Tested: Is the 2026 Toyota RAV4 GR Sport Really a Performance SUV?

• For the first time, the Gazoo Racing (GR) name is attached to the RAV4.
• This trim is only offered with the more powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain.
• There are various suspension and steering upgrades, backing up the more aggressive exterior look.

You may have noticed that I didn't mention any upgrades to the powertrain before, and that's because the RAV4s that have a plug have always been quick. Before its rebranding, the last-generation RAV4 Prime went from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds, and this new RAV4 plug-in is even quicker. So quick in fact that with the discontinuation of the GR Supra, the RAV4 GR Sport is now the quickest gas-powered, automatic-transmission vehicle from 0 to 60 mph that Toyota makes (even beating the GR Corolla).

But once we got beyond the acceleration, the numbers came back down to earth rapidly. The Hyundai Tucson PHEV is one of the RAV4 Plug-in's natural competitors. And while the Toyota can clearly outsprint it (the Tucson is just 7.6 seconds from 0 to 60 mph), our other tests were a lot closer. The Tucson only took one extra foot to stop, and it pulled the same number on the skidpad. We expected more out of the RAV4 on both of those fronts given that it's got summer tires versus the all-seasons that the Hyundai came on. And the fact that the Tucson doesn't harbor performance aspirations of its own.

Having proved itself in a straight line, we hit the track to see how the GR Sport could put things together.

On the track

It started off promising, as the Toyota quickly built up speed on the front straight. But by only the third corner, my mood was souring. It's a wide swinging right-hander that leads onto the back straightaway, so it's important to carry as much speed as you can to give yourself a good run. And it's a wide part of the track (and on camber), so there's room to let the vehicle settle before you turn it in. 

The RAV4 saw all that room and took it as an invitation to try to understeer right through it. The Toyota's nose loves to push, and the abundant body roll doesn't help things either. And if you try to stay in the power to get it to rotate a bit and rebalance, using the power out of its electric motor at the rear axle, the stability control (which you can't deactivate) intervenes. 

I understand why there would be some body roll; you can't spring this thing super tightly, or it'd be pretty uncomfortable on the road, and that wouldn't be good either. But with the suspension upgrades, I was hoping for more body control; perhaps something like an adaptive suspension would have done the trick and allowed the GR Sport to thrive in more environments.

Under braking, the RAV4 is pretty stable, but usually after braking comes a turn, so you only get to enjoy that for so long. The steering rack does feel a touch quicker, but it's almost completely devoid of feel. There's no comparison between driving the GR Sport and something like a Volkswagen GTI, or even Toyota's own GR Corolla. Those cars love to be pushed not only on a track, but on a canyon or mountain road too. The RAV4 doesn't; it's most comfortable cruising around doing everyday things, and that's disappointing given the two initials in its name.

Does it have the juice?

Our testing did reveal some positives, though, mostly related to the electric side of the GR Sport's plug-in hybrid powertrain. It has bigger batteries and electric motors than the RAV4 Prime did, giving it extra power and range. 

We did a 0-60 mph run in the GR Sport's EV mode, and it took 8.8 seconds, but it feels quicker than that because from 0 to 30 mph, it feels quite robust, and that makes it good to drive around the city on electricity alone. And it can also reach highway speeds relatively easily, as it did during a range test.

The EPA-estimated electric range for the GR Sport is 48 miles, while the other trims offer a bit more. I followed the same procedure we use for testing EVs, aiming for a 60/40 city/highway split and an average speed of 40 mph. And the RAV4 blew by that estimate, covering 58 miles before the battery was drained enough for the gas engine to kick on. 

Is this the RAV4 plug-in to buy?

So, this RAV4 GR Sport won't fill the hot hatch or sport coupe-shaped hole in your heart. But what about its place among the other RAV4 plug-ins? That's an important question to answer, especially since this is the most expensive of the four trims, starting at $49,950 including destination charges.

That's a lot of money to pay for a RAV4, even a sporty one, and the GR Sport is also missing some critical features compared to the XSE ($48,650) and the Woodland ($46,750). Those other two trims come with DC fast-charging capability and a more powerful 11-kW onboard charger, versus the 7-kW onboard charger in the GR Sport and the base SE trim. That means you'll be able to charge the XSE or Woodland much, much quicker than the GR Sport. And that's extra important because Toyota took out the drive mode that used to allow you to charge the battery while driving by running the gas engine as a generator. Now the only way to add juice is to plug in.

That makes the XSE the better buy to me; it has better charging, more features, and inside it weirdly even has more powerful USB-C charging ports (45 watts vs. 15 watts). While the GR Sport's mission was laudable, its performance unfortunately was not. A RAV4 with a body kit isn't what we wanted, but it is what we got.