Toyota RAV4 2026 Review

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 medium SUV line-up that goes on-sale in the first half of next year has been subjected to significant price rises of up to 10.95 per cent over the outbound model.

With the addition of three petrol-electric plug-in hybrids – but not until Q3 2026 – and the deletion of one hybrid, the RAV4 line-up expands from nine to 11 variants.

We’ve covered the pricing in detail here, but with it now starting from $45,990 plus on-road costs for the front-drive GX, a substantial advantage has been handed to the RAV4’s many rivals.

The Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Mitsubishi Outlander all start under $40,000 before on-road costs and of course, the new Chinese brands are even cheaper.

Raising eyebrows further is the fact the pricing boost doesn’t deliver an all-new vehicle, but a significant update based on the same TNGA-K monocoque architecture as the previous generation introduced in Australia in 2019.

This is orthodox car company policy, as the same platform usually underpins two vehicle generations.

What Toyota has done is grafted multiple new front-end styles (with C-shape headlights a common theme) onto the existing wheelbase and exterior cabin dimensions, including the door openings and glasshouse.

Inside there is a new presentation of the dashboard area underpinned by the Australian debut of Toyota’s Arene software.

Supporting the infotainment system, Toyota says everything has been upgraded, including the dual screens, the services they provide (like navigation and voice assist) and the speed at which they are delivered. For the first time, the RAV4 also gets a head-up display – specifically the Cruiser and GR Sport.

The equipment baseline includes dual-zone climate control, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the Toyota Connect app.

Updated and refined safety systems are led by autonomous emergency braking and active cruise control. In the event of an accident, more comprehensive data will be transferred automatically to a Toyota call centre, and for the first time, a Toyota will have an embedded dash cam using its onboard cameras. It can be voice-operated.

If you want a deep dive into equipment levels in the new RAV4 check out this story, while there’s also an equipment walk at the bottom of the pricing piece.

Toyota hasn’t revealed everything as yet, which is no surprise so far out from launch, but it has confirmed power levels of the carryover 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain drops from as much as 163kW to 143kW because of tougher emissions requirements. A combined torque figure, as usual for a Toyota hybrid, is unstated.

As before, power distribution is via an e-CVT to either the front or all four wheels. All-wheel drive is created by bolting an e-motor to the rear axle – there’s no mechanical link like on a Subaru Forester or Hyundai Tucson.

Toyota says improvements have been made to the transaxle, power control unit, battery and e-motors which has resulted in claimed efficiency gains, just not concrete ones.

Warranty and servicing details are also yet to be announced.

Our drive session at the Anglesea test track focussed on two sixth-generation 2026 Toyota RAV4 pre-production hybrids; an all-wheel drive Edge and a front-drive Cruiser. There was also the chance to sample a fifth-gen RAV for comparison.

The good news? They drive very much like the old model. Which is to say light and sharp electric-assist steering, sure handling and comfortable ride thanks to independent suspension.

The Cruiser retained its composure despite riding on 20-inch alloys; a substantial upgrade from the old model’s 18s, though there was perhaps more tyre noise.

The Edge AWD meantime rode on 19-inch wheels (as before) and perhaps steered a tad lighter mid-corner.

Really, for anyone upgrading from fifth- to sixth-generation RAV4, the experience would be very familiar while anyone fresh to the RAV4 would find it a pleasant, refined and calm drive.

So really, the big deal here are the interior design changes and equipment upgrades. Here the changes are more obvious.

While there wasn’t really the chance to spend extended time drilling into the intricacies of Arene, the sensible nature of operations was clear.

The huge infotainment screen even has a home button, which is an improvement on recent Toyotas such as the Prado.

There’s a choice of function cards including sat-nav, audio and even drive modes (eco, normal, sport and custom). Widgets are changeable on the screen.

The dash sits 40mm lower to improve visibility and Toyota has intentionally grouped various functions and switchgear together in an attempt to speed-up access.

There are hard buttons for audio power and volume, climate control temperature and the window demister. The fan speed is a permanent display in the bottom of the screen.

Happily, the complex customisation previously offered in high-spec RAV4s’ instrument cluster has been abandoned – it was a system shared with Lexus that seemed a lot of effort for the limited info supplied.

The new cluster is simpler to tune and has more information to tap into, including a fuel consumption graph.

An interesting new design feature was the reversible soft-top of the lidded bin that could be flipped over, plugged back in and used as a tabletop.

Storage includes a reasonable glovebox, a generous bin and double cupholder in the centre console.

Toyota says boot space has also increased slightly with the new model RAV4, but no figures have been supplied.

The decision to keep the 2026 Toyota RAV4 on its current wheelbase means rear seat room remains behind the best in class.

It’s not bad, it’s just taller people will find more leg space elsewhere – like in a Sportage. The rear door also doesn’t open that widely, which doesn’t aid entry and exit.

The powertrain response is a little duller in the new generation, but it is not as dramatic as a 20kW deficit might suggest. Lively would be a generous description.

Of the two RAVs we perused, only the Cruiser gets shift by wire and a gear selector tab, but there’s no pseudo manual gearchange option such as paddle shifters – they’re reserved for the GR Sport PHEV.

The Edge could change manually via a traditional lever but missed out on sport mode.

The Edge driver’s seat felt slightly underdone for size and bolster.

Don’t break what works very well... that seems to be Toyota’s philosophy with the 2026 RAV4.

If the price rises weren’t so substantial it would be easy to tick the box and settle in for another five years of RAV4 rolling on, but being so ambitious with pricing opens up a sizable crack in the RAV’s armour.

Look, it’s still good, but it’s not good enough to justify such a pricing gulf.

If this thing really goes on to be Australia’s best-selling vehicle in 2026 then there’s some people in the market for a medium SUV who will have spent more money they need to.

2026 Toyota RAV4 Edge AWD at a glance:
Price: $55,340 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Half one 2026
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: TBA (electric motor: TBA)
Combined output: 143kW
Transmission: e-CVT
Fuel: TBA
CO2: TBA
Safety rating: TBA

2026 Toyota RAV4 Cruiser 2WD at a glance:
Price: $56,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Half one 2026
Powertrain: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: TBA (electric motor: TBA)
Combined output: 143kW
Transmission: e-CVT
Fuel: TBA
CO2: TBA
Safety rating: TBA

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