Toyota has confirmed that its sleek, low-slung Sport Crossover concept, revealed at the Shanghai motor show earlier this year, will evolve into a production car for the European market in 2025.
It will be one of six bespoke electric cars that Toyota launches in Europe by 2026, going on sale alongside the bZ4X and production versions of the Urban Crossover and Compact Crossover.
The remaining two EVs will be detailed next year, Toyota has hinted.
The Sport Crossover doesn't directly replace any current model but rather arrives as an all-new proposition and takes the brand into the premium-oriented D-segment, rivalling the likes of the Volkswagen ID 7 and Hyundai Ioniq 6.
Toyota product development boss Andrea Carlucci described it as the "perfect style hero" of the six-strong EV line-up, highlighting that it's longer, wider and lower than the bZ4X but makes minimal concessions in terms of practicality and comfort.
He revealed that the concept measures 4.9m long at the kerb but that precise dimensions will change for the production version.
"I would say it looks at a different customer," he said. "We believe that the market isn't just SUVs. Of course, it is the latest trend and one that will stay a while, but we want to offer solutions for any kind of customer. This could be the solution for the customer that's specifically looking for something which is stylish.
"We want to deliver something which is closer to the new cues of Toyota - being a bit obsessed with sportiness, especially at the back with the coupé or fastback design."
The Sport Crossover has been developed in tandem with Toyota's Chinese-market joint venture partner BYD, which is also likely to supply its batteries, as it does for the bZ3 saloon in China, but Toyota wouldn't confirm if European cars will be made in China.
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Fastbacks are the future and SUVs numbers are limited with them eventually just being for the rich and super rich. There is talk of taxing SUVs of course that is basically the politicians way of saying we can not have poor and ordinary working people driving around in SUVs anymore but unless cars like this the Puegeot 408 and the Renault Rafale get labelled as SUVs they should be the future untill they then decide to tax them. Hopefully these are not recognised as SUVs but as the fastbacks that they are and get away with not be over taxed like SUVs will be in the future for a while.
I wonder will that tax apply to electric SUVs too?