2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybride
This is yesterday's technology in tomorrow's outfit. It is also not really intended for us here in Europe, but rather for North America, where the car is one of the brand's best-selling models and one of the top three in the
country's statistics.
It is the sixth generation since 1994, and given its sales success, the manufacturer must exercise caution with each new launch. Too much can jeopardize success. However, this is unlikely,
because the conservatism of North America and Toyota are a good fit.
And the sales figures prove Toyota right. And in order not to lose the European market, the new model has not increased in length this time. This means that it is not yet too large in Europe, but in the USA it is almost at the
lower limit. However, once you fall in love with a RAV 4, you'll probably stick with it.
No compromises have been made in terms of design, but the exterior door handles, for example, remain unchanged. That's good, because the interior ones, which can only be opened electrically, will probably soon be
forbidden in China. The glass roof can also be opened and is equipped with a roller blind.
But is a seemingly full-size spare tire still necessary these days? In contrast, the screens are strikingly small, especially the one in the middle. At least the entire software architecture is said to have been revised.
It is even available without hybridization, but not in Germany. The plug-in should be interesting here, promising a range of up to 100 km with a battery capacity of 23 kWh gross. A step towards electric cars, even with 50 kW
DC and 11 kW AC charging power.
Although even weaker 2.0-liter gasoline engines are also being built for China, optionally with mechanical all-wheel drive, in our market, for example, an electric auxiliary drive is used at the rear when the vehicle is
delivered as an all-wheel drive model. The 40 kW electric motor at the rear is clearly sufficient thanks to its 208 Nm.
The pricing is likely to be interesting. Previously, prices started at €41,000 for the hybrid and €60,000 for the plug-in. Who knows where this will lead, especially if the latter has also undergone significant improvements?
