Toyota says it needs more SUVs in its line-up

The Japanese brand unveiled the C-HR concept crossover model at the 2014 Paris motor show, were the company’s managing officer and executive vice president of Toyota Motor Europe’s sales group, Karl Schlicht, told CarAdvice that more high-riders are on the way.

With a range that already includes the RAV4, FJ Cruiser, Kluger, Prado, LandCruiser 70 Series and 200 Series in Australia – not to mention numerous other SUVs sold in global markets – Schlicht denied suggestions that Toyota already had all the bases covered.

“Nope, we don’t have enough,” Schlicht said. “Well, not yet for us.”

Asked how many more SUVs the company could feasibly add to its range, Schlicht made it clear that there’s space for more than one SUV to slot below the RAV4.

“I can’t say yet, but we think there’s still room for another one after this one,” he said of a production model based on the C-HR that he confirmed would be built, likely within two years.

“Well, bigger SUVs we’ve got covered, so you can guess,” he said.

CarAdvice's spies have previously caught a prototype SUV based on the Corolla hatch testing at the Nurburgring. It's believed one of the production SUVs could be based on the Corolla, while the other may be a Yaris-based high-rider.

Toyota Australia manager of public relations, Mike Breen, told CarAdvice that an SUV smaller than RAV4 would be an excellent addition for the brand.

"We'd be very please to have a sub-RAV4 to compete in that very competitive segment," he said, before adding that he couldn't confirm timing for any such car for Australia.