

- Toyota and Subaru are working on a pair of EVs, to be sold in Japan, Europe, and the US.
- The zero-emission SUV twins are expected to compete in the compact SUV segment.
- Subaru will reportedly undertake production of the EVs in Japan, starting January 2026.
The Toyota bZ4x has just received a mid-lifecycle update that could soon be mirrored by the closely-related Subaru Solterra. However, the crossovers won’t be the only EV twins by Toyota and Subaru, as they will be reportedly joined by a pair of compact SUVs in 2026.
In order to keep R&D costs down, the new models are expected to share components with the e-TNGA-based bZ4x and Solterra, such as battery packs and electric motors. Jointly-developed projects have significant cost-saving benefits for both parties, allowing them to direct valuable design and engineering resources to other models.
More: Toyota’s New C-HR+ EV May Launch In The US Next Year
Earlier this week, Toyota shared a teaser of three new EVs that will debut by 2026, joining the bZ4x, C-HR+, and Urban Cruiser. Two of them appear to be the production versions of the EPU pickup (lower middle) and Land Cruiser SE (bottom right) concepts from 2023. This makes us believe that the third EV (bottom left) could be the compact SUV jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru.
If this turns out to be true, the new EVs will adopt a more conventional SUV stance compared to the aforementioned crossovers. In fact, the profile looks similar to the upcoming Toyota RAV4, with a sharp nose, roof rails, and an upright tail. Judging from bZ4x and Solterra, the Toyota and Subaru versions of the compact SUV will likely share most of their exterior and interior designs. Still, a uniquely-designed front end for each brand could help buyers tell them apart.
As reported by Best Car, the new EVs will be sold in Japan, Europe, and the US, expanding the zero-emission lineups of Toyota and Subaru in the compact SUV segment.
Unlike the Toyota bZ4x and the Subaru Solterra which are being produced in Toyota’s Motomachi Plant, the new jointly-developed electric SUVs will reportedly be manufactured at Subaru’s Yajima plant in Japan. According to an earlier report by Nikkei, production will start on January 2026.
While Toyota already offers three EVs (bZ4x, CH-R+, and Urban Cruiser) in Europe, the Solterra remains the sole zero-emission offering in Subaru’s global lineup. However, this is about to change, with the upcoming SUV being one of four EV launches by Subaru in collaboration with Toyota.
Besides the jointly-developed models, Subaru plans on introducing its first in-house-developed EV in 2028. All those launches will contribute to the ambitious goal of BEVs accounting for half of Subaru’s global sales by 2030.
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