Toyota bZ4X vs Toyota RAV4 PHEV 2026 Comparison

Part one of this comparison is to assess whether the plug-in hybrid Toyota RAV4 offers tangible benefits over the regular hybrid and making its case difficult is its price premium. The flagship GR Sport we have here is $66,430 plus on-road costs (+ORCs), which is $6000 more than the range-topping Cruiser Hybrid eFour ($60,340 +ORCs), though you can get an XSE PHEV in 2WD ($59,515 +ORCs) and AWD ($64,015 +ORCs) guises.

Entry into the bZ4X range starts at $55,990 (+ORCs) for the two-wheel drive with a big jump to the dual-motor AWD being tested here at $67,990 (+ORCs), though it scores extra equipment as well, which we’ll cover in a moment. Sitting at the summit of the range is the $69,990 (+ORCs) Touring with even more power and a bigger boot.

A look at their respective dimensions makes it clear that the relationship between Toyota's two SUVs extends beyond price, as they are separated by just 45mm in length, 20mm in width and 35mm in height, though in typical EV fashion the bZ4X has a much longer wheelbase (2860 vs 2690mm).

There’s a bit to unpack with the specification of the Toyota RAV4 GR Sport as there is no equivalent hybrid model. The XSE matches its hybrid sibling with 20-inch wheels, a tilt-and-slide moon roof, synthetic leather upholstery, six-speaker stereo, heated and ventilated front seats with eight-way power adjustment and driver’s memory, dual-zone climate control and a power tailgate.

PHEV RAV4s also score better brakes, with 328mm discs and two-piston calipers at the front instead of 305mm discs and single-piston calipers, while at the rear there are 317mm ventilated discs instead of solid. A sensible inclusion when the PHEV is not only quicker but 250kg heavier.

The GR Sport adds a head-up display, premium nine-speaker stereo and kick sensor for the power tailgate but loses the front seat ventilation and driver’s memory. It also lacks the panoramic roof, leather accented interior and heated rear seats of the Cruiser Hybrid. Then again, it gets plenty of sporty accoutrements inside and out as well as 20mm wider tracks, a rear brace, a front lateral performance damper and bespoke tunes for the suspension and steering, so it’s not just a badge exercise.

Switching to the bZ4X, the 2WD includes 18-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat, six-speaker stereo, power tailgate and roof rails, while the AWD adds 20-inch wheels, ventilation for the front seats, memory for the driver and heating for the rear seats, premium upholstery, a panoramic glass roof and nine-speaker stereo.

While the RAV4 is slightly cheaper to buy, the bZ4X makes up some of the difference over the first five years of servicing, costing $950 instead of $1625, while intervals for both are 12 months or 15,000km. A five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty applies to both, too.

Somewhat controversially, the Toyota RAV4 is still without an ANCAP rating, but there is nothing nefarious behind it. It was engineered to meet the 2025 standards, but delays meant Toyota has decided to reengineer the car to meet the tougher 2026 protocols.

It was worth noting, however, that these early cars will subsequently always be ‘unrated’ and it’s unclear what changes Toyota is making. This may or may not be of concern to you.

No such worries with the bZ4X, which not only scored five stars in 2022 but was reassessed in 2025 under stricter criteria and once again received maximum marks thanks to 88 per cent for adult occupant protection, 86 per cent for child occupant protection, 80 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 82 per cent for safety assist.

Not only is all the passive and active safety gear present, but in general it’s very unobtrusive. The exception is the driver monitoring, which is ridiculously oversensitive in the RAV4, though slightly better in the bZ4X.

However, what’s worse is that the switch to turn it off is buried multiple sub-menus deep and you can’t do so on the move, so if you forget to do so before setting off you need to stop again. Annoying.

The new Toyota RAV4's technology offering is much more competitive with a 12.9-inch infotainment display that includes wireless smartphone mirroring and a range of connected services. Emergency connect is provided for as long as 5G exists for automatic collision notification, as well as vehicle information, a drive recorder and AMPOL fuel discounts through the app.

Connect+ is complimentary for one year, including remote connect, digital key, stolen vehicle tracking and guest driver alerts, after which it costs $9.95/month. Six years of complimentary connected multimedia is provided for navigation and voice assistant, after which it costs $12.50/month.

Finally, three months of complimentary connected streaming is offered, which basically allows you to use a native Spotify account, after which it's $12.50/month for those who are allergic to smartphone mirroring.

Speaking of which, the RAV4 was not a fan of overhead toll gantries, the audio – routed through Apple CarPlay – being interrupted and then occasionally being confused about where it had picked back up. It sounds like a small thing, but having to constantly tap the back button to re-hear the bit of podcast/story/music you just missed grew very tiresome.

Five USB-C ports are distributed between the front and rear, with the front two being faster 45-Watt units, as well as dual wireless charging pads, while the digital instrument display is 12.3 inches in size, but does take some getting used to in terms of navigating it.

However, it's much better than the bZ4X's 7.0-inch screen, which is difficult to read if you can see it in the first place (more on this later). It looks dated, but no complaints with the 14.0-inch infotainment screen that has wireless smartphone mirroring, complimentary emergency assist and complimentary access to Connect+ for one year.

Like the RAV4, there are two wireless charging pads as well as four USB-C ports, though no head-up display. Both cars have digital climate controls but thankfully they are always present at the bottom of their respective screens, so there's no need to wade through menus to adjust recirc or temperature or heated seats and the like.

There has never been a Toyota RAV4 like this. With a total of 227kW from its hybrid drivetrain, it can hit 100km/h in a properly brisk 5.8sec. The 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine produces 105kW, the front electric motor adds 151kW and the rear electric motor chips in 41kW. Remember this for later.

Combining 167kW/269Nm front and 88kW/170Nm rear motors for a total of 252kW, the bZ4X AWD is not only more powerful but significantly quicker to 100km/h at a claimed 5.1sec. It also includes off-road modes lacking in the slower (7.4sec 0-100km/h) front-drive model. That flagship Touring offers 280kW and a 4.4sec 0-100km/h claim.

According to the official figures, the Toyota RAV4 GR Sport sips just 0.7L/100km. This is a nonsense number that is the result of a flawed testing procedure, so let’s add some sense. Toyota claims 113km of EV range from the RAV4’s 22.7kWh battery and around 100km is easily achievable.

Most people will therefore be able to do all their daily running around (or even a few days’) on electric power alone and use no fuel at all. The RAV4 PHEV can charge at up to 11kW AC or 50kW on a DC fast charger, which will fill the battery from 10-80 per cent in 28mins, but being smaller than a typical dedicated EV’s battery, it was no problem to fill it back to 100 per cent each night from a regular domestic power point.

This is the modus operandi for a plug-in hybrid. Pure EV running for short journeys, with top-ups each night, but with the flexibility of petrol power for longer trips. On a highway cruise you’ll see between 5.0-5.5L/100km once the battery is depleted, or roughly similar to the economy of a regular RAV4 hybrid. With a 55-litre tank, that’s a touring range of around 1000km, though premium 95 RON fuel is now required.

It's a simpler situation with the bZ4X. Claimed range is 517km from the 74.7kWh battery, a hefty reduction over the single-motor model's 591km, but 500km of real-world range should be achievable in urban use and 400km+ doable even at higher speeds.

The maximum charging speed is a relatively low 150kW, which will fill the battery from 10-80 per cent in 45 minutes, but up to 22kW AC charging is supported for those with three-phase power. More typically, a 7kW charger takes 9.5 hours to charge the battery from 10-100 per cent.

This is where things get interesting. Despite its the model's historic reputation, the previous generation Toyota RAV4 was really quite good to drive. It handled well, rode well and the hybrid powertrain was powerful enough, very frugal and smooth in its operation.

The plug-in hybrid version, especially in GR Sport guise, doesn't tick quite as many boxes. As mentioned earlier, this range-topping RAV scores a sportier suspension tune, which might give some credence to its looks but doesn't do much for the ride quality. It's not terrible, but you feel plenty of the surface beneath you and on bumpy country roads it fidgets constantly.

Nor does this suspension tune make the GR Sport particularly gifted dynamically. It steers and handles with all the poise and accuracy owners will ever need, but don't think it's some under-the-radar driver's car.

Part of the problem is that while it's technically all-wheel drive, the majority of the RAV4 PHEV's 227kW goes through the front wheels, the rear motor only contributing a maximum of 41kW. In a straight line the GR Sport is impressively accelerative and overtakes very well, but if those front wheels are turning it leans on the traction control very heavily.

Turn it off to see what happens and the car lurches badly as the tyres try and spin and are then stopped, before the process starts again. It's inelegant and uncomfortable but not of great importance given the car's intended role. What is more annoying is the subtle but noticeable surge that occurs when the car switches between pure EV and hybrid operation.

It's a surprising shortcoming from a company so steeped in hybrid powertrain technology but can happen quite frequently if you're driving with a depleted battery and, to be honest, drove me up the wall. That said, the GR Sport PHEV has sufficient power and range to operate as an electric RAV4 for much of the time.

Which is essentially the role the bZ4X plays and it plays it well. Everything the GR Sport does, it does better. It's more comfortable thanks to the softer suspension, yet without any real detriment to its handling; it's quicker thanks to having more power and smoother thanks to only having the one power source. The steering is unusually weighty – in fact it reminds me of the modern Chevrolet Camaro – but it doesn't hinder the driving experience too much.

Both cars are impressively stable and comfortable on gravel forestry roads, though while the bZ4X is actually a little more agile and adjustable, it does trigger its ABS quite quickly under heavy braking and the rear end can weave around.

Like the RAV4, the bZ4X's power split is heavily front-biased so it suffers from the same traction issues, but once again it's hardly a priority in a car such as this.

One of the great mysteries in life is how Toyota claims the RAV4 has 200 litres more boot space than the bZ4X (655 vs 452), despite the eye test suggesting it is the latter that has more room. Very strange, especially as the GR Sport has a space saver spare under the floor rather than extra storage.

There isn't much in it and both have a handy 1500W inverter in the boot for powering appliances, but the bZ4X continues to land punches as you move forward. There's more space for rear passengers than in the RAV4 – though in its defence it's fine for children or most adults – and more light thanks to the panoramic glass roof.

In the front the driving position of the bZ4X is superior, though this is partially a matter of personal taste; the first thing I did upon entering the RAV4 was try and lower the seat only to find it was at its lowest point, but others may prefer a higher perch.

There's better storage in the bZ4X with an area under the centre console, but on both cars the lid for the central bin feels extremely cheap and flimsy. The electric car also had a two-tone interior which, along with the glass roof, made it feel brighter than the GR Sport's overwhelmingly dark cabin.

Unfortunately, the bZ4X then blots its copybook badly. The steering wheel is lovely to hold but awful to look at, though this is of secondary importance to the fact that it completely blocks the instruments in a typical driving position. This will depend slightly on the seating position of the individual, but for this reviewer it was an immense pain, especially without the RAV4's head-up display.

We set out to answer two questions: is the RAV4 PHEV superior to its hybrid sibling? And if you're interested in an electrified Toyota SUV, should you just buy a bZ4X instead? The black-and-white answers are no and yes respectively, but there is a degree of nuance to examine.

There will be those who buy the RAV4 GR Sport purely for the way it looks and we don't blame them, but the softer suspension of the XSE might make more sense for most families. There is also a case to be made for the PHEV, but it's a very niche one.

If you primarily do short distances but with the occasional long haul, the PHEV will save you money, but on an extended trip it's no more frugal than the hybrid, so we'd buy the smoother, better-equipped Cruiser Hybrid and put the $4000 saved away for fuel. If you go for the 2WD Cruiser, that price advantage extends to around $7000.

If you never head into rural Australia, however, the bZ4X makes a lot of sense, though probably not the AWD tested. The entry 2WD does sacrifice some equipment but still has the basics and a $12,000 saving isn't to be sneezed at – it's a genuine EV alternative to even a regular RAV4 hybrid.

If you do want the extra toys and performance, then the bZ4X Touring not only has even more power and a bigger boot, but the price premium is a mere $2000. Seems a no-brainer. As for whether it's the best electric SUV to buy for $70K, that's a question for another day.

2026 Toyota bZ4X AWD at a glance:
Price: $67,990 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Powertrain: Dual permanent magnet synchronous motors
Outputs: 167kW/269Nm front motor and 88kW/170Nm rear
Combined output: 252kW
Transmission: single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 74.7kWh lithium-ion
Range: 517km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 16.0kWh/100km
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2025)

2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV at a glance:
Price: $66,430 plus on-road costs
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Outputs: 105kW/227Nm engine; 151kW/272Nm front electric motor; 41kW/123Nm rear electric motor
Combined output: 227kW
Transmission: CVT
Battery: 22.7kWh lithium-ion
Range: 113km (WLTP)
Fuel: 0.7L/100km (ADR combined)
CO2: 16g/km (ADR combined)
Safety Rating: Unrated

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au