Toyota’s Electric Highlander Has Been Pushed Back To Next Year

Gas and Hybrids Remain Strong

Toyota's delaying its three-row EV SUV until next year. The United States was supposed to get the new Toyota Highlander EV late in 2026, but Toyota decided against it, citing "final adjustments" to the model before it goes into production.

The Toyota Highlander, in both its ICE and HEV versions, remains a strong seller in the U.S., with sales remaining strong even as a new model is peeking over the horizon. While the brand did state that it was making some last-minute adjustments to the model, it can also be said that Toyota's milking its cash cow while it can.

RAV4 Production Also A Factor

Besides the Highlander, we reported on some pretty interesting news revolving around the Toyota RAV4. The compact SUV, now available only as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, is also another hot-ticket item that ranks high on American car buyers' wish lists. Earlier this year, we reported that Toyota dealers couldn't keep up with demand and car buyers were still scooping up previous-year models for no discounts.

Another model that's seen a rise in popularity due to the RAV4 shortage is the 4Runner, which saw a sales bump this year. Toyota couldn't produce the new RAV4s fast enough, leading to a shortage of previous-gen products on dealer lots. Since then, Toyota has begun addressing its production issue, and the brand reported a ramp-up in production.

Even so, Toyota's losing a bit of ground in the segment to Honda, which reported record-breaking sales figures for the first half of 2026. The CR-V might actually dethrone the Toyota RAV4 this year, and I don't think that was on my bingo card, truth be told.

ICE and HEV Highlander Production Continues

The production start of the new Toyota Highlander EV will have to wait until next year. Cars.com picked up on the news of the delay and also added that the 2026 model year Highlanders, in both ICE and HEV formats, will still remain in production until December 2026.

While EV market share has grown in recent years, there are still some consumers who prefer ICE or HEVs. The same can be said for the Highlander, as its sales remain strong. A production delay isn't ideal for any company, but in Toyota's case, it might just net it more profits while people are still hungry for Highlanders.

The all-electric model is pretty cool, with its new exterior and interior redesigns, but buyers may still prefer an ICE or HEV, given that the ICE and HEV powertrains are already proven. Toyota can continue to take advantage of this demand for now while it waits for RAV4 production to catch up. Until then, we'll have to wait until 2027 for the new Toyota Highlander EV to start production.

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