New Toyota seven-seat EV set to challenge the Kia EV9
Toyota’s working on an all-electric seven-seat SUV, but it’s not yet on the radar for the UK
Toyota is cooking up a large, seven-seat SUV rival for the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90. However, it’s unlikely to be coming to Europe any time soon.
Teased in a single image showing little more than a lightbar and a boxy rear end, this new model will go on sale in the US market as an all-electric alternative to the popular Grand Highlander, a family-focused SUV that features a pure petrol or hybrid-assisted engine. As a result, expect this new BEV model to focus on the same priorities as its ICE cousin, including a versatile interior and spacious third row.
This new car was previewed at the end of 2021 as a thinly veiled concept alongside a variety of other BEV models. Using that showcar as a guide, the production model will continue Toyota’s current design language, albeit on a much larger scale. The thin headlights and sleek front bumper will likely remain, with a small low-mounted air intake and possibly a contrasting bonnet.
The more dramatic angle is sure to be the rear end, though, defined by that double lightbar – similar to the one on the European-focused CH-R+ – with bulging wheelarches and large windows.
As a full-sized seven-seater, expect it to be more than five metres long, which should make it the biggest car the Japanese company has ever built on its TNGA-e platform - which also underpins the existing bZ4X. However, this could also be a chance for Toyota to increase the battery size to retain a good electric range.
The company has no immediate plans to bring the new model over to the UK, though. There’s not a huge variety of seven-seat EVs over here, either, with the whole class consisting of the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90. Both are incredibly expensive, though, so If Toyota could bring this model over at a reasonable price, it could well appeal to British buyers looking for a spacious family car that’s also tax friendly.
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