2026 Toyota RAV4 Goes Hybrid Only, and the PHEV Now Packs 320 HP
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is an all-new model, and the big news is that the hybrid powertrain is now standard.
The standard setup has 226 horsepower with front-wheel drive or 236 hp with all-wheel drive, and the plug-in hybrid model now makes 320 hp.
Toyota says the new RAV4 will start arriving at dealerships later this year.
If you’ve ever wondered whether or not hybrids have entered the mainstream yet, perhaps this could be a tipping point: For 2026, the Toyota RAV4, the bestselling SUV in America, is going hybrid only. Hybrid versions of the RAV4 had already begun to make up a large portion of sales in the U.S., but the sixth-generation crossover takes a major leap forward by eliminating the nonhybrid version altogether. The 2026 RAV4 will offer a conventional gas-electric hybrid powertrain as the base setup and a more powerful plug-in hybrid drivetrain as an upgrade.
We can’t say we’re shocked at this move, given that Toyota already did the same thing with the Camry mid-size sedan, but it still represents a major shift in this compact SUV’s trajectory. The new RAV4 also introduces a fresh design inside and out, has more horsepower, adds a new GR Sport trim level, and gains many new connectivity and driver-assistance features.
All Hybrid All the Time
The hybrid powertrains themselves are upgraded versions of the current RAV4 Hybrid’s gas-electric setups. The hybrid uses a 2.5-liter inline-four but is more powerful than before, with 226 horsepower in its new front-wheel-drive setup (the hybrid was previously AWD only) and 236 hp with the optional all-wheel-drive system that adds a third electric motor to power the rear wheels.
The plug-in hybrid setup, which was previously called RAV4 Prime, is the hot-rod of the bunch. It now has 320 hp, compared with 302 hp before, which is a lot for a mainstream compact SUV. Toyota also claims its electric driving range is up, from 42 miles in the previous version to 50 miles in the new model, and has added DC fast-charging capability for some of the PHEV versions. This functionality, which is available on the Woodland and XSE PHEV models but not the SE or the GR Sport, uses a CCS port. Toyota claims it will charge the battery pack from 10 to 80 percent in 30 minutes.
Towing capacity is up, with most AWD hybrid and plug-in hybrid models rated at 3500 pounds now; the FWD hybrid and the LE AWD model are still rated at the same 1750 pounds as before.
New Look Inside and Out
The RAV4’s new design is hardly groundbreaking, but it does look more modern and streamlined than the outgoing generation. It still has plenty of black plastic cladding and chunky side surfacing to make it identifiable as a RAV4. The headlight shape mimics the C-shaped units on other newer Toyota models, which the company calls a “hammerhead” look—yes, like the shark—and the rear end has interesting-looking new LED taillights which stretch across the tailgate.
The interior adopts a more simplistic look, with fewer buttons and more screens. We’re sad to see that the climate-control knobs are gone, replaced by a combination of onscreen controls and buttons on the lower edge of the infotainment screen. There are still a few hard buttons lower on the center console for drive-mode selection and other vehicle settings. Some models have a new gearshift design that’s enabled by shift-by-wire functionality; the small switch is said to open up more space in the center console.
Seven Trim Levels and Lots of Combinations
Toyota is structuring the lineup into three groupings: Core, Rugged, and Sport. The Core models include LE, XLE, and Limited trim levels, and they feature the most unadorned design of the bunch. They’re also available with only the hybrid setup, not the plug-in powertrain. The Rugged version is the Woodland, a trim that was introduced on the previous-gen RAV4, and it comes with all-terrain tires, standard all-wheel drive, and styling tweaks including faux skid plates and a different grille. The Woodland comes with the hybrid powertrain as standard and offers the plug-in setup as an option.
The Sport grouping includes the familiar SE and XSE trims but also introduces a new GR Sport model with a more aggressive appearance and different suspension tuning. The GR model’s wing is particularly eye-catching, and it comes with 20-inch wheels wrapped in summer tires, signifying Toyota is serious about its performance intentions. The GR Sport comes standard with the more powerful PHEV setup, while the SE and XSE are available as either hybrids or plug-in hybrids.
Toyota won’t release pricing on the 2026 RAV4 until closer to its on-sale date later in the year, but we expect it to rise somewhat compared with the current model due to its now-standard hybrid configuration. We expect the base LE to kick off at around $34,000, and the GR Sport PHEV may crest $51,000.
