This is the all-new 2026 Toyota RAV4
Sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 debuts, available in GR Sport
After releasing several teaser images yesterday, Toyota has officially taken the covers off the latest generation compact crossover SUV. Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the all-new sixth-generation RAV4, and boy, was Toyota busy with it.
Toyota gave the 2026 RAV4 a sleeker and more dynamic appearance. Borrowing styling cues from the latest Camry, the front fascia of the crossover gets unique C-shaped LED headlights and daytime running lights. Depending on the variant, the RAV4 can come with unique grille designs.
First up is Core, which gets a Hammerhead-inspired design according to Toyota and comes with a 3D honeycomb-style grille and five-spoke alloy wheels.
Next up is Adventure, which gets a more rugged look thanks to its SUV-like appearance and more macho grille. It’s also equipped with wheel arch moldings, six-spoke alloy wheels, a wider tread, black body cladding, blacked-out styling elements, and skid plates.
Last but certainly not least is GR Sport, which features a motorsport-inspired look. It comes with an evolved Matrix Grille, special front & rear bumper spoilers for that extra sporty appearance, generous use of blacked-out trim pieces & accents, and a unique set of alloy wheels that appear to have been inspired by the outgoing Supra. Toyota says the wheels not only look good but also improve aerodynamics and handling stability.
Hop inside, and Toyota went for a more ergonomic redesign for the RAV4’s cabin. Using the Island Architecture concept, most of the in-car controls are housed together like islands, which makes for a more user-friendly layout. It also translates to reduced eye movement since most of the controls are grouped in one place. Unfortunately, there are no physical climate controls, but Toyota did put them on the touchscreen with its dedicated panel that is shown permanently at the bottom of the screen.
In front of the driver is a new steering wheel and a larger 12.3-inch instrument cluster that shows important aspects of the vehicle. Infotainment comes in the form of a touchscreen display that’s available in 10.5 or 12.9 inches. Audiophiles will also be happy to know it can be specified with a 9-speaker JBL sound system, which replaces the standard six-speaker system.
When it comes to powertrains, the all-new RAV4 is available in HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid) variants. That’s right, just like the fifth-generation model, the all-new RAV4 is now only available as an electrified vehicle moving forward. Both the HEV and PHEV get a 2.5L electrified four-cylinder engine. The HEV model is available with 229 PS with the FWD model, while the AWD variant gets a little bit more with 236 PS. On the other hand, the PHEV version is only available with AWD can generates 324 PS - making it more powerful than the GR Corolla and GR Yaris.
The PHEV gets a new front axle with silicon carbide power semiconductors that reduce size, improve efficiency, and lessen power loss. Combined with a bigger battery pack, the result is an all-electric range of up to 150 km, which is a big improvement over the current model that can only do up to 95 km.
The plug-in hybrid also gets a new electric motor that Toyota says delivers a 12% higher motor output to give it better off-road performance. Last but not least, it comes with a vehicle-to-home (V2H) system, which is Toyota’s take on a V2L system, and a DC rapid charging system that can recharge the battery from 20% to 80% in 30 minutes.
As for the HEV, Toyota gave it improved motor output thanks to upgrades to the transaxle, power control unit, battery, and other key components. Toyota claims this also translates to the RAV4 HEV delivering seamless acceleration and better response from the powertrain.
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is set to be available in Japan before the end of fiscal year 2025, which likely means it will arrive in its home market around next year. That means we can expect the all-new Toyota RAV4 to make its way here either by the middle of next year or in late 2026.
