2026 Toyota RAV4 takes shape ahead of official reveal: Everything we know about the new 2026 Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, MG HS, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan X-Trail, Subaru Forester popular mid-size family hybrid SUV rival

Toyota is gearing up to globally reveal a new-generation version of Australia’s best-selling SUV.

The new, sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 will be revealed on May 21 and ahead of this the company has detailed some final teaser images that show some of the car’s exterior design. Digital artist Evren Özgün Spy Sketch has given us a glimpse of what it could look like in the above render.

It has a new hammerhead shark-like front-end design that’s similar to what the new Toyota Camry and C-HR gets.

There’s also a new tailgate design that features more prominent ‘RAV4’ badging and a full-width blacked-out section where the LED tail-lights live.

In addition to the regular version of the RAV4, it appears Toyota will reveal a GR Sport version as in the teaser images it has a more prominent rear spoiler and a front-end design similar to the recently detailed Corolla Cross GR Sport.

Toyota has also teased a more off-road-focused version with all-terrain tyres and roof rails, though this isn’t included in Toyota Australia’s set of imagery, so it’s unlikely to come locally.

While Toyota is claiming the new RAV4 is an all-new generation, it appears to be a heavy reskin of the current model. The brand followed a very similar formula with the new Camry.

These latest official teaser images follow recent ones of the interior. It showed the new RAV4 will have a blockier interior design with a large touchscreen multimedia screen, a sizeable digital driver display, head-up display and a stubby gear selector.

At this stage Toyota hasn’t detailed what will power the new RAV4, but it’s expected this will be one of the biggest changes as it’ll feature the brand’s new series of hybrid engines.

A 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with hybrid boost making up to 200kW seems likely to find its way into the RAV4, which is a big jump over the current 2.5-litre hybrid’s 160kW. A punchier 2.0-litre turbo could be on the cards, too, potentially for the GR Sport.

The new RAV4 will likely get a more efficient electric motor and battery system, too, helping drop fuel use below the current RAV4 Hybrid AWD’s 4.8L/100km rating.

There will likely be a new version of the RAV4 PHEV, called the RAV4 Prime in North America, though it’s unclear whether this will come to Australia.

At this stage the new, sixth-generation Toyota RAV4 is due to go on sale in 2026, where it’ll battle the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Kia Sportage Hybrid, as well as the coming Mazda CX-5 Hybrid.

This comes as Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations, Sean Hanley, told CarsGuide earlier this year the RAV4 might be the best selling vehicle in the nation moving forward.

“It may be, and I stress maybe, that an SUV could rise to the top of the national sales charts in the next year or two, and just maybe that SUV will be a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid,” he said.

The RAV4 was the second best-selling car overall in 2024, and so far for the first four months of 2025 it has overtaken the Ford Ranger as the best seller year-to-date.