Toyota’s 3-row electric SUV will gain a luxury Lexus sibling [Images]
Toyota’s luxury Lexus brand will unveil its first three-row electric SUV in less than a week. The higher-end sibling to the Highlander EV was spotted testing for the first time ahead of its debut.
Is Lexus launching a three-row electric SUV?
After revealing the long-awaited Highlander BEV in February, Lexus is now preparing to introduce its three-row electric SUV.
Toyota’s luxury brand announced it will reveal “something new” on May 7, previewing the profile of the larger SUV. Lexus, or Toyota, has yet to confirm it, but all signs point to it being the three-row electric SUV based on the upcoming Highlander EV.
The electric Lexus TZ was spotted testing in Europe for the first time ahead of its expected debut later this year or in early 2027.
Lexus currently offers the TX, a luxury three-row SUV available in gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid versions, while the all-electric model will likely be called the TZ.
With Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, preparing to unveil the new 2027 model soon, it’s expected to be a more upscale version of the Highlander BEV.
Lexus has yet to publicly announce that the new TX (TZ) will be all-electric, but we have a good clue. Toyota filed a patent with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in 2023 for the names “Lexus TZ 450e” and “Lexus TZ 550e,” suggesting EV variants in the works.
Although the prototype is still covered in camouflage, the images from Autoevolution reveal a few slight design changes from the Toyota Highlander EV, including the signature Lexus spindle grille.
It will be based on the same modified version of Toyota’s TNGA-K platform that underpins the Highlander EV, which the company said is engineered to optimize interior space and efficiency.
Toyota’s three-row electric SUV will be available with two battery pack options: 77 kWh or 95.8 kWh, expected to provide up to 287 miles and 320 miles of range, respectively.
The Highlander BEV will offer front and all-wheel-drive powertrains. The FWD version delivers 221 hp and 198 lb-ft of torque, while AWD models pack 338 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque.
Measuring 198.8″ long, 78.3″ wide, and 67.3″ tall, with a wheelbase of 120.1″, the electric Highlander is slightly smaller than the current gas-powered 2026 Lexus TX.
The Toyota Highlander BEV will go on sale later this year with prices expected to start at around $50,000. Lexus will unveil the expected three-row electric SUV on May 7. It’s expected to start around $60,000 as a more upscale sibling to the electric Highlander.
When the three-row Lexus SUV arrives, it will face an increasingly crowded segment with the Hyundai IONIQ 9, Lucid Gravity, Rivian R1S, Kia EV9, Volvo EX90, and Cadillac Vistiq, to name a few.
Would you buy an electric Lexus SUV over the other luxury models? Let us know which one you’d choose in the comments.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
