The 2026 Toyota RAV4 Is Coming Soon. Here's Our First Look
The next-generation SUV will have cleaner lines and a more upright posture.
Here's our first look at the next-generation Toyota RAV4. Spy photographers recently caught a prototype testing in public on the street of Detroit, wearing a full camouflage wrap with some false panels underneath. It's not enough to fully hide some key design details, however.
Zooming in on the front, we can see lighting elements similar to the bracketed face of the Toyota Crown Signia. The top portion of the lights end at the corners of the hood, but below, we can see a strip connecting the lights, running straight across the upper fascia. Below that, holes in the camo wrap mimic the Crown Signia's grille design. We can barely make out vertically oriented corner vents on the sides of the fascia, sharing a similar shape to those on the Crown, but larger in size. Compared to the current RAV4, the face appears flatter, cleaner, and more symmetrical.
There are cleaner lines along the side, too. The beltline runs straight from the A-pillar all the way back, save for a slight turn upward at the D-pillar. Trim beneath the camo wrap near the top of the D-pillar suggests the two-tone roof option will continue for the new model. The rear hatch looks more upright, which could result in more cargo space.
As for the interior, that remains largely a mystery at this point. A couple of photos offer glimpses through the windows where we see portions of a large center touchscreen. It appears embedded into the dash, at least partially, and it sits a bit lower compared to the current model. Covers on the dash hide other details, but the close-up perspective draws attention to the steeply raked windshield.
Gallery: 2026 Toyota RAV4 Spy Photos
Sources tell us Toyota will likely offer hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain setups exclusively. Currently, The RAV4 is available with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid that produces a modest 219 horsepower. The plug-in hybrid variant is a bit more lively, at 302 hp. Considering the RAV4 is currently the best-selling SUV in North America and the third-best-selling vehicle overall, we don't expect Toyota to rock the boat too much when it comes to powertrain changes.
At this time, we expect Toyota will debut the next-generation RAV4 later this year as a 2026 model.
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Source: KGP Photography
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