2026 Toyota RAV4 Review: Hybrid-Only, From $31,900, Up to 43 MPG Combined and Mixed IIHS Crash Results

The redesigned RAV4 dropped the gas engine, gained a bigger screen and kept its space. What each trim costs, what it burns and where the crash tests fall short.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is a full redesign of Toyota's compact SUV, and its biggest change is a subtraction: there is no gas-only version. Cars.com's review puts it plainly, calling the 2026 RAV4 hybrid-only and saying it is better for it, and the IIHS says the model was redesigned for 2026 and is now available as a Hybrid or Plug-In Hybrid only. This review covers the standard hybrid, which is what most buyers will drive off the lot, with the plug-in noted where the data exists.

Power comes from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with electric motors. Front-wheel-drive versions make 226 horsepower and all-wheel-drive versions 236 horsepower, according to Cars.com; the all-wheel-drive cars add a second electric motor at the rear axle instead of a driveshaft, which Toyota calls e-AWD. Cars.com's reviewer found the hybrid system very similar to the outgoing one in ride, handling and refinement, and listed a slightly buzzy powertrain among the cons. Motor1's review headline calls the RAV4 still the compact SUV to beat.

Pricing starts at $31,900 for the LE with front-wheel drive, per Cars.com's trim list. All-wheel drive adds $1,400 on the LE and on the XLE Premium. The table below pairs those prices with the EPA's combined mpg from FuelEconomy.gov. Cars.com does not state whether the prices include destination, and the destination fee was not confirmed on any page checked, so budget for it on top.

The mpg ladder is what you would expect from a hybrid with a rear motor: the front-wheel-drive LE gets 47 city, 40 highway and 43 combined, and the AWD LE and SE 46/39/42. The XLE AWD returns 45/38/41, and the Limited and XSE AWD 43/37/41, so the loaded trims give up about two mpg to the base car. The Woodland Edition is the thirstiest at 41/35/38. For a driver covering 12,000 miles a year, the gap between 43 and 38 mpg combined is roughly 37 gallons of gasoline a year.

Space is where the RAV4 has always competed. Cars.com's spec sheet for the LE AWD lists 38 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row and 70 cubic feet with it folded, 38 inches of second-row legroom and 8 inches of ground clearance. Passenger volume is the same 98.9 cubic feet as before, per Toyota. Towing tops out at 1,750 pounds on that trim, enough for a small camper or utility trailer and well short of what the Woodland badge might suggest. These numbers come from a single trim's spec sheet, so check the exact trim you plan to buy.

Inside, Cars.com reports a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel across the lineup, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard and a central touchscreen that grows from 8 to 10.5 inches on lower trims, with 12.9 inches on higher grades. Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 is standard, and Cars.com lists blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and a backup camera as standard even on the LE.

Crash-test results are the part to read carefully. The IIHS rated the 2026 RAV4 Good in the small overlap front test and Good in the updated side test, but Acceptable in the updated moderate overlap front test. The side test's one weak spot is rear-passenger pelvis protection, rated Marginal, which matters if you carry adults or teenagers behind the front seats. The standard front crash prevention system earns Good for both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian detection, and the headlights are rated Good on all trims. The IIHS page lists no Top Safety Pick award for the 2026 model.

The plug-in version is a separate buy. Cars.com's review says its all-electric range is now 48 to 52 miles depending on trim, up from 42, and that power rises to 324 horsepower. It also says the GR Sport grade is underwhelming and that the reviewer would not replace a hot hatch or sports car with one unless more space was the goal. Pricing for the plug-in and GR Sport was not available in the sources checked.

Which trim to buy: the front-wheel-drive LE is the efficiency pick at 43 mpg combined and the lowest price, and the AWD LE at $33,300 adds all-weather traction for $1,400 and one mpg. The Limited at $43,300 is $11,400 more than the base car for the same 41 mpg you would get from a mid-level AWD trim, so its extra money buys equipment, not economy. The verdict across the data: the 2026 RAV4 remains a sensible, efficient family SUV with generous cargo space, held back from a clean sweep only by the IIHS moderate overlap and rear-passenger side results.