Toyota RAV4 SUV (2026 - ) review

The chief problem with the RAV4 is that, although this is model is just as good a car as the previous generation, to which we gave four stars, the game has moved on, as the above list of competitors shows. It doesn’t feel like Toyota has kept pace, yet its pricing remains confident. Chinese brands have now shown drivers you can get all the toys on your car for a standard price, and more attractive brands for badge snobs (think VW) have cheaper options. If you have home charging, are disciplined about plugging in every night and drive less than 50 miles a day, this car will cost you less than peanuts to run. Blink and you’ll miss the tiny little cost showing on your charging app. And if you are financing it through a company car scheme, the tax will be low. There are, however, cheaper large five-seat SUVs in the field to buy outright or on finance.

It’s a Toyota – you could chuck it off the top of a multi-story carpark and it would land on its feet, like a tabby cat. The plug-in hybrid system has been well tested, with a really excellent high-quality battery on board, and the heating and cooling systems for the battery means even the electric range is pretty reliable. We note that Toyota offers a three-year warranty as standard now, whereas its predecessor came in at five years. However, every time you get your car serviced by Toyota you will unlock an additional year of cover for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles.

There’s an improved blind-spot system which includes a new warning about any vehicles approaching from behind (it’s actually helpful). The collision braking system has been updated to bring the car to a halt when the driver is unable to, and the all-round camera view now includes a three-dimensional aspect. You also get a frontal traffic warning system which pings if the driver is edging out of a junction and hasn’t seen vehicles about to pass in front of the car. As per usual, however, it’s all very bingy and bongy, so most drivers will undoubtedly turn it off. For those seeking the added traction of four-wheel drive, it’s now available with the plug-in hybrid for the first time. Not many people will want to nick it, unlike a Land Rover, so happy days all round. If the vehicle is stolen, however, the MyToyota app assists with recovery via a partnership with Vodafone. After the theft is reported to the police by the customer, Vodafone liaises with local authorities to track the vehicle, while updating users in their preferred language.

It’s very quiet on the move, and very smooth too, with plenty of space in the rear seats, so full marks there. The interior is super dull and basic however, with swathes of black and grey leather and plastics set into panels large and small across the seats, doors and dash. It’s unremittingly gloomy. Where are the exciting new textiles, materials and patterns that other mass-market car companies have been producing for the past couple of years? The wools, fabrics, technical weaves, open-pore woods, flashy piping, exposed stitching, cute touches like tiny national flags, mottos and sewn emblems? Toyota doesn’t go in for any of that, which may have suited banks of corporate global suits wanting nothing more than to blend in at the weekend, but that’s not what the drivers coming up through the ranks want today. The RAV4 might survive one more generation of drivers, then it will have to think again.

Toyota may have a new software system on board, but the tech displays for the driver and front passengers remain poor compared with the innovative stuff we’ve seen on Peugeots, Skodas, JLR or Tesla. The graphics are tiny, the screens are crowded, everything takes one more swipe or selection than it ought to and the screen doesn’t feel big enough. This is not a design that will attract many young family owners. You get a new head-up display however, on Excel and GR Sport levels, which is much bigger and clearer, a voice assistant, satnav with mobile speed camera alerts and a very snazzy addition – Drive Recorder function which is triggered automatically in a collision, recording from 10 seconds prior to an impact to up to 30 seconds after, and saving the file for potential insurance purposes. We like that. You can also access the car but setting up a digital key on your phone or smart watch.

This is not a car to set the world on fire with a dynamic attitude; if proof were needed, witness the fact it quotes its impressive 2-tonne towing capability high up its list of positive attributes. But, the plug-in hybrid system is a brilliant one, offering up to 85 miles of electric performance (you should get fairly near 80 miles). We have yet to drive the GR Sport version but, if you are a die-hard Toyota performance fan looking for more practicality than the sports car offers, maybe this expensive version (£50k-plus) is worth a test drive – it has a wider, lower stance, dedicated suspension components and tuning, plus optimised power steering for a sharper, more weighty turn in. Aerodynamic upgrades include front and rear spoilers, and exclusive 20-inch wheels.