The next chapter of Toyota’s SUV lineup is about to begin and it’s all-electric. Meet the all-new 2027 Highlander. As we suspected, the latest teaser confirms that Toyota will indeed use the Highlander name for its new three-row SUV.

While the full reveal lands on Tuesday, there’s already plenty to unpack from what we’ve seen so far. Here’s what we know, and what we’re watching for. Full launch coverage will follow as soon as the wraps come off.

More: You’re Looking At What Could Be Toyota’s Highlander Replacement

The new video goes a bit further than the previous two. While we don’t get a full look at the vehicle in question, we get something far more concrete: badges. During a short 11-second clip, we see the Highlander wordmark along with two other logos.

The first is Toyota’s BEV badge, indicating that what we’re looking at is an EV. Second, it’s the brand’s AWD logo, so we can expect that it’ll be a dual-motor SUV. In previous teasers, we saw the general shape of the rear of the Highlander and then a shot from the third row looking forward. Both pointed to what we’ve learned today about what Toyota decided to name this SUV.

In the past, we’d seen a concept named the bZ5x. Based on new renderings of what we think the Highlander will look like, the two seem to be one and the same. To that end, it’s worth noting the abandonment of the bZ and BZ nomenclature.

That’s a trend we’ve seen from other brands lately as well, including Volkswagen, which is bringing back familiar names like Polo and Tiguan for its upcoming EVs.

https://youtube.com/shorts/2LiZOxN-DQE?feature=share

After a less-than-stellar launch of the bZ4X, Toyota revamped the branding to just BZ. It then reused that same name on the upcoming BZ Woodland. Why it ditched the BZ name in favor of Highlander alone probably just comes down to branding and the pull of name recognition.

In the end, it’s a lot easier to sell people on something they’re already familiar with, like the Highlander name, than to build interest around a brand-new one, even if the product itself has little, if anything, to do with the original.

More: Toyota Teaser Confirms Three-Row SUV That May Replace The Highlander

You can be sure that we’ll dig around on that front, though, because as you’re reading this, we’re preparing to see the new Highlander up close and in person at the launch site.

It’ll get unveiled tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. EST. When it does, we’ll have full coverage with photos, video, and hopefully some insider tidbits on one of Toyota’s biggest new SUVs in years. 

Update: Following a series of teasers, Avatr has unveiled the first official photos of the wagon, revealing its exterior design in full for the first time.

Even as SUVs continue to dominate global sales, the Chinese market still makes room for sleeker wagons. One of the latest to step forward is the Avatr 06T, a streamlined shooting brake designed as a more practical counterpart to the brand’s electric sedan aimed at the Tesla Model 3.

The automaker has revealed the exterior design of the new model ahead of an imminent debut. As expected, the front design, complete with split LED headlights, is carried over from the Avatr 06 sedan launched last year. What sets the 06T apart are the roof rails and an extended roofline that flows into a reshaped rear section.

More: Avatr’s 18-Foot Concept Makes The Ghost Look Petite And Germans Look Twice

The rear shoulders are more defined, and the rising beltline contributes to a sportier stance than the sedan, helped along by a prominent rear spoiler. The wagon also features a steeply inclined rear windscreen, setting it apart from the sedan’s windowless tail.

The slim full-width LED taillights have a Jaguar-like feel and are paired with a sculpted bumper and an aerodynamic diffuser. The black cladding on the profile and tail sends crossover vibes, although Avatr designers decided to keep the wheel arches clean.

More: Kia Built A New Wagon In Mexico That Looks Better Than The Sedan

Another important update is the revised door handles that deviate from the flush design of the sedan. This is probably the company’s response to China’s new rules about door handles, and will gradually find its way to the rest of the lineup.

The 06T is expected to share the same 2,940 mm (115.7 inches) wheelbase as the 06 sedan, with an overall length of 4,855 mm (191.2 inches).

Inside, the layout will likely carry over too, including the 35.4-inch display along the base of the windshield and the 15.6-inch touchscreen running HarmonyOS 5.0. Rear passengers can expect more headroom and additional space for luggage.

Huawei Hardware Takes the Lead

The wagon will be the first model to feature Huawei’s next-generation 192-line LiDAR sensor, mounted on the roof, along with the latest Qiankun ADS 4.0 driver assistance system. The updated LiDAR boosts detection range to 250 meters (820 feet), a 20 percent improvement over the previous version.

Underneath, the 06T is expected to share its platform with the 06 sedan and the closely related 07 SUV. Both offer a choice between fully electric and range-extender powertrains. The dual-motor EV delivers up to 590 hp (440 kW / 598 PS), while the EREV variant offers a combined range of up to 1,250 km (777 miles). Both versions support 5C fast charging.

When Will It Arrive?

The Avatr 06T is slated to launch in the Chinese market in the coming months. It will compete more directly with the Nio ET5T than with high-end wagon offerings like the Denza Z9 GT, Stelato S9T, and Zeekr 007 GT. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the 06 sedan currently starts at ¥209,900 ($30,200) in China.

The growing appeal of the 06 and 07 has helped Avatr push average monthly sales to around 10,000 units in China. Even so, the automaker, backed by Changan, Huawei, and CATL, still needs higher volume to keep pace with rivals like Zeekr and Nio.

Update: Volvo continues to tease the upcoming EX60, releasing new photos that include our first, albeit obstructed, view of the interior, along with fresh details about the tech it will carry. Chief among them is the integration of Google’s Gemini AI assistant.

Taking center stage in what appears to be a clean, minimalist dashboard is a tall portrait-style infotainment screen. Below it, there’s what seems to be a physical scroll knob, possibly flanked by tactile controls on the lower console, though the blurred image makes it hard to say for sure.

AI That Talks Back

However, Volvo says the interface won’t rely solely on taps and swipes. The EX60 will be its first model to launch with Gemini, which lets drivers speak naturally, without needing to memorize set phrases or divert attention to screens.

“Drivers can ask Gemini to find a hotel booking address in their email, check if a recently bought item fits in their EX60 trunk, or brainstorm ideas for an upcoming road trip,” Volvo says.

Also: VW Brings Back Physical Buttons After Admitting Touchscreens Are A Disaster

Gemini is directly integrated into Volvo’s newly named HuginCore system, an in-house platform combining proprietary software with technologies from Google, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm.

Powering it all is next-generation hardware, including Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit and Auto Connectivity platforms, along with NVIDIA’s DRIVE AGX Orin chip, giving the EX60 the highest processing capacity of any Volvo to date.

And, as with most modern cars, Volvo says the EX60 will continue to evolve long after it leaves the showroom, thanks to over-the-air updates and ongoing Gemini development.

Original story continues below.

Volvo’s about to drop a crucial new electric car, and it looks like it’s bringing receipts. The EX60 launches later this month but a teaser this week revealed range figures that none of its BMW, Mercedes and Tesla rivals can match, and a hint that it might come with seating for seven.

We’ll have to wait until the debut on January 21 to get the full breakdown of what’s under the EX60’s skin, but the fact that the EX90’s little brother is rated at 503 WLTP miles (810 km) of electric range is enough to generate headlines.

Related: He Built The Volvo You Remember, Now He Has To Fix What It Became

For context, BMW’s brand new iX3 has up to 500-miles (805 km) rating, and the GLC 400 with EQ Technology that debuted at the same Munich Auto Show last September is only good for 443 miles (713 km), Mercedes says. Tesla’s most touring-focused Model Y can’t even crack 400 miles (644 km).

Fast Charging

Volvo also says you won’t have to spend too much time hanging around charging stations when you do eventually need a top-up. Thanks to its 800-volt electrics the EX60 can add 211 miles (340 km) of range in as little as 10 minutes. You also get a 10-year warranty on the battery.

We’ve already had a sneak look at the rear and profile of the EX60 in previous teasers, and along with revealing the electric range, Volvo has now given us a look at the front. The brand’s trademark Thor hammer DRLs are present, made up of segmented LEDs, and we can also make up a pair of ADAS sensors mounted below each door mirror.

Reinventing the Seatbelt

The EX60 is the first Volvo to ride on the company’s SPA3 platform, an upgrade of the earlier SPA2 architecture that underpins models like the EX90. It’ll also be the first of the brand’s cars to get Volvo’s new adaptive seatbelt, which uses sensors to work out the height, weight and shape of a passenger before deciding how much belt force they need in a crash.

Seating for Seven

And unlike its BMW iX3 and Mercedes GLC rivals, which are strictly two-row affairs, it looks like the EX60 could have a small third row of seats stashed under the trunk floor. Though Volvo hasn’t mentioned anything about seven seats, in the image of the trunk it definitely looks like there are two seats folded away.

The picture of the body-in-white also shows mountings for a 50:50 split third-row, and the impression we get is there would still be enough space for a few shopping bags even if the seats were in use. We’ll find out more on January 21.

Volvo