2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid First Look: Fast Charging and 50 Miles of EV Range

The plug-in-hybrid RAV4 gets a big upgrade for 2026

2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport driving

written by Nick Yekikian^{Senior News Editor
Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.}
edited by Steven Ewing^{Director, Editorial Content
Steven Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. In that time, he's written thousands of articles and tested just as many vehicles. Steven is Edmunds' director of editorial content and has previously been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. Steven has also contributed to Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and dozens of other publications. In his spare time, Steven loves to play the drums, cook, and drive his 2000 BMW M Roadster.}
5/20/2025
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The RAV4 is all-new for 2026, and the plug-in hybrid gets a lot more attention than before.
There are more trims, more range and more power.
The PHEV option is only available on select models.

The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is here, and it's hybrid only. There are major updates all over the SUV, but the plug-in hybrid model (formerly known as the RAV4 Prime) gets much more attention for 2026. There is a wider array of trims to pick from, more electric-only range and a GR-badged sport model.

For 2026, the RAV4 plug-in's powertrain pairs a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor that draws power from a larger battery pack than before. Toyota won't say how much larger, but the knock-on effect is a Toyota-estimated 50 miles of EV-only range, up from the previous car's 42 miles. It also gets a horsepower bump over the outgoing car. The PHEV is now rated at 320 horsepower combined — an increase of 18 hp — and all plug-in models will have all-wheel drive.

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2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport front 3/4

You also get faster charging for 2026. The onboard inverter can now charge at up to 11 kW, up from 6.6 kW on the previous plug-in. But that's only on the new GR Sport and SE models, which come with the smaller Level 2 charge port. The other two trims that get the plug-in hybrid powertrain for 2026 — the Woodland and XSE — get DC fast charging via a CCS charge port.

Why do different trims of the same car have unique charge ports? Cost. The GR Sport model, for example, is destined to be the most expensive RAV4 in the lineup thanks to its upgraded wheels, tires, brakes and specific chassis tuning. But it uses the smaller, slower charge port to help keep the price from ballooning and putting it out of reach of potential customers.

2026 Toyota RAV4 Woodland rear 3/4

The four aforementioned trims will be the only way to get a new plug-in RAV4 in 2026. The three other trims — LE, XLE and Limited — come with a standard, series hybrid powertrain and can be front- or all-wheel drive. Toyota is clearly billing the plug-in as the sportier powertrain to buy in 2026, and it will be the pricier of the two options.

We don't know exactly how much, but we expect a greater price spread for 2026. Expect the base SE to start at just over $40,000 and the GR Sport to crest the $52,000 mark.

Nick Yekikian

by Nick Yekikian

Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

Steven Ewing

edited by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. In that time, he's written thousands of articles and tested just as many vehicles. Steven is Edmunds' director of editorial content and has previously been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. Steven has also contributed to Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and dozens of other publications. In his spare time, Steven loves to play the drums, cook, and drive his 2000 BMW M Roadster.

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