Toyota's U.S. Sales Split: Hot-selling Grand Highlander Sells Out, While Gas-Powered Highlander Plummets 38%

Toyota is experiencing a tale of two extremes in the U.S. market: the popular Grand Highlander is in such high demand that supply can’t keep up, while sales of the conventional gasoline-powered Highlander have plummeted 38% year-over-year. To address this situation, Toyota announced a $1 billion investment to upgrade its U.S. manufacturing facilities—$800 million for its Kentucky plant to produce the electric Highlander, jointly developed EVs with Subaru, and a three-row all-electric SUV launching in 2027, as well as to expand localized production of the Camry and RAV4; and $200 million for its Indiana plant to boost capacity for the Grand Highlander and Sienna. The electric Highlander will launch this fall, powered by batteries supplied from Toyota’s $13.9 billion battery plant in North Carolina. Toyota is simultaneously advancing both its internal combustion engine and electric vehicle strategies, accelerating the “metabolism” of its product lineup amid the ongoing decline of traditional fuel-powered vehicles.