Hybrid family SUV's next-gen overhaul unlikely to be 'dramatic': 2025 Toyota RAV4 hybrid may follow Camry's lead with mild makeover for Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander rival: Report

The next-gen Toyota RAV4 could follow in the Camry’s footsteps with mild updates rather than an all-new iteration to modernise the popular model that is due in 2025. 

This comes after Head of Product Planning Toyota Motor North America Cooper Ericksen told industry publication Automotive News not to expect a “dramatic change” for the new RAV4.

"We do not want to mess up that formula, so how do you then improve upon it? Modernising it, meeting regulations for emissions, keeping an eye on our competitors and making sure we're making the right product improvements. But this is not a dramatic change," he added.

The rhetoric from Toyota USA suggests that the RAV4 may get a second, more involved facelift likely with a new 12.3-inch screen, lightly redesigned interior, fresh front and rear bumpers and upgraded lighting features, just like the Camry. 

In the US, the popularity of hybrid RAV4s is growing. The petrol-electric hybrid and Prime plug-in hybrid account for around half of RAV4 sales. That is notably behind Australia, where Toyota has committed to a hybrid-only RAV4 line-up into the future. 

"It's interesting how RAV has turned into our Camry over the last 10 years in terms of total sales, but it's just hitting the market with the right product at the right time," Andrew Gilleland, Head of Automotive Operations Toyota North America, told Automotive News.

Aside from hybrid sales growth there was no mention of powertrains, though a Japanese report suggested that the RAV4’s coupe-like Harrier twin would be among the first models to feature Toyota’s new-generation combustion engines with hybrid boost. 

Logic suggests that if the Harrier and Corolla get the new engine tech, Toyota’s popular family SUV would follow suit. But that is not confirmed.

The fifth-generation RAV4 we know today was a step change from the model it replaced with then new ‘Dynamic Force’ engines, fresh GA-K underpinnings and a whole lot more style inside and out. The RAV4 was met with critical and sales success.

And, as for how to improve on such a successful formula, Mr Ericksen said "RAV4 is easy.”

“We have other product segments that are difficult, but the customer has spoken clearly with what they want with the RAV4: The size, the packaging, the level of performance, technology. 

“We could sell 500,000 of those things a year if we could build them, so we do not want to mess up that formula," added Ericksen.

In the much smaller Australian market, Toyota sold 25,405 RAV4s in the first half of the year ahead of rivals like the Mazda CX-5 and Mitsubishi Outlander, largely thanks to enhanced RAV4 supply.

Looking at Toyota’s latest product launches, there is not much consistency to new-model approaches. The Camry and GR86 are both overhauls of existing names while the C-HR is almost entirely unrecognisable, despite using the same underpinnings. 

Toyota last gave the RAV4 a technology improvement in late 2022, introducing a larger 10.5-inch multimedia touchscreen and connected services, among other minor changes. 

That said, we have seen no spy pictures and there is no concrete information on the next-gen RAV4 yet. Expect more news on the next-gen Toyota RAV4 shortly, with its release almost certainly coming next year.