 2027 Highlander features sleek, modern lines, an electric powertrain, and a spacious three-row cabin with comfort for the whole crew. That three-row setup is a big deal for families. One of the interior teasers showed three rows of seats, a digital instrument cluster, and a wide center display.

What We Know About Range and Powertrain

We don’t know the specifics of the powertrain, but it will surely have a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup (hence the “AWD” badge in the teaser), likely drawing from a larger battery than the 74.7-kilowatt-hour pack that powers the bZ.

An EPA-estimated range of around 300 miles sounds about right for a big electric SUV these days, but it could feature new batteries with higher power density and faster charging. Toyota’s new batteries should be lower-cost, lighter-weight, and offer much faster charging times. Toyota has proposed batteries that can fast charge to 80% in just 10 minutes and offer up to 600 miles of range. Those numbers likely apply to future models, but even a portion of that battery tech trickling into the Highlander EV would be impressive.

Screens in the teaser appear to show a dual-motor electric powertrain on the left of the gauge cluster as well as a 199-mile range figure on the central screen above what appears to be a battery icon. If that is accurate, this EV will have at least one all-wheel-drive version with approximately 240 miles of range. A longer-range variant could push closer to 300 miles, which would put it right in the mix with the competition.

Tough Competition in the Three-Row EV Space

Toyota isn’t entering an empty market. The Kia EV9 posted 674 sales in January 2026, down from 1,232 units in January 2025. Full-year EV9 sales dropped from 22,017 units in 2024 to 15,051 units in 2025. Hyundai’s Ioniq 9 is facing a similar situation, with 580 sales in January 2026 and 5,189 units for all of 2025.

Those numbers aren’t exactly encouraging for the three-row EV segment right now. But Toyota has a card that Kia and Hyundai don’t: the Highlander name. That nameplate still carries real weight with buyers. Brand loyalty counts for a lot, and families who’ve owned a Highlander for years may be more willing to make the jump to electric when the badge on the back is one they already trust.

Toyota will assemble its new three-row battery-electric SUVs at its Kentucky facility. Toyota’s battery plant in Liberty, North Carolina, began shipping batteries in June 2025. Building it domestically with U.S.-made batteries could also help Toyota qualify for federal EV tax credits, which would make the price tag easier to swallow.

Is the Highlander EV Worth Waiting For?

If you’re shopping for a family-friendly electric SUV with real three-row seating, the 2027 Highlander EV deserves a spot on your list. Toyota is betting big on this one, bringing a trusted nameplate into the electric world with a fresh design, a spacious cabin, and the kind of brand recognition that competitors can’t match. Pricing is expected to land between $50,000 and $60,000. The full reveal happened on February 10, 2026, and we should have complete specs and pricing soon after. Keep an eye on your nearby Toyota dealership for updates as more details roll in throughout the year.

The affordable hatchback market keeps shrinking, and enthusiasts who love rowing their own gears have fewer options than ever. But Kia might throw a lifeline to manual transmission fans. The 2026 K4 Hatchback recently arrived at U.S. dealerships as an automatic-only offering, but the automaker says a stick shift version isn’t out of the question if American buyers make their preferences known.

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