Toyota is hoping to build on its EV success with a battery-powered version of the Highlander. The upcoming Highlander EV will sell alongside the hybrid version of the vehicle, offering fans yet another option when it comes to electric SUVs.
However, there is already an electric SUV on the market that is arguably a better choice than Toyota’s hotly anticipated electric Highlander. It’s more powerful, has more storage space, and can go further than the Highlander EV’s current specs suggest it will. And you don’t have to wait until the end of 2026 to get one.
I’m talking about the Hyundai IONIQ 9. The three-row SUV’s base model has six less horsepower than the entry-level Highlander EV, but offers 60 lb-ft more torque. That’s 215 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque for the Hyundai, against 221 horsepower and 198 lb-ft from the Toyota comparatively.
Things are more skewed towards Hyundai at the top end. If you opt for the dual-motor Toyota, you’ll get an output of 338 horsepower and 323 lb-ft of torque. The performance trim of the Hyundai IONIQ 9 is significantly better, packing 422 horsepower, along with 516 lb-ft of torque.
Then we have EPA estimated range, which peaks at 335 for the Hyundai (though the performance trims cap out at 311). Obviously the Highlander EV has yet to be officially tested, but Toyota is suggesting an estimated range of 320 miles from a fill charge. Recharging is also faster on the Hyundai, with the vehicle going from 10% to 80% in just 24 minutes thanks to 350 kW charging capabilities. The same feat takes the Toyota half an hour. Both vehicles feature a NACS charging port as standard.
Cargo space is another area where the IONIQ 9 wins out. With all seats down, you’ll get just under 87 cubic feet. A whole seven cubic feet more than the Highlander. That’s essentially an extra sedan’s trunk on top of the standard storage.
We don’t have a price for the Highlander EV yet, but Toyotas have traditionally cost more than Hyundais. So the Koreans may have the Japanese beat there too. The IONIQ 9 starts at $58,955 with its top trim coming in at just over $78,000. But while Hyundai may have Toyota beat, there is another alternative to the IONIQ 9.
The Kia EV9 may be an even better option
For those of you who aren’t aware, Kia is essentially Hyundai’s little brother. Traditionally, the Hyundai group is made up of Kia which was always sportier, cheaper, versions of a vehicle to appeal to a younger crowd. Hyundai itself, which offered standard models. Then Genesis, offering premium to luxury vehicles on Hyundai’s platforms.
However, Hyundai has recently upped its game with interiors and other features, arguably pushing into premium with some trims. Kia has also improved things massively, and arguably consistently offers a better deal than Hyundai across the lineup.
The Kia EV9 sits on the same E-GMP platform as the IONIQ 9, but comes in over $2,000 cheaper at the base level and close to $5,000 cheaper at the top end. It is slightly shorter than the IONIQ 9, and only offers 81.7 cubic feet of storage behind the first row. That’s still more than the electric Highlander, though.
While the base trims of the EV9 and IONIQ 9 both match in terms of power output, the top end IONIQ 9 does win out against the EV9 when it comes to horsepower. Though, at 379 horsepower, the EV9 again beats Toyota’s effort.
Where the Kia suffers most is range. 305 miles at the entry level, and around 280 on the AWD trims, is notably worse than Hyundai and might be less than what the Highlander eventually offers. But many people may be happy to make the tradeoff to save a few thousand dollars at signing.
