A Real Improvement or Just as Boring as Ever? Edmunds Editors Debate the 2026 Toyota RAV4

• What's new: We have a 2026 Toyota RAV4 in our One-Year Road Test fleet that we recently compared to the outgoing RAV4.
• Why it matters: The new RAV4 is improved in a few key areas, but it's not much different than the old one.
• Edmunds says: Some team members see the value in springing for the new RAV4, but others don't think it's a worthwhile upgrade. Here's what the staff has to say.

The new RAV4 fails to stand out

I drove the brand-new Toyota RAV4 for more than 1,000 miles — up to San Francisco from Edmunds headquarters in Santa Monica and then back to beautiful suburban Southern California. It was almost aggressively "fine."

This is a vehicle that you do not need to think about. That’s almost certainly a selling point for many of the owners who have made this one of the best-selling vehicles in the world. But my feelings about this car are so neutral that I'd have a hard time making a case for why you should get one over one of the many more interesting crossover SUVs on sale.

Nobody is buying a crossover for its curb appeal, I get that. But even among a category of vehicles derided for being dull, the Toyota RAV4 fails to distinguish itself.

— Jake Sundstrom, editor

The new RAV4 is better, but it's too expensive for what it is

I really disliked the old RAV4. It was bad to drive, relatively uncomfortable, had super annoying driver aids and dated (even when it was new) tech. Toyota really fixed almost everything about the RAV4. It drives better, the seats are better, the tech is better — it's actually a good SUV now. Like, I would own one.

The problem is the price. I haven't driven a version that costs less than $36,000, and even at that price the interior is real plasticky, and a bunch of little luxuries and features are missing. I guess this is more endemic to the entire industry than just Toyota, but it's still a hard pill to swallow. As good as the new RAV4 is, it's going to have to reckon with ballooning prices and lower consumer spending power.

— Will Kaufman, manager, video

Who cares? It's just another appliance

I imagine people buy RAV4s like I buy toasters. The old one breaks and I don't want to fix it, so I go to Target, find a toaster that looks roughly the same, and buy it. If it warms my bagel, it suits. The end.

The RAV4 is so ubiquitous and appliance-like that most owners probably only know they have "a Toyota SUV" and not a RAV4 specifically. This works for and against the new one. On the one hand, repeat owners are likely going to overlook the 2026 model's basic design, plasticky interior and boring driving dynamics. They already owned a RAV4, it was fine, and they need a new one.

On the other hand, it means those same people would be just as happy in literally any other compact SUV, making any brand loyalty easy to sway. I certainly couldn't tell you what company makes the toaster that's currently sitting on the counter in my kitchen. When it's time to get a new one, any ol' appliance at the store — or dealer lot — will do.

— Steven Ewing, director, editorial content

New doesn't necessarily mean improved

The last RAV4 always felt like a penalty box. The plastics were low-rent and literally everywhere, the screen was teeny-tiny and looked tacked on, and it drove about as sharply as a butter knife. Its only real redeeming qualities were that is was big for the class and the interior was simply laid out and easy to use — not to mention it was seemingly immune to depreciation.

The new RAV4 has righted many of its predecessor's wrongs. The inside is genuinely nicer, the instrument cluster is pretty sharp, and going hybrid-only means you're guaranteed good fuel economy. But there are still a plethora of interior bits that feel closer to sandpaper than anything else, the center screen still looks tacked on, and the physical climate controls that made the last RAV4 so easy to use are almost entirely gone. The way I see it, Toyota played a zero-sum game with the new RAV4; it's still boring, it's still not very nice inside, and it's definitely no better to drive. At least it'll hold its value.

— Nick Yekikian, senior news editor

Toyota knows how to do luxury, so why's it missing in the RAV4?

I'm driving our long-term Grand Highlander Hybrid right now, and I'm struck by how luxurious it feels compared to how cheap the RAV4 feels. At first glance, this seems obvious — the Grand Highlander is larger and more expensive, and the RAV4 is quite affordable. But I can't think of another manufacturer that has such a disparity in materials and construction quality between its mainstream and high-end products.

Consider Toyota's portfolio against Hyundai's. In Toyota land, the Corolla Cross and RAV4 have interiors that are pretty disappointing, while the Crown Signia and Grand Highlander are legitimately upscale. The RAV4, in particular, is a bummer. This is a brand-new Toyota and every bit is covered in hard plastic, the faux leather is scratchy, and the entire center console moves if I apply the slightest bit of pressure with my knee.

Hyundai maintains a consistent throughline across its lineup. The Kona (a Corolla Cross rival) has fantastic materials and build quality at this price point. The mainstream Tucson (a RAV4 competitor) surprises with a high-tech cabin featuring a minimum of hard touchpoints. There's an abundant use of soft-touch plastics and faux-leather-covered panels, and nothing feels flimsy. And the big-dog Palisade's midcentury modern cabin design sets a new bar among non-luxury automakers.

— Cameron Rogers, manager, written content