Prices are up, there's no ANCAP rating yet and the wait is months long, but Australians bought 4,624 new RAV4s in September anyway. Here's whether the hybrid or the new plug in hybrid deserves your money.
By Varun Punyamurtula ·
The new RAV4 is roomier, smarter and more efficient than ever, and the plug in hybrid is the most compelling RAV4 Toyota has built. Higher prices, a missing ANCAP rating and long waits take the shine off, but the GXL Hybrid AWD and XSE PHEV remain easy family SUVs to recommend.
From $45,990 plus on road costs
Australia's favourite family SUV costs up to $6,000 more than it did a year ago, launched without an ANCAP safety rating, and still has buyers waiting months for delivery. And yet in September 2026 Toyota found homes for 4,624 of them, nearly double its September 2025 tally and enough to make it the second best selling vehicle in the country behind only the Ford Ranger.
That tells you everything about the RAV4's grip on Australian driveways. The sixth generation model is now in showrooms with two flavours of electrified power: the familiar 2.5 litre hybrid, and for the first time here, a punchy plug in hybrid that can cover more than 100km on battery alone.
The question is no longer whether the RAV4 is good. It's whether it is still the smart buy now that BYD, Tesla, Kia and Honda are all circling with sharper pricing.
Quick answer: The new RAV4 is roomier, smarter and far more capable than before, and the plug in hybrid is the most interesting RAV4 Toyota has ever sold. But prices have jumped, servicing costs more, and it is currently unrated by ANCAP. Buy the GXL Hybrid AWD for the sweet spot, or the XSE PHEV if you can charge at home.
Toyota now sells 11 versions of the RAV4 across two powertrains. All prices below exclude on road costs.
The entry GX is $3,730 dearer than the outgoing model and the Cruiser AWD is up almost $6,000. Toyota has been open about it: the RAV4 has been deliberately pushed up market, leaving the cheap seats to the Chinese brands.
Even the base GX now feels properly modern. Every RAV4 gets a 12.3 inch digital instrument display, dual zone climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a reversing camera and LED lighting. GX and GXL use a 10.5 inch touchscreen; Edge and above step up to a 12.9 inch screen.
Highlights as you climb the range:
The bigger story is software. This is the first Toyota built on the company's new Arene platform, which brings faster menus, a smarter voice assistant and over the air updates. Early reviews report the new multimedia is a huge step up on the old, laggy system.
The standard car uses Toyota's fifth generation 2.5 litre hybrid making 143kW in both 2WD and AWD form. Official fuel use is 4.5L/100km for the 2WD and 4.6L/100km for the AWD.
It is smooth, frugal and proven, but it is not quick. Testers commonly report it needs a firm right foot up steep hills. One catch worth knowing: the new hybrid now calls for 95 RON premium unleaded, so the fuel bill per litre goes up even as consumption goes down.
This is the headline act. The PHEV pairs the 2.5 litre engine with a 22.7kWh battery and makes 200kW in front drive form or 227kW with the extra rear motor in the AWD versions. That makes it the most powerful RAV4 ever sold here.
For most suburban families, 100km plus of real electric driving covers a week of school runs and commutes. Charge it overnight and you could go weeks between servos.
Winner: The PHEV, if you have off street parking and a power point. If you don't, the hybrid makes more sense and saves you $4,000 or more.
The new RAV4 is still one of the most practical SUVs in its class. Toyota quotes about 749 litres of cargo space for the hybrid with the seats up, measured to the roof, with the PHEV losing around 70 litres to its battery. Other measures quote 705 and 655 litres. Whichever figure you use, it is a big boot, and a full size spare lives under the floor.
Rear seat room is generous. Parent testers report three child seats fit across the back bench, though the middle passenger has a small floor hump to deal with. Towing is 1,500kg braked for AWD models but only 800kg for 2WD versions, which matters if you have a camper trailer or boat in mind.
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Every RAV4 gets eight airbags (including a front centre airbag), autonomous emergency braking, emergency steering assist, adaptive cruise, lane trace assist, blind spot monitoring, front and rear cross traffic alert, safe exit assist and parking support brake.
The problem is the badge, not the hardware. Production delays meant the RAV4 arrived after tougher 2026 ANCAP protocols kicked in, so it launched with no rating. Toyota says running safety changes in the second half of 2026 should secure five stars when testing happens late this year, but those changes can't be retrofitted. Cars built before the update will stay officially unrated for life. At the time of writing we could not find a published ANCAP result.
If a five star rating matters to you, or to your employer's fleet policy, ask the dealer exactly which build your car is.
That is $1,625 over five years, noticeably more than the old model. It is still competitive, and Toyota's dealer network reaches further into regional Australia than anyone else's.
Recent reports put hybrid lead times at three to six months depending on grade and colour, with the PHEV in high demand since it reached showrooms in late June. Supply is improving as September's sales jump shows, but don't expect to drive one home this week unless a dealer has stock or a demo.
Resale is the RAV4's secret weapon. It has long been one of the strongest holders of value of any new car in Australia, which softens that higher sticker price. The PHEV has no track record yet, so its long term value is less certain.
Winner: For a petrol free commute with long trip flexibility, the RAV4 PHEV has the best all round case. If you can live with an EV, the Sealion 7 is better value. On a tight budget, the Sportage Hybrid undercuts the RAV4 by a meaningful margin.
Buy it if: you want a spacious, efficient family SUV with bulletproof reliability, strong resale and the biggest service network in the country, or you can charge at home and want 100km plus of electric driving without range anxiety.
Skip it if: a current five star ANCAP rating is non negotiable, you need to tow more than 800kg in a 2WD, or you want the most car for your money. Rivals now offer more equipment or full electric power for similar cash.
Our pick is the GXL Hybrid AWD at $52,340 plus on road costs: the full towing capacity, the key comfort features and that famously strong resale. If you can plug in, the XSE PHEV 2WD at $58,840 is the most impressive RAV4 yet.
The hybrid range runs from $45,990 for the GX 2WD to $60,340 for the Cruiser AWD. The plug in hybrid range runs from $58,840 to $66,340. All prices are plus on road costs.
Up to 121km on the WLTP cycle for the 2WD and 113km for the AWD versions. Real world range will depend on weather, speed and air conditioning use.
Not yet. It launched unrated, and Toyota expects to secure five stars after testing later in 2026. Cars built before the safety update will remain unrated.
Recent reports put waits at about three to six months depending on grade and colour. Check with dealers for stock and demo cars, which can cut that wait to days.
The new generation hybrid requires 95 RON premium unleaded, a change from the previous model.
Prices checked on 7 October 2026 and are manufacturer list prices plus on road costs unless stated. Wait times, ANCAP status and rival pricing can change quickly, so confirm with a dealer before you buy. Images: Toyota (manufacturer media). Some photos show Japanese and US market models; Australian specification may differ.
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