The single most important new car of the year is almost here. It’s not going to be on teenagers’ bedroom walls, nor is it likely to go down in the Guinness Book of World Records for pushing the envelope. No, the new Toyota RAV4 is the most important car of the year because the RAV4 is the world’s new default car. A picture of the old one might as well be in the illustrated version of the Oxford English Dictionary.
These days, people want practicality, they want economy, they want reliability, and they want to sit high up. Right in the middle of all those circles sits the RAV4, a sensible car designed and engineered to make everyday people love what it does for them. Youngest child picked up a tuba? Unscheduled IKEA run after a cat-induced catastrophic Lack end table collapse? Road trip through the snow to grandma’s house? No sweat, the outgoing RAV4 handled it. Oh what a sensible feeling. With the new RAV4, the question is: Can it keep the crown of the world’s best-selling four-wheeled vehicle?
At these sort of drive events, automakers often keep one static model on display at the hotel or what have you, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. I’m sure the new RAV4 is somewhere, probably being driven by journalists on the wave before mine. You know what is here, in the underground parking garage? The old RAV4, in all of its two-door splendor.
I mean come on, isn’t this just the neatest thing? The ’90s had its problems, but it could also be pretty great. Look at how joyous the original RAV4 looks, especially compared to the outgoing model behind it. This one’s like driving a blueberry, the sort of Richard Scarry-ass motoring future we were all promised as kids.
Ah, here’s the new RAV4. Yep, that’s definitely it, and it’s actually quite sharp in the metal. It’s still early days, but I reckon its best angle is the rear three-quarter view, where a stronger C-pillar than on the outgoing car and tail lights set into a dark full-width surround download just a hint of Land Cruiser maturity to Toyota’s most popular model. Alright, I’m still not sure how I feel about the standard model’s front-end latticework, but I have time to form a descriptive opinion.
Oh, and you know what else was in the underground parking garage? Sheer, unadulterated weirdness. It’s strange enough on it’s own that someone bought a BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, which was a bit like an X4 in every conceivable way except for the fact that it isn’t an X4, and it’s unusual to see a Karma Revero out in the wild because I can’t imagine a re-worked Fisker Karma is a huge seller more than a decade after the original car launched, but for both to be in the same place at the same time, seemingly out of pure happenstance? I mean, their plates were from different countries. Different countries!
Truthfully, I was hoping to write more today, but I’ve suffered an extremely Autopian mishap. Since it’s getting towards the end of car season, I figured I’d roll up in my low-slung summer car. A great decision, until the glute-flex required to exit the thing tore the culo out of my jeans. For those completely unaware of how focal length works, the resulting hole is the size of a (blurry) Camry, as evidenced by this photograph.
Anyway, much to see, much to do, and I can’t actually tell you about how the new RAV4 drives for a couple weeks, but for now, what do you want to know about the most important new car of the year?
Top graphic image: Thomas Hundal
Maybe it’s just looking at it on a phone screen, but the rear 3/4 view is giving me strong minivan vibes.
Fuel economy of FWD Rav vs Corolla Cross hybrid AWD.
Should be more reliable than the new Tundra. And more fuel efficient.
If I want a new sedan or crossover, Toyota is a good option. But I am no loyalist.
As the owner of a 2025 PHEV Rav4, does yours have the TPMS gremlin that shows up when the tire pressure drops. It is supposed to show the pressure in all of the tires at that point allowing one to know which tire is responsible. All ours does is show — instead of real pressures. Yours probably doesn’t have enough miles or encounter a large enough temperature variation for the TPMS to react.
If this involves a trip to Plano, I’ll buy you a beer.
How many cup holders?
looks like it’s basically a facelift. is there going to be anything new under the skin?
I would like to know how the TSS 4.0 safety suite performs, this is the first vehicle with it…
There’s one thing I want to know.
As much as I understand Toyota’s hybrids, the max. torque of the smaller motor limits the max. torque that can go to wheels from the engine. What I want to know: how can other people cope with this?
Real world mileage.
How durable is the interior. Like, if I put a chain saw in the back, will it ding the hell out of the place?
Off road…what’s the AWD system like in use? I don’t mean fording rivers. I mean in slippery stuff and forest roads.
As I’m nearing the end of my 40s I realize time is the most valuable resource I have. So will daily driving this thing suck the lifeforce out of me or is it actually going to be something fun? Because life is too short to drive things that don’t give me happiness in some way.
Seems like with every generation it gets closer and closer to looking more like a minivan with “SUV-ish” accents. Fucking OOOOGLY looking car.
The first few generations of the RAV4 were some of the most cheerful looking cars out there. Come on Toyota, did you really have to give it the angry face? I honestly think people would be more courteous and less likely to think other drivers are out to kill them if our cars didn’t all look like axe murderers in mid-swing. We need to pick a busy metro area and convert all of the vehicles to have big round headlights and smiley grills as a social experiment.
Why is everyone’s biggest question “does it have a spare tire?”
The more important question is: “does it have a spare tire well?” Not buying a vehicle because it doesn’t have a spare, as long as it has space for one, is just dumb…just buy the accessory kit online or from your dealer: boom, spare.
That’s actually a fair point. I recently upgraded my space saver spare with a fullsize wheel from the junkyard and a new tire from Costco. All in it was about $200, but that’s because I wanted a new Michelin to match my current tires. Pro tip, if you do go the new tire route, let the tire air out in the sun or something for a few days, because otherwise your whole trunk and car will be filled with tire-off-gas fumes for a couple weeks.
Ram trucks are the third worst drivers. Any Korean car the second. The absolute worst though are Rav4 drivers. I would very much like to know what Toyota did to force them to drive 5 under, bounce between the sides of the lane, stop 10 yards back from any stop sign or light, and just generally require license revocation. And can they stop.
an utterly nonsensical post, thank you
Any post about bad drivers that doesn’t mention Nissan drivers isn’t worth taking seriously
Not what I meant, but as it’s true, I’ll allow it
so no bmws or teslas where you drive?
As someone who reads Cars and Trucks and Things That Go at least twice a week (to my son) I badly wish we could be living in a Richard Scarry motoring future. I’d much rather drive a Carrot Car than this thing.
I could live without the 40 car watermelon-induced pile-up at the end though.
Did you buy the 50th anniversary version? I couldn’t help myself…42 years old, no kids, don’t care.
I’m pretty sure it’s an ordinary copy. But overall it’s basically the highest possibly quality children’s book, a true classic.
Is the inductive charging pad still awkward and useless? That and I’m still trying to figure out the remote start situation with the key fob for her. Those are really my only complaints with my Mom’s 2020 RAV-4 hybrid.
ALL inductive charging pads in cars are awkward and useless.
For the auto start, lock the doors, then hit lock again quickly, then a 3rd time for 3+ seconds and the car will start. This only works if it came with your Toyota before they started this connected bullshit in their new cars which all break down and suck.
Thanks, Greg. I’ve tried that procedure and got it to work, but usually it takes at least a few tries. I’m not sure if it was distance or timing causing the problem. My 88 year old Mom can never get it to work, which is the problem. I’m going to see her this weekend and work on it some more with the cold weather coming.
I don’t get the inductive pad problem. I can buy one for <$10 and it always works.
If my assumptions are right, the removable rubber mat placed over it (used for convenient cleaning) puts more distance between the phone and the coils, making the placement more sensitive. A normal charging pad probably can’t keep a phone on when experiencing g forces without using a magnet
Thanks, I didn’t realize the mat was removable. I’ll try that and hope Mom doesn’t notice!
My phone has a silicone case that is very grippy. The charging port is fried so inductive charging is my only option. In the old junks I drive around my phone sticks pretty well to the cheap inductive pad I have plugged in sitting on the passenger seat. Not pulling any serious G forces tho 🙂
When are they going to radically change the front-end styling to something that isn’t disgusting to look at? Is there an optional front-end aesthetics package? That asked, the rear 3/4 view does look pretty elegant. If I were to get one, I would always want to approach it from the rear.
I haven’t been in a RAV4 since oh about 2003. The road noise was unbelievably loud. My guess is they’ve probably taken care of that by now.
I’m sure you’ll cover the mundane stuff like: How much will it cost? How far can the PHEV go on a charge?
And when I see a MFR plate, am I the only one who thinks “mother ‘fr?”
Current Prime owner, fits two kayaks, two bikes then stuff the interior with everything else. Gen 5 has buttons, over 300hp, great acceleration, ponderous steering due to battery weight, easy to get over 50 miles at City speeds on electric only, hybrid mode is around 38mpg again depending on HVAC and speeds, new gen will improve slightly on those specs. JBL audio is disappointing. Has “smaller”spare tire. Is great for vacation use with the toys you can bring. 7500 tax credit is no more so Prime is no longer a deal. 2026 front end no like, touchscreens would be another deal breaker for me. I paid 40,800 for mine loaded think the 2026 will come in at 52k to 55k so total no go. Hybrids will still be underpowered but with 40 plus mpg. Very good for the the outdoor activity traveler that wants to bring devices along.
What color is the seat cushion foam?
How accesable is the battery to replace, what type of bulb is the headlight and taillights? Full size spare or space saver donut?