If you’ve been waiting for news on the all-new 2026 Toyota RAV4 redesign, you aren’t alone. The compact little crossover SUV was actually the top-selling vehicle in America in 2024, dethroning the Ford F-150,

The most significant change from the 2025 to 2026 model year RAV4 is under the hood, where Toyota followed the same steps as the midsize Camry sedan and ditched the gas-only 2.5-liter inline-four cylinder engines that powered previous models for a selection of new hybrid powertrains.

The standard powertrain in the 2026 RAV4 is Toyota’s next-generation hybrid system, which has already debuted. Having experienced it in the Prius and Camry, I can report that it’s quieter and more refined, with far smoother transitions between engine and electric motor. I would expect this to also be the case in the RAV4.