A new teaser shows the new SUV's badge a day before its official worldwide release. The next chapter of Toyota’s SUV lineup is about to begin and it’s all-electric. Meet the all-new 2027 Highlander.
As we suspected, the latest teaser confirms that Toyota will indeed use the Highlander name for its new three-row SUV. While the full reveal lands on Tuesday, there’s already plenty to unpack from what we’ve seen so far. Here’s what we know, and what we’re watching for.
Full launch coverage will follow as soon as the wraps come off. The new video goes a bit further than the previous two . While we don’t get a full look at the vehicle in question, we get something far more concrete: badges.
During a short 11-second clip, we see the Highlander wordmark along with two other logos. The first is Toyota’s BEV badge, indicating that what we’re looking at is an EV. Second, it’s the brand’s AWD logo, so we can expect that it’ll be a dual-motor SUV.
In previous teasers, we saw the general shape of the rear of the Highlander and then a shot from the third row looking forward. Both pointed to what Toyota decided to name this SUV. The past has shown us a concept named the bZ5x.
Based on new renderings of what we think the Highlander will look like, the two seem to be one and the same. To that end, it’s worth noting the abandonment of the bZ and BZ nomenclature. That’s a trend we’ve seen from other brands lately as well, including Volkswagen, which is bringing back familiar names like Polo and Tiguan for its upcoming EVs .
After a less-than-stellar launch of the bZ4X, Toyota revamped the branding to just BZ. It then reused that same name on the upcoming BZ Woodland . Why it ditched the BZ name in favor of Highlander alone probably just comes down to branding and the pull of name recognition.
In the end, it’s a lot easier to sell people on something they’re already familiar with, like the Highlander name, than to build interest around a brand-new one, even if the product itself has little, if anything, to do with the original. We’ll dig around on that front, though, because as you’re reading this, we’re preparing to see the new Highlander up close and in person at the launch site. m.
EST. When it does, we’ll have full coverage with photos, video, and hopefully some insider tidbits on one of Toyota’s biggest new SUVs in years.
The use of the Highlander name for this all-electric SUV is a strategic move by Toyota to leverage the brand's existing recognition and appeal. By abandoning the bZ nomenclature, Toyota may be attempting to distance itself from the less-than-stellar launch of the bZ4X.
