First Drive: 2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV Is Quick, Efficient, and Packed with Useful Tech
Primed for action, the plug-in hybrid boasts improvements across the board
Toyota experienced runaway success with the outgoing RAV4. Its popularity soared, making it the most popular passenger vehicle in the U.S., second only to the Ford F-Series, with sales approaching half a million vehicles a year. That is why RAV4s are ubiquitous on American roads. Consequently, it is no surprise that the automaker took a conservative approach with the redesigned 2026 RAV4, making incremental improvements across the board, rather than taking on risks from reinvention. This mirrors the strategy seen with the latest Camry.
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
The new RAV4 PHEV’s electric-only range (before the gasoline engine must come on) has increased from an EPA-estimated 42 miles for the 2025 model to 48 and even 52 miles for the 2026 model, depending on the configuration. That’s one of the longest electric-only ranges of any current PHEV.
The RAV4 is the brand’s first vehicle with Toyota Safety Sense 4.0, the latest version of its suite of active safety and driver assistance technology. Most importantly, blind spot warning (BSW) and rear cross traffic warning (RCTW) are now standard across the board.
Like other models, the RAV4 comes with ToyotaCare, a plan that covers factory-recommended services for two years or 25,000 miles.
As before, the PHEV represents the height of the RAV4 line. For early access to the newest version, Toyota lent Consumer Reports a PHEV XSE. When the new RAV4 arrives in dealerships, we will anonymously purchase one to test.
If you’re a Consumer Reports member, our initial expert assessment of the Toyota RAV4 PHEV is available to you below. Once we purchase our own model and complete 2,000 break-in miles, we’ll put a Toyota RAV4 PHEV through more than 50 tests at the CR Auto Test Center, including empirical measurements of acceleration, braking, handling, child car seat fit, and usability. CR members will have access to the full road-test results as soon as they’re available.
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What we borrowed: 2026 Toyota RAV4 PHEV XSE
Powertrain: 324-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder plug-in hybrid engine; electronic continuously variable transmission; all-wheel drive
MSRP: $46,000 PHEV (estimated)
Options: Power tilt/slide panoramic moonroof and digital rearview mirror; JBL 9-speaker premium audio system; Driver Assist package; Weather package
Destination fee: $1,450
Total cost: $50,000 (estimated)
Final assembly point: Japan
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
