The Cheapest Toyota RAV4 Isn't a Hybrid. And It Isn't for America

It's called the Wildlander, and it will be sold in China with a non-hybrid four-cylinder engine.

Photo by: MIIT

By: Fernando Moreno

Translated by: Jeff Perez

Sep 22, 2025 at 11:30am ET

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While we wait for the 2026 Toyota RAV4 to hit dealerships later this year—and for pricing to be announced—another interesting RAV4 variant has surfaced. It technically isn't even a RAV4 at all; it's called the Wildlander. Even though it looks mostly identical to the version headed to the US, this one will be significantly cheaper, and the base version won't be a hybrid.

Our colleagues at Motor1 Spain discovered the non-hybrid RAV4—er, Wildlander—through photos released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). MIIT regularly publishes vehicle homologations for the domestic market ahead of their on-sale date.

This RAV was produced via a joint venture between Toyota and GAC, a partnership that began in 2004. According to the published specifications, the Wildlander is slightly larger than the American RAV4, although it shares nearly every other specification—including the same wheelbase.

The powertrain is where things get interesting. While the American RAV4 comes standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid and offers an optional plug-in hybrid, the Chinese-market Wildlander has a much simpler setup. Under the hood is a non-electrified 2.0-liter gasoline engine, which makes just 171 hp. There are no official figures yet on fuel consumption or performance.

Source: MIIT

The Wildlander doesn’t officially have a price tag yet, but it could be the cheapest RAV in any market, with an estimated starting price of right around $30,000. The upcoming base price for the RAV4 in the US is expected to be around $35,000.

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But that won’t be the only RAV4 powertrain in China. The Wildlander will also be available with two hybrid powertrains, using 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter gasoline engines, delivering combined outputs of 152 hp and 185 hp, respectively. It remains unclear whether plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions will be offered in the region.

The design shown in the released images corresponds to the base trim in the US. At launch, the Wildlander won’t be offered with the GR Sport package or the Adventure trim, but those two models could arrive down the line.