Toyota revealed the fifth-gen Highlander final week, and marking a significant evolution from earlier Highlanders that had been pioneers of hybrid SUVs, the 2027 Highlander will solely be obtainable as an EV. For American consumers who need a three-row gas-powered SUV, Toyota has a bunch of hybrid and non-hybrid choices together with the Grand Highlander. There nonetheless aren’t that many three-row SUVs with electrical powertrains on the market, particularly not on the extra reasonably priced ends of issues, so when the brand new Highlander reaches sellers on the finish of 2026 it might turn into a simple, default selection for lots of consumers — very similar to different Toyota merchandise.
The 2027 Highlander’s two closest opponents are the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, however that is about it on the subject of electrical SUVs underneath $80,000 that are not sized just like the Mercedes-Benz GLB. The Lucid Gravity and Rivian R1S are each obtainable with three rows of seats, however they’re very totally different kind of SUV, and the Cadillac Vistiq is sort of a bit bigger than the Toyota. So for now I’ll stick to simply speaking concerning the Koreans, but when extra three-row EVs emerge within the close to future I am going to come again and revisit this publish.
The sizes
Toyota hasn’t launched full specs for the Highlander but, however we do know its dimensions, so let’s begin with that. The 2027 Highlander EV is 198.8 inches lengthy, a rise of three.9 inches over the outdated internal-combustion Highlander, however its 120.1-inch wheelbase is 7.9 inches longer. Each the EV9 and Ioniq 9 are closesly matched, with the Kia at 197.2 inches with a 122.0-inch wheelbase and the Ioniq 9 measuring in at 199.2 inches lengthy with a 123.2-inch wheelbase.
Kia
The Highlander is decrease than each Koreans, at 67.3 inches tall versus 68.9 inches for the EV9 and 70.5 inches for the Ioniq 9. Width variations are negligible, all sitting round 78 inches. Toyota hasn’t given a drag coefficient for the Highlander, however I will be stunned if it is higher than the 0.269 of the Ioniq 9. The smallest wheels on all three are 19-inchers, however the place the Koreans are supplied with wheels as much as 21 inches in measurement, you will get 22s on the Highlander. Baller.
Hyundai
Styling is, after all, subjective. I believe whereas the Highlander is clearly essentially the most traditional-looking out of the three, it is nonetheless a way more attention-grabbing design than what we have seen from Toyota in recent times. The rear haunches are my favourite element, and the surfacing normally is crisp and nicely resolved. If I am choosing a favourite I am going with the Ioniq 9, however I like actually bizarre automobiles.
The powertrains
The bottom Highlander XLE has a 77.0-kWh battery pack sending electrons to a single electrical motor on the entrance wheels that makes 221 horsepower and 198 pound-feet of torque; that mannequin has a Toyota-estimate vary of 287 miles. Going for all-wheel drive provides a motor to the rear axle, growing output to 338 hp and 323 lb-ft however bringing vary all the way down to 270 miles. Non-obligatory on the XLE AWD and commonplace on the AWD-only Restricted is a bigger 95.8-kWh battery pack, growing the utmost vary to 320 miles.
Kia
Each Hyundai Ioniq 9 has a 110.3-kWh battery pack; rear-wheel-drive fashions have 215 hp and 258 lb-ft, and all-wheel-drive Ioniq 9s have both 303 hp/446 lb-ft or 422 hp/516 lb-ft, relying on trim. The RWD Ioniq 9 is EPA rated at 335 miles, whereas the less-powerful AWD one will get 320 miles and the more-powerful one 311 miles. In the meantime Kia provides one base-model trim with a 76.1-kWh battery, a rear-mounted motor with 215 hp and 258 lb-ft, and 230 miles of vary. Each different EV9 has a 99.8-kWh battery pack, with the RWD fashions having 201 hp, 258 lb-ft and a 305-mile vary, and the AWD ones getting 379 hp, as much as 516 lb-ft and a variety of both 280 or 283 miles. Neither Toyota nor Hyundai give acceleration estimates.
Hyundai
All three SUVs have a NACS cost port, however whereas the Hyundai and Kia use an 800-volt structure, the Toyota makes do with a 400-volt setup, particularly a modified model of its modular TNGA-Ok platform. Toyota does not say the Highlander’s max DC fast-charge fee, nevertheless it’s seemingly the identical 150 kW because the model’s different EVs. The EV9 and Ioniq 9 can each plug into 350-kW chargers, with the Kia attaining peaks of both 235 kW for small-battery fashions and 210 kW for big-battery ones, and the Ioniq 9 can hit round 245 kW. Charging from 10-80% takes 24 minutes within the Hyundai, 20 or 24 minutes within the Kia, and round half-hour within the Toyota. All three SUVs additionally help vehicle-to-load and bi-direction charging.
The interiors
Toyota has but to present any specs or dimensions for the Highlander’s inside, no less than on the subject of passenger house, however in my temporary time poking across the automotive it definitely felt properly sized and organized. We do learn about one of the crucial necessary specs: Cargo quantity. With the third-row seats in place the Highlander has 15.9 cubic ft of house, in comparison with 20.2 cubes within the EV9 and 21.9 cubes within the Ioniq 9. Fold down their third rows and also you get 45.6 cubic ft within the Toyota, 43.5 within the Kia and 46.7 within the Hyundai. We do not have a determine for the Toyota’s house with the second row folded, however we do comprehend it does not have a frunk, whereas the Koreans have a 1.8-cubic-foot frunk in AWD fashions and over 3 cubic ft with RWD. Second-row captain’s chairs are the one selection for the Highlander on all however the XLE AWD, with that trim being supplied with a three-across bench seat.
Kia
We additionally do not know the total options and choices listing for the Highlander, nevertheless it’ll include the entire stuff you anticipate. The bottom XLE has heated entrance seats and a heated steering wheel, 64-color ambient lighting, a built-in dashcam, 19-inch wheels with aero covers, a full-width LED mild bar up entrance, one-touch fold for the second-row seats, and Toyota’s suite of driver-assist options. The Restricted will get ventilated entrance seats, heated second-row seats, a head-up show, visitors jam help, a 360-degree digital camera system, and some further driver-assist gadgets. I would not be stunned if each cheaper and costlier trims come down the road.
Hyundai
Once more, styling is subjective right here, however I used to be greater than pleasantly stunned with the Toyota’s cabin. It has a bunch of cool particulars just like the door card designs and the wing-like corners of the dashboard, and supplies felt costlier than in another new Toyotas. There appears to be loads of storage cubbies, cupholders and USB-C ports, all of that are essential to a automotive like this.
The costs
There’s additionally no phrase on pricing but for the Highlander, however each its batteries and the automotive itself might be constructed within the U.S., so it should not get hit by tariffs. Each Koreans are additionally constructed within the U.S., too. Given how the outgoing Highlander Hybrid prices $48,815 in its base XLE trim and the brand new wagon-y bZ Woodland EV is $46,750, I am guessing the Highlander EV will are available round $50,000-$55,000. That may place it fairly nicely in opposition to the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, which begin at $56,545 and $60,555, respectively. The Koreans’ MSRPs can attain nicely into the mid-$70k vary, the Ioniq 9 particularly, however I’d be shocked if the Toyota does.
One facet the place the Kia and Hyundai clearly have the Toyota beat is on the subject of the guarantee. The Highlander may have an 8-year/100,000-mile guarantee for the electrical powertrain parts (battery included) and Toyota’s 3-year/36,000-mile primary new-vehicle guarantee. Each the EV9 and Ioniq 9 have 10-year/100,000-mile electrical powertrain warranties and 5-year/60,000-mile primary new-vehicle warranties. The Koreans provide higher roadside help protection, too.
The 2027 Toyota Highlander EV will go on sale on the finish of 2026, so anticipate extra info to be launched within the coming months.
