Toyota Future Model Plans Outlined: Report

"Out with the dowdy and in with the rowdy" may be the new philosophy at Toyota. The Japanese giant's next-generation line-up is expected to bring some missing verve to the range.

According to industry paper Automotive News, Toyota is responding to negative press and falling sales in the US market over the past year by preparing an onslaught of impressive new models.

Among them, a new LandCruiser in 2014, and an Audi A7-inspired Avalon for the US market.

Confirmed For Australia

Already on the schedule is the all-new Yaris, revealed late year and due for an Australian debut in October, Toyota's Australian arm confirmed this week.

Expect the new Yaris to offer an Australia-tuned driving experience, thanks to input from Toyota Australia's Melbourne-based engineers.

Toyota's FT-86 sports car is also scheduled to make its Australian debut in the coming year, marking the long-awaited return of an affordable rear-wheel-drive sports offering to the company's local line-up.

The all-new Camry is doing the teaser rounds ahead of its global unveiling in the coming weeks, and Toyota Australia is expected to launch the new midsizer in November.

Expect sharper styling as Toyota looks to draw in a wider and younger demographic for its Australian-built family car.

The updated-for-2012 HiLux will hit Australian showrooms next month, giving the top-selling pick-up a refreshed face and a number of subtle tweaks as it takes the battle up to the likes of the new Ford Ranger, Mazda BT-50 and Volkswagen Amarok.

Australia's Prius line-up will also get a boost in 2012. With the launch of both the Prius V people-mover and the tiny Prius C city car, Toyota is looking to steal a march on its competitors in the local market.

On The International Horizon

A report by industry paper Automotive News points to a number of new models for Europe and the US, some long-rumoured and others unheard of. 

An electric version of Toyota's diminutive iQ city car is in the works, confirmed by the Japanese carmaker at a recent dealer event in Las Vegas. 

The electrified iQ is based on the FT-EV concept shown in 2009 and will reportedly offer an 80km driving range. The report adds that the iQ EV will be sold exclusively to commercial fleets with short routes and centralised charging networks.

While an Australian debut for the iQ is not in sight, Toyota is currently involved in Victoria's electric vehicle trial with its Prius Plug-in Hybrid.

A new Corolla is expected to debut in 2014, with one more styling update to come in the next year. The report claims the new Corolla will take on a sharper and "more European" look - previewed by recent updates and the new Yaris.

Despite dismal sales leading to its cancellation in Australia, the Avalon sedan continues as a 'premium' offering in Toyota's US line-up, regularly topping the influential Consumer Reports rankings.

For 2012, an all-new Avalon is expected to arrive in the US, and like the new Camry, it will adopt a sharper and sportier look.

According to Automotive News, the new model will borrow styling cues from the likes of the Audi A7 and the Jaguar XJ, without going so far as to step into Lexus territory.

The RAV4 is also expected to get an all-new successor in late 2011, powered not only by regular combustion engines, but also hybrid variants and an electric drivetrain developed in cooperation with Tesla.

Few details were offered for the new SUV, although its styling is described as "clean and modern, an evolutionary change off the existing Corolla platform." 

The larger Kluger SUV has also been the subject of recent reports, with talk of a new platform to be shared with Subaru's next-generation Tribeca SUV.

While earlier reports have pointed to a 2014 debut for the next Kluger, Toyota's five to six-year production cycle means that a late 2012 or early 2013 launch may be more likely.

Lastly, the big 200 Series LandCruiser is also expected to be superseded in 2014, although there are reports that the US-market LandCruiser will split off from the version sold in Australia and elsewhere - switching to a shared platform with the US-only Tundra and Sequoia.