Next-gen 2026 Toyota RAV4 arrives early

The new-generation 2026 Toyota RAV4 will begin arriving in Australian dealerships next month, with first customer deliveries locked in for March 2026, bringing forward clarity for buyers after months of vague timing from Toyota Australia.

Toyota Australia has until now only confirmed the new 2026 Toyota RAV4 for a ‘first half of 2026’ launch, leaving buyers guessing whether deliveries would stretch as far as June.

That uncertainty has now been lifted, with cars set to land within weeks.

The arrival timing coincides with a sharp slowdown in sales of the outgoing RAV4, which fell by 65 per cent in January 2026 as existing stock was run out ahead of the model changeover.

As such, Toyota expects a short-term sales dip in the coming weeks.

In a statement, a Toyota Australia spokesperson said demand for the new-generation RAV4 is building, including for new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant.

“Ahead of the upcoming Australian launch of the next generation RAV4, Toyota has seen strong customer interest and orders for the new model – including, for the first time, a plug-in hybrid variant,” the spokesperson said.

“The national average wait time for the majority of our line-up is sitting at three to six months across the board. We anticipate RAV4 wait times to align with this.”

While plug-less hybrid variants are expected to align with Toyota’s current delivery timelines, buyers chasing the new RAV4 PHEV are understood to be facing longer waits, potentially stretching beyond mid-2026.

“Wait times can vary by region and the specification that a customer is looking for,” the spokesperson said.

Either way, customers placing an order now are almost certain to receive the all-new RAV4 rather than a run-out example of the previous model.

For reference, the latest version brings a price rise of roughly $3000 to $6000 compared with the 2025 RAV4.

See below for the full price list, which starts at $45,990 for the RAV4 FX two-wheel drive (2WD) and tops out at $63,340 for the RAV4 XSE all-wheel drive (AWD) PHEV.

Competition will heat up mid-2026 when the next-gen Mazda CX-5 arrives, though the current CX-5 remains one of Australia’s strongest sellers, and ranked as the country’s third-best-selling vehicle in January 2026.

Despite Toyota recording a 22 per cent sales drop last month due largely to reduced RAV4 registrations, the world’s largest car-maker is confident the slowdown is temporary.

Toyota sales boss John Pappas said the dip simply reflects the timing of new-model introductions.

“As we transition to these new-generation vehicles, we’re seeing a temporary softening in deliveries compared with January last year,” Pappas said.

“This is expected and simply reflects the timing of model updates. Importantly, demand remains strong across the Toyota line-up.”

With dealer stock of the outgoing RAV4 rapidly dwindling, Toyota is bracing for a lull before the all-new model hits showrooms.

Once deliveries ramp up from March, sales are expected to rebound through the second quarter of 2026, reinforcing the RAV4’s position as one of Australia’s most important vehicles.

How much does the 2026 Toyota RAV4 cost?
GX 2WD – $45,990 (+$3730)
GX AWD – $49,340 (+$4080)
GXL 2WD – $48,990 (+$3180)
GXL AWD – $52,340 (+$3530)
Edge AWD – $55,340 (-$3010)
Cruiser 2WD – $56,990 (+$5580)
XSE AWD – $58,340 (+$5755)
XSE 2WD PHEV – $58,840
Cruiser AWD – $60,340 (+$5930)
XSE AWD PHEV – $63,340
GR Sport AWD PHEV – $66,340

* Prices exclude on-road costs

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