Following on the launch of the Toyota bZ4X, the brand’s first all-electric vehicle, Toyota looks to expand its EV offerings. The electric three-row SUV segment appears to be its next target: Toyota has confirmed two of its U.S. assembly plants are being designated for three-row EVs beginning in 2025. Because of this, we think we’re likely to see the Toyota bZ5X by model year 2026. This larger electric SUV will compete in a segment that’s currently relatively thin against vehicles such as the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Kia EV9. By some reports, Toyota is considering dropping the bZ designations for its EVs and this vehicle may come to market as the Toyota Highlander EV.
Here’s everything we know so far about the 2026 Toyota bZ5X. Be sure to bookmark this page: we’ll update it as we receive more information.
2026 Toyota bZ5X in Canada: What we know so far
- 2026 Toyota bZ5X styling
- 2026 Toyota bZ5X interior design and practicality
- 2026 Toyota bZ5X engines, motors and drive
- 2026 Toyota bZ5X price and release date
2026 Toyota bZ5X styling
Since no official photography, prototype, or concept vehicle information has been released for the 2026 Toyota bZ5X as of this writing, we can only speculate on what it might look like. Toyota’s design department tends to stick to its brand themes, so we think it’s likely the bZ5X could look a lot like an enlarged version of the bZ4X, pictured above. On the other hand, if Toyota drops the bZ nomenclature and calls this vehicle the Toyota Highlander EV, the end product may look similar to a Toyota Highlander or Toyota Highlander Hybrid to help potential buyers mentally connect the product lines.
2026 Toyota bZ5X interior design and practicality
There’s nothing official on the 2026 Toyota bZ5X as of this writing, apart from that it will be a fully electric three-row SUV. Since all signs point to this vehicle being based on a dedicated battery electric architecture, we think it’s likely the interior will have a flat load floor and that household plugs will be available that can draw power from the battery to run small appliances or electronics. The latest Toyota infotainment system is also a high possibility, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as pictured above in the interior of the bZ4X.
2026 Toyota bZ5X engines, motors and drive
Our best guess at the powertrain options in the 2026 Toyota bZ5X is that they could be based on the same ones found in the bZ4X. In Canada, the smaller bZ4X’s LE trim is sold with front-wheel drive (FWD) with 201 system horsepower and 196 lb-ft of torque, and a range of up to 406 kilometres. In the bZ4X’s XLE and XLE Technology Package trims, a second motor is added to the rear axle for all-wheel drive, with 214 total system horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque, and a range of up to 367 km.
For a larger, three-row SUV like what we expect from the bZ5X, standard all-wheel drive (AWD) is much more likely, and it could possibly be a full-time system such as that seen in the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. On the other hand, Toyota is rumoured to be working on an entirely new electric vehicle architecture, which could debut on the bZ5X and deliver more impressive figures.
2026 Toyota bZ5X price and release date
No official pricing or release timeline information has been released for the 2026 Toyota bZ5X. We expect it will qualify for U.S. tax credits since it will be assembled in the United States, and we also expect Toyota Canada will offer a bare-bones version for less than $60,000 so that the entire product range can qualify for existing Canadian federal and provincial EV rebate programs. Expect to learn more about this vehicle in late 2024 or early 2025, likely on the auto show circuit, with launch and deliveries likely to begin in the second half of 2025.
