Why the RAV4 went electrified-only
Toyota's 2026 RAV4 redesign carries forward the electrification strategy the brand applied to the Camry: the gas-only 2.5L four-cylinder is gone, and every RAV4 now ships with either the standard hybrid powertrain or the plug-in hybrid system. The standard hybrid pairs a 2.5L four-cylinder with electric motors for 219 horsepower combined on FWD and up to 226 hp on AWD trims, with the electronic on-demand AWD using a dedicated rear-axle motor — no driveshaft running to the rear wheels, so cabin and cargo space are unaffected. The RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid (Toyota dropped the Prime name for 2026 in most markets) produces up to 320 horsepower combined and is the quickest RAV4 in the lineup, while still earning EPA-estimated electric-only range of up to 50 miles.
