Toyota is finally turning one of its most familiar family haulers into a full-on electric SUV, and it’s not dabbling this time. The 2027 Highlander arrives as a three-row, battery-powered flagship with up to 320 miles of estimated range, and it quietly signals just how serious Toyota has become about competing in the EV mainstream.

For years, the Highlander has been the default answer to “which seven-seat SUV should I buy?” if you wanted something reliable, unpretentious and capable of swallowing kids, luggage and the occasional IKEA run. Now, Toyota is trying to keep all of that everyday usefulness while swapping gasoline for kilowatt-hours. The result is a familiar silhouette hiding a very different powertrain, plus some surprisingly modern tech touches that bring it in line with rivals like the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9.

Visually, Toyota hasn’t reinvented the Highlander so much as sharpened it. The basic proportions are still classic family SUV, but the sheet metal is crisper, the fenders are broader, and the details give away its electric nature. Flush door handles, very much in the Tesla mold, are there to help with aerodynamics, even if similar designs have already triggered safety debates in other markets. Underneath, a dedicated EV platform drops the center of gravity and tucks the battery in the floor, which should make this big seven-seater feel more planted than the old gasoline model, especially in quick lane changes or tight highway cloverleafs.

Toyota is keeping the lineup simple: two trims, XLE and Limited, with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The front-drive XLE uses a single motor and a 77kWh battery pack, good for a manufacturer-estimated 287 miles of range, which already puts it in the “don’t worry about the school run and the commute” bracket. Opt for all-wheel drive and you get a second motor on the rear axle plus the option to step up to a larger 95.8kWh pack; with that configuration, Toyota estimates up to 320 miles on a charge for both the XLE AWD and the Limited AWD. As always with EVs, the final EPA numbers may shift a bit, but on paper, this puts the Highlander right in the same league as other long‑range three-row electric SUVs.

Power figures are comfortably in the “strong but not silly” zone. Front-wheel-drive versions sit at 221 horsepower, while the dual‑motor all-wheel-drive setups climb to 338 horsepower, which is more grunt than previous Highlander gas and hybrid models ever offered. For everyday drivers, that should translate into easy merges, confident passing and the kind of quiet, instant shove from a standstill that makes EVs feel more responsive than their spec sheets suggest. All-wheel-drive variants also borrow some of Toyota’s off-road tech, including Multi‑Terrain Select and Crawl Control on certain configurations, so weekend trips to snow country or a muddy trailhead shouldn’t be a problem.

Charging, the anxiety point that still makes many families hesitate, looks refreshingly straightforward. The Highlander EV uses the North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, which means it can plug into Tesla’s Supercharger network in addition to other DC fast‑charging stations. Toyota says that on a fast charger, you’re looking at roughly 10 to 80 percent in about half an hour, which matches what we’ve come to expect from modern high‑capacity battery packs. A dual‑voltage portable cable comes standard, so you can plug into regular home outlets or a Level 2 wall box, and there’s battery preconditioning to help the car charge more efficiently in extreme temperatures.

Then there’s the part that matters a lot more than 0–60 bragging rights when you have kids and a dog: space and comfort. Every version of the electric Highlander comes with three rows of seats and space for up to seven occupants in the XLE, or six if you prefer second‑row captain’s chairs where available. The third row folds flat into the floor to open up a large cargo area, so you can juggle school bags, sports gear and Costco runs without having to become a Tetris grandmaster. Inside, Toyota is finally leaning into tech that doesn’t feel two steps behind your smartphone: a large 14‑inch central touchscreen, modern infotainment, and thoughtful touches like dual wireless phone chargers on higher‑end configurations, depending on market.

Comfort equipment is tuned for real-world use rather than brochure flexing. Heated front seats are standard across trims, and you can add both heating and ventilation to the second row, which parents in hotter climates will quietly appreciate. Cabin noise should be significantly lower than in past Highlanders thanks to both the absence of an engine and improved sound insulation, which makes long highway stretches more bearable for everyone on board. Toyota’s usual suite of driver‑assist systems is along for the ride as well, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and blind‑spot monitoring, with extras like front cross‑traffic alert and advanced park assist on the options list.

One of the more interesting additions is something you hopefully won’t need often, but will be very glad to have when you do: vehicle‑to‑load capability. With the right accessories, the Highlander EV can act as a mobile power source, running tools at a campsite, keeping a tailgate party humming, or providing backup electricity during an outage. Toyota is still keeping expectations grounded, saying more details on full bidirectional home backup will come later, but the foundation is there for this SUV to be more than just a way to get from A to B.

Behind the scenes, this car is also a manufacturing milestone. The 2027 Highlander is Toyota’s first electric vehicle to be assembled in the United States, built in Georgetown, Kentucky, with its batteries sourced from a new plant in Liberty, North Carolina. That local production is no small thing; after years of skepticism about going all‑in on EVs, Toyota has poured billions into building out American battery capacity, and this is one of the first high‑volume products to emerge from that strategy. In the US, it will be Toyota’s fourth electric vehicle, following models like the bZ‑series SUV and the electric C‑HR crossover, and crucially, its first three‑row EV aimed squarely at families.

Timing-wise, Toyota is giving itself a bit of a runway. Sales for the 2027 Highlander EV are set to start in late 2026 in the US, with some regions getting it in early 2027. Official pricing isn’t out yet, but industry expectations are coalescing around a starting figure in the mid‑$50,000 range in the US, roughly in line with the Kia EV9 and other three‑row electric SUVs. That’s not cheap, especially for buyers used to older Highlanders starting far lower, but the reality is that this is Toyota stepping into a premium, tech‑heavy segment where battery costs and features push prices up fast.

From a broader industry perspective, the Highlander EV isn’t a moonshot; it’s a quietly confident “we’re here now” from a company that took its time coming to the full‑electric party. Instead of chasing headline‑grabbing acceleration times or wild concept‑car styling, Toyota is betting that buyers mostly want range that feels safe, seating for the entire family, simple trim choices and charging that just works. If you’ve ever looked at an EV and thought, “That’s cool, but what do I put the kids in?” this is exactly the kind of product meant to answer that question.

The real test will come once it’s on the road and parked in actual driveways next to minivans and aging crossovers. But on paper, the 2027 Highlander EV looks like a very Toyota way to do an electric family hauler: not flashy, not radical, but practical, carefully considered and built to slide into everyday life with minimal drama — only this time, without a gas pump in sight.