The Toyota RAV4 has been in a staple in the compact SUV scene and for 2026, it takes the form of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid (HEV). The car comes in three trims – the Core, Adventure and GR Sport.

At first glance, the new RAV4 has a Land Cruiser-esque square look to it, with the boxier shape also leading to chunkier wheel arches. Up front and back, it now sports Toyota’s new “hammerhead” light design, similar to what you’ll find on the latest Prius and C-HR. Meanwhile, the GR Sport stands out with a unique Matrix grille, front and rear aero kits for better airflow and stability, and exclusive 20-inch wheels.

Slide inside, and the updates are just as exciting. The centrepiece is a massive 12.9-inch touchscreen that debuts Toyota’s brand-new Arene operating system. Designed to be more flexible and future-ready, it allows for faster feature development and seamless over-the-air (OTA) updates.

The driver display in the 2026 RAV4 has been redesigned into a freestanding, cowl-less screen. The traditional gear lever has also been replaced by a much more compact toggle-style shifter. In the back, the second-row seats can fold down even flatter than before, improving practicality. With the seats upright, boot space has increased to 749 litres, up from 733 litres in the previous model.

As for the powertrain, the US market specification revealed that all models of the RAV4 is equipped with a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. The hybrid version is available in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations, producing 226 hp and 236 hp respectively. Topping the range is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant, which comes exclusively with all-wheel drive and delivers a substantial 320 hp, making it the most powerful RAV4 to date.

As for charging, the PHEV model supports AC charging at up to 11 kW. For those looking to top up quickly, Toyota has added DC fast-charging capability, which can replenish the battery from 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes.

In terms of safety, the RAV4 will be first model to receive the Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 (TSS 4.0) suite of driving assistance systems. It features functions such as Emergency Driving Stop Function (EDSS) in case the driver gets incapacitated.

As for the pricing of the car, the automaker is being tight lipped about it. However, the RAV4 will be available in the Japan and US market later this year, with other regions to follow accordingly. The company says that it will be available in “over 180 countries and regions” eventually, but no specifics were provided.

(Source: Paultan.org, Caricarz, Toyota Newsroom)

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