The 2027 Toyota Highlander Leaves It All Behind

The Toyota Highlander is all-new and very different for 2027. The SUV is an all-new version of Toyota's popular three-row, with a new design, updated interior, and tons of new tech. Plus, it's all-electric. It's the most electrified Highlander ever, and ditches gas powertrains entirely, making it the fourth EV in the brand's lineup.

Choose your Highlander

View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article

As it turns out, there can be more than one Highlander. Toyota, unlike the horrific Sean Connery-led film, believes there can be, at least. The first is the XLE, serving as the base model, offering two battery sizes and front or all-wheel drive. Meanwhile, Limited trims come standard with all-wheel drive, forgoing front-drive architecture entirely.

XLEs get either a 77-kilowatt-hour battery and a single electric motor (221 horsepower, 198 pound-feet of torque) with 287 miles of range, or a 77 kWh all-wheel drive version. That one makes more power, to the tune of 338 hp and 328 lb-ft. Range drops, though, to 270 miles. Meanwhile, the bigger 95.8 kWh pack bumps the range to 320 miles. That's all you get with the biggest battery, regardless of trim; however, as power doesn't rise past 338 hp in either trim. No matter what, you'll get a North American Charging Standard (NACS) port to charge with and power any external devices with.

Bold new looks in and out

View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article

The Highlander's design is new, of course, with LED running lights and mostly flush doorhandles with the new lighting arrangement we've seen begin to proliferate throughout the brand's lineup. Inside, looks and updates are just as futuristic.

You'll find a huge 14.0-inch central touchscreen running wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto propped up on the new dash, sat just aft of a new center console featuring wireless charging for your devices. The driver's screen is a slightly smaller 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

Charging was a focal point, and Toyota says that you'll find ports for it in all three rows, as well as standard SofTex faux leather. Heated front seats are standard, but you'll have to pony up for ventilation. Meanwhile, other luxury touches include 64-color ambient lighting and Toyota's largest sunroof ever.

As seen below, the rear row folds totally flat. We don't have full cargo numbers yet, but behind the second row, you'll find a whopping 45 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Toyota tries to hammer home safety and value

The latest in driver and passenger safety has made its way to the Highlander, featuring Toyota's Safety Sense 4.0 (TSS 4.0) system, a complete suite of driver aids and safety features the brand updates every so often to include thelatest and greatest. This time around, buyers will benefit from the following:

• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
• Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
• Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
• Lane Tracing Assist
• Road Sign Assist
• Proactive Driving Assist

You'll also get the brand's Star Safety System, a blind-spot monitor that adds rear cross-traffic alert alongside, front and rear parking assist with automatic braking, and other conveniences like rear seat reminders and hill-start assistance.

We don't have full pricing yet, but the new model's Georgetown, Kentucky assembly location should help it skirt any tariffs. The new Highlander will likely be more expensive than the outgoing model, which started at around $47,000 for the gasoline-powered model. We'll know more when it goes on sale later this year.