Toyota Teases New Vehicle That May Or May Not Be The Next Highlander

According to the latest Toyota press release, "Something new is on the horizon." And since the image you see here was included in that press release, it's probably safe to assume the "something new" is some kind of SUV. Then again, I can't actually say that for sure, since, "Something new is on the horizon," is also the entirety of the text included in the press release. That's it. That's all we get. At least for now.

But what are we actually looking at here? Since it looks fairly large and vaguely SUV-shaped, it would make sense if it's a redesigned Highlander. We're coming up on seven years since Toyota last revealed a new Highlander, and that's long enough that it's probably due for a replacement soon, even if what we're looking at here isn't actually the new Highlander. So maybe it's the new Highlander.

Based on the direction that Toyota has taken several of its other best-sellers lately, don't be surprised if it goes hybrid-only. Not that that's a bad thing when we're talking about a family-hauler that's way too big to ever be fun to drive. 

Sadly, most PR teams have figured out the old "mess with the teaser image's brightness and contrast settings to reveal more details" trick, and as you can see here, Toyota is no exception to that rule. I tried, but there are no secrets hidden in the teaser image. Maybe you can see the boxy fenders a little better? Maybe that helps?

Still, we're no closer to figuring out what we're actually looking at, and there are no guarantees it's the new Highlander. You'd think "something new" would mean an addition to the lineup, but in Automotive World, it can also just mean a car got a heavy refresh, and you never really know until the official reveal. Just look at what Toyota did with the "new" Camry. 

I've also heard rumors that Toyota was working on a three-row electric vehicle to take on the Kia EV9, which would make sense on a certain level. But I've also heard that project was canceled. Could it have been un-canceled? Was it ever canceled? If Toyota builds a three-row EV, is that not a Highlander, even if it gets a different name? 

Of course, we don't even know if we're looking at a three-row crossover here, and technically, we don't even know if it's a crossover. For all we know, it could end up being something legitimately cool, not just a new minivan without the convenience of sliding doors. Or it could be a truck, although that feels a lot less likely. Until Toyota decides to reveal more, though, your guess is probably as good as mine.