Toyota Drops More Details Confirming Its New Vehicle Isn’t a Truck. It’s Something Else Entirely

Just a few days ago, Toyota released an image showing the silhouette of an upcoming vehicle with little more than the rear taillight, roofline and wheel arches to define its shape.

While some in the industry speculated that the mystery vehicle might herald the unveiling of the long-awaited Maverick-fighting compact, many others thought that it could instead mean the arrival of a fresh SUV.

Toyota

If you were holding out for a new truck, sorry to disappoint. Toyota just dropped another teaser, and it’s confirmed that its upcoming model isn’t a pickup.

A shadowy three-row SUV

Rather, it’s a three-row SUV. This week, the automaker added to the excitement by unveiling a new interior shot depicting the cabin from the rearmost bench.

Toyota

While it’s a dark image, it’s nevertheless pretty revealing of what the vehicle is set to feature. Up front, there’s a massive touchscreen display in combination with a dedicated head unit for the driver.

Further back, there’s what appears to be a climate control console for the passengers framed just between the arm rests. If you look around the cabin, you’ll find an abundance of storage provisions in the form of cupholders and cubbies.

That’s not all. The image also shows a full-length panoramic roof as well as some generous accent lighting, suggesting that this Toyota will make for a premium experience.

So what could it be?

In any case, while Toyota has yet to disclose any specifics or give this three-row SUV a name, there’s a lot that you can infer about it based on the details depicted in the interior shot.

For instance, while the tagline “Big Energy. Bigger Versatility” is somewhat cryptic, the distinctive lack of a shifter in the center console suggests that this Toyota will feature some kind of electric or hybrid powertrain. It would certainly track with the tech-filled interior.

Toyota

To that end, the three-row configuration in combination with the seemingly premium details around the interior would seem to indicate that the mystery SUV may be Toyota’s next Highlander.

After all, the Japanese automaker hasn’t updated the model since the fourth-generation went on sale in 2020. Moreover, with the added space and the increasingly competitive pricing of the Grand Highlander making its older sibling a tougher sell, it would certainly be in Toyota’s best interests to give the model an overhaul.

Toyota

On the other hand, between the refreshed bZ and the upcoming CH-R and the bZ Woodland, Toyota already has an assortment of EVs in its lineup. Seeing as the discontinuation of federal tax incentives has significantly decreased demand for such vehicles, the automaker may not feel the need to add any more fully electric vehicles to its lineup.

More coming soon

As teasing as these Toyota releases may be, thankfully, you don’t have to wait too much longer for the full reveal. The brand has stated that “a new adventure starts February 10th.”

Be sure to check Toyota’s social media between now and then, as chances are pretty good that we’ll get a few more tastes of what’s to come.

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