2026 Toyota RAV4 revealed with PHEV system, new GR Sport range-topper

The all-new Toyota RAV4 has finally been revealed ahead of its arrival in Australia in the first half of 2026 – and there are big changes for the new model.

Toyota today pulled the covers of the sixth generation of its popular mid-sized SUV that will be offered with a plug-in hybrid EV system for the first time, allowing up to 100km of EV motoring.

“The all-new RAV4 will arrive in Australia in the first half of 2026 and we will be introducing Toyota’s very first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle,” said Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations.

The new RAV4 will also gain a new range-topping GR Sport model aimed at boosting the appeal of a car that could become the first SUV to top the Australian sales charts.

“The RAV4 range will include both plug-in hybrid electric and [regular] hybrid electric vehicles with two-wheel drive and all-wheel drive with a new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle GR Sport all-wheel drive,” said Hanley.

Riding on Toyota’s familiar TNGA architecture, the new RAV4 improves interior space by relocating more components to the engine bay.

It will also be offered with three distinct designs that alter the front bumper and grille; the more off-road focused version incorporates fog lights into the bolder bumper while the GR Sport has a slicker look with GR badging.

There’s also a new interior with more upmarket finishes and “extensive connected services with further improvements and new functionality for the new Toyota Safety Sense suite of driver assistance technologies”.

As well as auto braking, blind-spot warning and lane-change assist, it also now incorporates front cross-traffic alert.

The new RAV4 also debuts the brand’s latest multimedia system utilising the Arene operating system with over-the-air software capability.

And the latest RAV4 gets a fresh look that modernises the appearance of the family SUV, which has been a hot seller in the current-generation car since it went on sale in 2019.

“The RAV4 adopts Toyota’s hammerhead styling cues and features a completely redesigned interior,” said Hanley.

As it has been since late 2024, the RAV4 will only be offered with hybrid propulsion.

However, there is a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain that incorporates a 22.7kWh battery for about 100km of EV-only motoring (the 100km WLTP range figure is a target).

Each hybrid system will utilise a version of the existing 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.

In regular hybrid guise the system makes a combined 143kW for both 2WD and AWD versions, which is less than the model it replaces (160kW for 2WD, 163kW for AWD).

Expect fuel efficiency improvements, in turn reducing CO2 emissions – something that is more of a focus with the imminent introduction of Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard.

However, the PHEV – which utilises a new sixth-generation hybrid system – produces more power courtesy of a new 150kW front motor. The PHEV 2WDs will make a combined 201kW while AWD models make 227kW – enough to get the RAV4 to 100km/h in as little as 5.8 seconds.

“Plug-in hybrid will be the very big growth market [in Australia] and I think we’ve come in at exactly the right time,” said Hanley.

Hanley concedes the PHEV will be more expensive than regular HEV variants, something that is expected to make the regular hybrid the big volume player in the RAV4 line-up.

“Positioning of the PHEV will be very different to the HEV, you can expect that,” he said.

“PHEV is a slightly dearer vehicle … there’s a bigger [manufacturing] cost. I don’t think it’s going to be outrageous, but it’s certainly going to be a little more expensive … than the HEV.”

Topping the 2026 RAV4 lineup will be a new GR Sport variant with a unique steering tune and unique suspension with an additional 20mm between the left and right wheels for “improved stability and handling”.

That GR Sport model will be offered only as a PHEV and with the all-wheel-drive system that adds a motor to the rear axle.

Toyota says there will be two- and all-wheel-drive versions of both the regular hybrid and PHEV drivetrains, something that should broaden the appeal of what is already Australia’s top-selling SUV.

It’s prompted Hanley to predict the RAV4 could finally top the sales charts, muscling utes such as the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux out of the way in the process.

“I think in 2026 RAV could potentially be the number one selling car and PHEV will only add to that,” he said.

The PHEV’s 22.7kWh battery would take about 13 hours to charge from a home powerpoint, or as little as three hours with a wallbox charger. It will also have DC fast charging capability, able to be charged at up to 50kW from 10 to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes.

As for pricing, Toyota says that will be announced closer to the 2026 on-sale date, although Hanley has hinted it’ll be more expensive.

“There’s not so many new cars you bring out where the price goes down,” he said.

The exact model lineup will also be confirmed closer to its Australian on-sale date, although it’s fair to assume a broad range that will include most of the existing variants: GX, GXL, XSE, Cruiser and Edge.

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