2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date, MPG, Interior

2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date, MPG, Interior  –  The 2026 Toyota RAV4 remains an important vehicle for the automaker, as it’s traditionally its top seller overall, as well as the best-selling SUV in Canada. This year there’s a new multimedia system with wireless connectivity, larger infotainment and instrument cluster screens, and upgraded driver-assist and safety systems.

All RAV4 trims now also feature standard all-wheel drive (AWD), with the base LE no longer available in a front-wheel drive configuration. It’s available with both plug-in and conventional hybrid powertrains, but the one tested here is the gasoline-only version. The lineup starts at $34,520 – including a non-negotiable delivery fee of $1,930 – but this top-end Limited checks in at $46,180 before taxes. 2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date

2026 Toyota RAV4 Redesign and Update Plan

Exterior and Interior

All trim levels receive a larger infotainment screen. Lower trims go from a seven-inch to an eight-inch display, while the Limited swaps its previous nine-inch tablet for a 10.5-inch screen. Regardless of size, all get a new multimedia system with subscription services, including up to a three-year trial for remote connectivity, and a 10-year trial for service and safety connection. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay needed a cable in last year’s RAV4, but they’re now wireless in all trims.

In addition to the standard safety assist features, the base trim includes heated front seats, all-weather floor mats, windshield de-icer, variable intermittent wipers, and LED headlights. Moving up the trim levels adds such items as a power sunroof, roof rails, a heated steering wheel, cargo privacy cover, cargo net, rain-sensing wipers, and a wireless charger.  2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date

2026 Toyota RAV4 Specs

The RAV4 features easy-to-use controls, with large temperature dials that can quickly be grabbed and turned with a minimum of distraction. The steering wheel controls show their longevity – they were originally meant to mimic the circular switch on an iPod – but they’re equally simple. The Limited’s new larger touchscreen abandons its previous menu hard buttons for icons on the screen, and they’re still effective. But my tester’s connectivity system, with voice control that answers to, “Hey, Toyota” to bring up functions or navigation destinations, could be slow to load and properly respond after vehicle start-up, especially in the cold.

Engine and Performance

An eight-speed automatic gearbox transfers power from the 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque produced by the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine to the vehicle’s all-wheel drive system. Although it makes a little of noise when pressed firmly on the accelerator, it starts up quickly, has sufficient power for passing on the highway, and becomes very quiet when coasting.

Among its closer rivals, it has more power than the Tucson at 187 hp, the CR-V at 190 hp, and the Ford Escape’s base engine at 180 hp, although that model also offers a 250-hp turbocharged 2.0L engine.  2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date

2026 Toyota RAV4 Fuel Economy

The RAV4 is rated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) at 9.5 L/100 km in the city, 7.2 on the highway, and 8.5 in combined driving. I had it during a bitterly cold week and came in much higher at 11.0 L/100 km. That official rating is close to that of its AWD competitors, where the Ford Escape rates at 8.4 L/100 km with its base engine; the Honda CR-V at 8.4; and the Hyundai Tucson at 9.3.  2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date

2026 Toyota RAV4 Safety Features

In crash testing, the RAV4 earns the highest five ratings. It also earns a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It falls short of the highest Top Safety Pick+ designation due to the IIHS modifying its front- and side tests to better simulate being struck by a larger SUV. The RAV4 earns “Acceptable” ratings in these, one below the top “Good” score.

All trims come with a number of driver-assist and safety features, including adaptive cruise control, emergency front braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and the rearview camera that’s mandatory on all new vehicles. For 2023, the forward collision warning system has been updated with pedestrian detection in low-light situations, emergency steering assist, and intersection assistance; it detects and, if necessary, brakes for oncoming vehicles when you’re turning left, or for pedestrians at intersections in either direction. The Limited trim exclusively adds 360-degree cameras and emergency rear braking.   2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date

2026 Toyota RAV4 Price and Release Date

The RAV4 in base LE trim starts at $34,520, a rise over the 2022 price but with standard all-wheel drive and upgraded features, and midway in the segment where the Tucson starts at $32,424 and the CR-V at $38,990 (all prices are for AWD and including delivery).

My top-line Limited was $46,180, more than many rivals but with a lot of features for that price tag. While the move from gas-only to the RAV4 Hybrid varies in price depending on the trim, it’s an additional $1,600 to go to the gas-electric Limited and which might be money well spent, especially for its smooth performance and fuel efficiency.   2026 Toyota RAV4 Release Date