2026 Toyota RAV4 First Look: Going Hybrid-Only

MotorTrend

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 enters its sixth generation with three distinct designs and a hybrid-only lineup

Transcript

00:00This is the 2026 Toyota RAV4 and besides getting a full-on redesign it's getting three different

00:09phases a core model like this one you see here a rugged which is more off-road friendly and a

00:15sport including a GR specific trim and for the first time ever it includes a hybrid only powertrain

00:21including a regular hybrid and a plug-in let's go check out the new RAV4

00:30so of course design is a big thing for the RAV4 and here for the 2026 we see a completely new design

00:38but very similar to also other Toyota models that we've seen recently for example this hexagonal slats

00:44that we see across the grill here it's something that we saw in the crown signature it's also in

00:49the Camry so it's very representative of other Toyota products that we've seen recently right

00:54except here in the RAV4 it's very upright we see very upright and very straight lines all across

01:01the board it looks a lot boxier overall than the current generation and people wanted that right

01:06that off-roady ruggedness boxy look you want this to make sure that it looks like an SUV that's exactly

01:12what we get here in the RAV4 you can see that for example here with the hood two very bold straight

01:18lines kind of like raising up the look of the front end very different from what we see today we also

01:23have this headlights that are kind of like split between this upper part of the grill a lot more

01:30modern a lot more premium-esque in a way the current RAV4 has aged really well in terms of design and I

01:36think these new RAV4 with these more modern touches is gonna also do that now moving over here to the

01:41profile we kind of like following with that beefiness that boxiness that people are looking for in SUVs we

01:46have more pronounced wheel arches right it looks more beefed up we also have like little designs

01:52like this little trims like this one on the A pillar that just makes it a little bit more upright over

01:58here in the profile you know we have more swoopy lines over here in the beltline kind of like looking

02:03a little visual elements to look lift up the look of it and then back here it's a lot more premium a lot

02:10more modern than before we see this taillight that you know kind of like wraps around the corner with

02:15vertical slats looks more Lexus-y than Toyota to me more premium a lot more refined and then we have

02:22this RAV4 name spelled out across the tailgate something we've seen in previous trucks and other

02:28SUVs from Toyota and Lexus now happening here in the RAV4 now this is the core model the woodland

02:34edition the rugged look and the sport look the GR specific and XSE also have different design details

02:42that are specific to each for example the front grille is different with different slats different

02:47colors a little bit less upright than this one the woodland of course is more upright more beefier the

02:53woodland also has all-terrain tires that just overall lift that look up make it more rugged and it has a roof

03:01rack as well so overall that one is definitely looks a lot more built for the trail this one is built for

03:07the streets and the sport one with the front lip and the rear spoiler it just looks a lot sportier

03:14you know it's meant for those that want a complete different look from a traditional RAV4

03:20so like the exterior the interior received a whole overlook and let's start here with the tech

03:26every single grade is going to get a 12.3 inch digital gauge cluster instead of the traditional

03:31cluster that the previous one had every trim will have this new screen that's just better more modern

03:37more tech forward and then there's going to be two different sizes for the infotainment system

03:43lower trims are going to have a 10 and a half inch screen which is still pretty good and then more

03:48upper trims are going to have this bigger screen that's almost 13 inches 12.9 inches to be exact

03:54now every single trim however is going to have the same kind of like standard console design except

03:58for the shifter right now we're in the core model and we have this little shifter but rugged and sport models

04:05are going to have a more a beefier shifter that looks more like a if you were in like a Tacoma

04:10sort of thing but besides that and the seats designs that are going to be different for

04:14for every RAV4 everything will be kind of like the same here in the center console and screen size

04:19wise so you have these kind of like two knobbies knobs over here that are you know very evident for

04:25the drive modes for the all-wheel drive settings you have dual USB ports over here for fast chargers and

04:31you have this center console that's kind of like two levels you have two wireless chargers available

04:38here so that's pretty good also here in the center console we have this cup holder design that you can

04:44remove this for you know if you have a bigger beverage or something you can make it more versatile

04:49and then the center console storage opens both ways opens for the passenger or the driver can also open

04:56it from their side uh this way so lots of cool features in the new RAV4 it's still very spacious

05:02it still has a lot of upgraded technology so there's those cool little touches that are going to make

05:08the interior of the RAV4 more modern also making the RAV4 more modern is ARIN which is a new software

05:15development platform created by Toyota's woven division we might think that software defined vehicles

05:20are only EVs but ARIN is a RAV4's foundation for safety security and connectivity what this really

05:28means is that the RAV4 will be able to get over the air updates allowing it to stay updated with

05:33modern features around the infotainment system safety and security speaking of safety the RAV4 will

05:40be the first Toyota model to get Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 making its standard safety suite better

05:47Toyota didn't release any details around this so we'll have to wait closer to the RAV4's on-sale date

05:53to learn more about them

05:58As far as powertrain goes every 2026 RAV4 sold will be a hybrid for the first time

06:04the traditional hybrid engine will be standard with front-wheel drive and it uses a two and a half

06:09liter four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor to make 226 horsepower adding all-wheel drive will

06:16bump 10 more forces making it a total of 236 horsepower the optional engine is a plug-in hybrid

06:23that gets a bigger battery and an electric motor to produce 320 horsepower the plug-in hybrid also

06:30has a 50 mile electric drive range which is more than what the current RAV4 Prime offers speaking of

06:36the RAV4 Prime that nameplate isn't coming back to the 2026 model only the rugged and sport variants

06:42will have the option to get the plug-in hybrid powertrain while core models get the traditional

06:47hybrid engine only GR sport models come exclusively with a plug-in hybrid the new RAV4 stays on the

06:54TNG 8K platform which is the same one that's currently based on that's not a bad thing as Toyota

07:00has shown the versatility of that platform by adding different powertrains without compromising space

07:06but Toyota says that the 2026 RAV4 structural rigidity has increased to enhance its handling and

07:13ride comfort and all-wheel drive models will be able to tow up to 3,500 pounds while front-drive models

07:19can tow 1,750 pounds of course we'll have to wait until we get behind the wheel to prove this so there

07:26you have it the 2026 Toyota RAV4 is available in three different designs core rugged and sport like this one

07:34and it's a hybrid only SUV now it'll be available later this year at dealerships we don't know the

07:40starting price yet but be sure to check motortrend.com for more updates

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