2026 Toyota RAV4 Is a Hybrid Family SUV Worth Waiting For

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2026 Toyota RAV4 Is a Hybrid Family SUV Worth Waiting For

2026 Toyota RAV4 SUV Could Go Hybrid-Only Illustration by Avarvarii – Car and Driver

What It Is

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Hearst Owned

The sixth generation of Toyota’s top-selling model, the

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, will bring a more modern design, new technology, and updated mechanicals to this popular crossover. We think there will be an even greater emphasis on

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, which already make up a significant portion of RAV4 sales. And Toyota may also play up its off-road heritage with additional rugged trim levels including a possible TRD Pro variant like the RAV4’s big siblings, the

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and

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.

Why It Matters

The RAV4 is not only the bestselling Toyota, it’s the

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that’s not a pickup truck. Toyota moved nearly half a million of these things in 2024, and it needs to get the new model right to keep up with the current crop of

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. The outgoing generation placed sixth out of eight in our most recent

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, and it’s showing its age in terms of performance, refinement, and design. The new model needs to catch up with class leaders in these areas while maintaining its strong reputation.

Platform

The 2026 RAV4 will be based on the latest iteration of Toyota’s TNGA underpinnings that are used for nearly every model in the automaker’s lineup. The RAV4 specifically uses the TNGA-K version.

Powertrain

We won’t be surprised if Toyota goes hybrid-only with the new RAV4, as it has with the

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. In fact, we expect the RAV4 to share the Camry’s gas-electric drivetrain. In the sedan, the setup uses a 2.0-liter inline-four gas engine and produces a total output of 225 hp with front-wheel drive and 232 hp with the optional all-wheel-drive system that adds an electric motor to power the rear wheels. The

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, previously known as the RAV4 Prime, should also continue, and we hope it’ll offer the same surprising performance as the current model, which has 302 hp and provides shockingly quick acceleration.

Competitors

The RAV4 will continue to compete in a crowded segment, squaring off against popular choices such as the

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, the

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, the

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, the

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, and the

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.

Story continues

What Might Go Wrong

Toyota could play it too safe and fail to make the RAV4 stand out in its crowded segment. If it isn’t styled distinctly enough or doesn’t offer a significant step up from the current model in terms of driving refinement—in particular with powertrain NVH, a weak spot of the existing RAV4—it’ll be eclipsed by many of its challengers in the compact-SUV world.

Estimated Arrival and Price

We think the new RAV4 will debut in the fall of this year and go on ***** as a 2026 model-year vehicle by the end of 2025. The starting price will likely be right around $30,000.

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#Toyota #RAV4 #Hybrid #Family #SUV #Worth #Waiting

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